The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-03 00:00:00

SUPERANNUATION ALLOWANCES.

On the Order of the Day being read• for going
into a. Committee on the Superannuation Allow-

ances, •
Mr. IT umE, after few observations, proceeded
to read to the House an extract from the Sixth
Report of the. Finance Committee, in which they
(the Committee) recommended that an inquiry
should be instituted into the Superannuation Al-
lowances, in order to find out those which ought
to be continued, and those which ought to be
abolished. The Hon. Member proceeded to point
out several instances of persons receiving super-
annuation allowanceslo the amount of 2001. 300/.
4001.
.and 5001. a year, and who, at the same
time,, held situations of several hundreds, nay,
in some instances, thousaitids a year. He con-
cluded. by moving the following Resolution :
Ret•6:t-ted, " That as there are individuals in the List of Su.'
--rations and Retired Allowances, who receive large sums
sofa few years, and who are at this time in perfect
.t and performing duty in lucrative employments, it is ex-
that this House, before granting any. of, the Super-
annuated-Allowances for this year, should appoint a Committee
of this • House, conformable to the recommendation of the
fminer. Committee—(6th Report from Committee on Finance,
11311ip. 195), in the following terms Where the sum has
been granted 'as a Supuannuation Allowance to a person who
nevertheless had health. and strength afterwards to hold other
active and lucrative situations, your Committee feel that the
public have an undoubted right to revise the whole of such
grants, and to curtail and modify them in a way which may
answer to the intentions which would have influenced the origi-
nal grantors, if the whole case had been fairly before them.
Your Committee therefore feel it to be their indispensible duty
to recommend, that such revision should take place before the
Aninial Estimates, in which the Grants alluded to are com-
prised, are again presented to Parliament."'
Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to the Hon.
Mather," read an extract from a Ministeiial Cir-
cular, of July, 1817, in which it was ordered
that no person upon the Superannuation List
should hold an' appointment greater in emolu-
ment than that from which he had been superan-
nuated, without being deprived of the difference
between such situation and that which such per-
son had formerly held.

tot

After a fetv• words from Mr. Bernal, Lord
Palmerstonond Lord A. Hamilton,
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY observed, that
there was at this moment under the consideration
of Government a measure for lessening the
.scale
of superannuation allowances, with respect to
persons who held public offices.
Mr. BENNET supported the Resolution.—The
Marquis .of LONDONDERRY explained.
After a few observations from Mr. G. Benne
and Sir, Robert Wilson, the House divided, whe
there appeared—
For Mr. Ilume's Amendment - - -
Against it - - - - -
Majority against the Amendment .;
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
The House then went into the Committee.
Mr. BANICES moved that a sum not exceeding
84751. should be granted for the suppOrt of the
British Museum.—Agreed to.
Lord PALMERSTON moved a resolution for
granting the sum of 31,5201. for defraying the
chargé of Superannuations and Retired Pensions
in England. .
Mr. lIUME said there was one appointment of
5001." a year in this estimate which did not appear
in that of last year.
Lord .PALmEnszoN said that the appointment
was to: Sir Howard Douglas, whose services
richly merited the remuneration.
Mr. HOME was of opinion that as that officer
still received his half pa sr, the extra 5001. a year
was a most exorbitant allowance.
Sir IL HARDINGE bore testimony to the high
character and services of the Officer to whom
allusion had been made.
Air. G. BENNET agreed in allowing every merit
to. Sir H. Douglas, but still the extra salary of
5001. was most extravagant.
Colonel DAVIES contended, that such compen-
satiOris as that under discussion were contrary to
the spirit and even the letter of the Act for regu-
lating- such allowances. If this were the case,
'an'd he defied Ministers to shew to the contrary,
he put it to them whether they should not recal
the resolution, and take the question into further
consideration. Should this not be done, he
shoUld move that the Chairman do report progress.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
if there was really a doubt upon any legal point
like that suggested by the lion. Member, he
should be most anxious to refer it to the Law
Officers of the Crown, before Parliament came
to _a:final decision upon it. But in this case he
was satisfied. that the allowance did not come
within the meaning of the Act.
The Resolution was then agreed to, as was a
similar one for granting 8,6861. 6s. 4d. for . the
use of Ireland.
Lord PALMERSTON moved that a sum not ex-
ceeding 35,0601. should be.granted for the pay-
ment of Exchequer Fees.
Mr. numr wished to ask if there was any in-
tention of. abolishing-, these fees ; or if not, whe-
ther it was contemplated to bring the whole fees
of all public offices into one account, to be
charged upon the Consolidated Fund..
Sir C. LONG said that the persons who re-
ceived these fees were- entitled to them by Act
of Parliament. Mr.,Burke's Act for regulating
this department had recognised their claims, and
he considered that it would be unfair to dispos-
sesithem of the fees.
Mr. HUME explained. He wished to know
from the Right Hon. Gentleman whether there
was any intention of bringing this subject under
the consideration of Government ; if not, he
should feel it his duty, to lay it before Parliament.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
as the regulations were sanctioned by Act of Par-
liament, and if the fees-.were abolished, the allow-
ances must be made in some other shape, he
could not see the necessity of any alteration.
After a few further observations from Mr.
HUME, Mr. G. BENNET, and Sir C. LONG, the
resolution was agreed to.
The sums of 269,5001. for the disembodied
Militia of England, and 25,3001. for that of Ire-
land, were.then proposed and agreed.to.
The House then resumed .; the•CHAilthiAli re.

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