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

~.-~.-+-+f.

'7,Prr

ar---T

Colonel DAVIVA..._ rose to move an aildre.s to the
Kim:, praying his Majesty to order his Half-pay Offs-I
kers to be employed when vacancies should omit.
His motion would be a verbatim copy of that agreld
to by the House in 1710. It was then adopte 1 with-
out opposition, and the only objection made to it by
those on the Ministerial side of the House, was that it
was nnne .essary, as the King meant to employ every
°dicer on half-pay who was able to serve. The rase
of the Half-pay Officers was particularly hard. Many
of them had purchased their commissions and paid
more than the regular price, and now they were placed
• on half-pay, and were likely to remain in their present
situation, unless they possessed very great interest to
them employment. What lie would suggest was,
that half of the commissions that might fall vacant in
eerie regiment should he filled up with the names of
Officers who were at present on the half-pay list. He
was ready to withdraw his motion, if the Noble Lord
would state that it was the intention of the Commander
in Chief to recommend it to his Majesty to employ
Officers now on halt pay who were eligible to serve.
Ile moved That an humble Address should he pre-
sented to the King, praying his Majesty for the pre-
sent and future case of his snhjects, to employ in his
army such Officers now on half-pay who were quali-
fied to serve his Majesty."
Lord PALMERSTON opposed the Resolution, on
the ground that it was uncalled for, and would there-
fore he a censure upon the office of Commander-in-
. tilief, whose conduct, at the head of the army, had
itrodikerl the most beneficial effects, and was entitled
'• to the hizhest praise. The Noble Lord entered into a
calculation, slicwing that a great number of the
• carers on half-pay had retired voluntarily, and that
of the rem tinder, as many were occasionally placed
np at full pay as could be expected, consistently with
the regulation.; now acted upon in the army.
Sir It. WILSON would he the last man in that
Dun.e to cast any implied censure upon the conduct
of the Commander-in.t:hief. The exertions of that
wa-1.1111 PersonaL,e in his Department deserved the
wit west praise, buth on the part of the army antisthe
country. lie could nut, hnweyer, help observing, that
moony lieneral Officers, to whom the country owed
ever; thing, were now living upon retiree( allowances
of 7s. a day. This was a state of things which
(right to he remedie.l, an,l therefore lie felt it neces-
sary to support the Resolution.
Captain WORADY supported the Resolution. Ile
eonerived that there were litany public situations, such
fiarrar!‘ Masters, &c. &c. which might he filled up
from the half-pay.
Mr. lIITMS obirrved, that within the last five years
there had beee I Itls cornets and ensigns appointed,
of irhich only 54 had been taken from the half-pay.
Mr. C. It HUTCHINSON supported the Reso-

110.1,m.
After a few words from Lord PALMERSTON in
explanation
Col. DAVIES replied.—The House then divided—
F the llotion 11, Against it -15, MajJrity gaiiist
it 31.
On rr-entering the Gallery, we found Mr. 1117 ME on
hi. hnt the noise occasioned by the re-entrance
'of stranger., prevented us from catching his obs:rva.

On the (haler of the Day being real for going into
a Committee on the Superannuation .thowaticcs,
111!MF„ after a few observations, proceeded to
rel t to the House an extract from the Sixth Report of
ti.e Committee, in which they (the Commit-
tee) reeournen.led that an inquiry should be instituted
in the Superannuation Allowances in order to find out
those which ought to be continued, and those which
ought to be abolished. He proceeded to point out
sera.-al instances of persons receiving Superannuation
Allowances to the amount of 2001., 300/., 40111., and
SON. a-year, and who, at the same time, held situations
of several hundredf, nay, in some instances, thousands
a-year. He concluded by moving the following Re-

k

solution :
Res lved. " That as there are individuals in the
1. Ist of Superannuation• and Retired Allowances, who
ie..;!ive large sums for services of a few years, and who
are at this time in perfect health, and performing duty
in lucrative employments, it is expedient that this House
before granting any of the Superannuated Allowances
for this year, should appoint a Committee of this
House, conformable to the recommendation of the
fernier Committee—(tith Report from Committee on
Finance, 1417, p. 195), in the following terms :
Where the sum has been granted as a Siipesatinuation
Allowance to a person who nevertheless had health
and strength afterwards to bold other active and lu-
crative situations, your Committee feel that the public
have an ~doubted 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 infs.'
enced the original grantors, if the whole case bad been
fairly before them. Your Committee therefore feel it to be
their indispensible duty to recointneud, that such re-,
vision should take place before the Annual Estimates,'
ih which the thaws alluded to arc comprised, are again
Presented to Parliament.'
Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to the Hun. Mem-
ber, read an extract from a Ministerial Circular, of
Jtily, 1817, in which it was ordered that no person
upon the Superannuation List should hold an appoint-
'bent greeter in emolument than that from which he
hal been superannuated, without being deprived of the
difference between such situation and that which such
person had formerly held.
After a few words from Mr. Bernal. Lord Palmerston
au3 Lord A. Hamilton,
The Marquess of LONDONDERRY observed, that
there was at this moment under the consideratio►► of
tiovernment a measure witherseuing the scale of Super-
soma ation Allowances, espect to persons who held
public offices.
Mr. BENNET supported the Resolution.
The Marquess of LONDONDERRY explained.
After a few observations from Mr. O. Bennet and
Sir Rebell Wilson. the House divided, and there ap-
peaied--Ror Mr. Hame's Amendment, 22—Against
it, SO—Majority against the Amendment, 41.
The Speaker then left the Chair, and the House
*ent into the Committee.
Mr. BANKES moved that a sum of 8,4791. should
be granted for the Trustees of the British Museum.—
Agreed to.
Lord PALMERSTON moved that a suns of 31,6.101.
atemid be granted as Compensation for retired and au.
kperassaated public officers.
Kr. IMAM said, that it appeared by * Return for