I move for leave to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Civil Service (Transferred Officers) Compensation Act, 1929, by extending the limit imposed by Section 15 of that Act on the date of retirement of certain transferred officers.
Lest Deputies should be misled by the title of the Bill, I want to explain that the reason for it is simply that the Tribunal is not in a position to finish the hearing of cases by the 17th April, which was the date fixed. It is desired to give additional time in order to enable the Committee to hear those cases. There will be but a small number remaining to be heard on the 17th April, but they will include a number of cases in which counsel will undoubtedly appear, and a considerable time will be occupied. The Judge has been sitting up to as late as 11 o'clock some nights recently, with the object of finishing the cases within the specified time, but that has proved to be impossible. This Bill will not enable any new cases to be brought forward; it will simply enable the Tribunal to finish hearing the cases already entered.