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Pressure on HMG
26.
In recent years, however, HMG have assumed the
liability to pay the pensions etc of HMOCS officers and
their dependants that previously rested with the Governments
of many dependancies or former dependencies. No such arrange-
ments have so far been envisaged with the Government of the
colony of Hong Kong, but in the event of constitutional
change HMG may be pressed to take over this liability
in respect of Hong Kong. So long as HMG has effective
powers in relation to the territory, it may be possible to
resist this pressure.
Contingent Liability of HMG
27. If, however, constitutional changes in respect of
Hong Kong take place and HMG are unable to make satisfactory
arrangements for the payment of pensions etc by the
government of the territory, or if that government
subsequently defaults on payments, HMG may be obliged to
assume liability for the HMOCS pensions and also perhaps
for some other pensions as well.
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