THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1936.
WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSIONS IN HONGKONG
Hongkong Civil Servants Mulct Of Millions
Paid Into Fund GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TO FIND MONEY IT SPENT
ADOPTION OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TO COLONIAL OFFICE BY COMMISSION WOULD COST COLONY MILLIONS
"Telegraph" Staff Representative
AST WEEK THE "TELEGRAPH" EXCLUSIVELY PUB-
LALISHED PERTINENT EXTRACTS FROM THE BULKY
this
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS TO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF OFFICERS OF THE COLONIAL SERVICE; WHICH WAS PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT RECENTLY. Extraordinary interest has been manifest in Report by members of the civil service in Hongkong.
Hundreds of these officials believe that the Widows' and Orphans' Scheme, as administered in Hongkong, is both unjust and unequitable They look to an adoption of the recommendations of the Committee as a means of ending a grievance that has existed since Government took over the Fund in 1908.
Previous to 1908 Widows and Orphans pensions in the Hongkong Civil Service was administered by Trustees,) to whom was paid four per cent. of the salaries of all civil servants participating in the Fund, plus a quota contribu- tion (amounting, in 1907, to about 50 per cent. of the total paid, by civil servants); ·
In 1908 the accumulated reserve of this Fund was $414,199. By enacting the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Scheme Ordinance, Government took over this reserve and since 1908 has paid all monies contributed by officers into! the Colony's revenue.
In this manner, Government has, in less than 30 years, accumulated a total of $1,829,618 excess receipts over expenditure in moneys paid by civil servants for their widows and orphans.
Including the $414,199 reserve in 1908, civil servants have, to June 30, 1936, contributed $4,304,249, to the Widows' and Orphans' Scheme. During the same period, Government has paid out only $2,474,631.
The excess receipts over expenditure has, however, not been allowed to accumulate. Every penny of this money has been spent by Government.
If the Secretary of State for the Colonies were to insist, as he did with reference to the 1908 Ordinance, on the adoption of the Central Fund recommended by the recent Commission, the Hong- kong Government could quite conceivably be called upon to im-. mediately find the excess contributions which, since 1908, have. each year been expended as part of the Colony's general revenues.
I understand from a reliable source that the Hongkong Guvern- ment is opposed to any alteration to the system that has been in existence in Hongkong during the past 28 years.
Such opposition is understandable, in view of the finances of this Colony, which might be seriously embarrassed if called upon to Buddenly, find the $1,829,618 of excess which has been spent by! Government as part of its revenue. IT is interesting to note from a reference to Hansurd that the Government of 1907-08 was opposed to the scheme which the Hongkong Government is now But contributions have likewise! loth to see ended. Despite Hong-grown.
Admittedly, payments to widows nd orphans of deceased members of the Hongkong civil service have grown enormously during this een- fiy
During Past Thirty Years
How Proposed Scheme For No Camp Central Pension Fund This Year Compares With Existing For H.K.
Scheme
ALTHOUGH Hongkong Government is stated to be opposed
to the recommendation of the Commission on Pensions to Widows and Orphans that a central Fund be catablished, there is always the possibility that the Secretary of State for the Colonics may insist on the repeal of the 1908 Ordinance which his predecessor forced on this Colony.
In that event the Hongkong Government may be called upon to find the surplus $1.829,618 which would ordinarily have accumulated under the old Fund, but which has instead been spent by the Government.
How does the proposed. Central Fund Scheme compare with the Scheme now in existence in Hongkong?
The "Telegraph" has prepared the following table. It shows that adoption of the proposed Central Scheme wili enormously benefit the Hongkong civil servant, almost half of whose annual contribution of four per cent of his total salary now goes to Government instead of to the Widows' and Orphans' Fund.
CENTRAL WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSION FUND SUGGESTED BY COMMIS-
SION.
THE Government
subsidy
T'
should take the form of a percentage of the officer's salary, pair, concurrently with the q- ver's own contribution.
M
*
If an ofleer is dismissed from contributions the Service, all should cease; a bachelor ur widower withoul pensionable children should receive a refund of his contributions without In- terest, subject to the deduction of any sitins owing lo the Government: and a married man or widower without pensionable children should remain register. ed for the pension earned by his past contribution
建
The refund to be granted in the case of a bachelor who dieş or leaves the Scheme or Fund from any cause should be his own past contributions with the addition of compound interest at 224 per cent.
"સ્મૃત
The pensionable age for boys shall be 21 years..
"We
蛾
are actuarially advised that there is reason to belleve that Colonies which have set up Schemes have been subsidising them to a considerably less ex- tent than was originally intend- ed"
"A Scheme to which no ac- turial review is periodically up- plied may operate to the serious disadvantage of the contributors."
In 1910 Government paid kong's objection, however, the out $9,440 as pensions and received
as officers' State for the $42,500
contribution was Secretary of
hotly opposed by Unofficial the estimated Members, This year (1835-36) Colonies ruled that the scheme receipts from officers' contributions must be adopted. What the Se are $307,000 and 'estimated payment cretary of State for the Colonies did in 1908 could quite conceivably be done in 1936.
The exirting Widows and Or phans' Pension Scheme has been
a bigger gold-mine to Government
tidy
opposing the proposal the to widows and orphans $240,000. Hon. Mr. Murray Stewart said: leaving Government with a surplus of
$127,006... HOW IT HAS GROWN
This
is how Government's al
than the surplus of $1,829,618 in-surplus has grown since 1908: dicates.
Previous to the passage of the 1908 Ordinance, which transferred the fund from Trustees to Govern- ment, the Hongkong Treasury sub- ! sidised the Fund to the extent of cent. of approximately 60 per officers' contributions, i... for $1 contributed by oilizers, Government paid 60 cents into the Fund.
every
Oferry'
Contributions
"The bargain proposed for civil servants by this Bill resembles the Three proverbial plg in the poke. entry and the prospect of receiving lakhs into general revenue in one
$30,000 per annum ond paying
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS" PENSION SCHEME IN FORCE IN HONGKONG
No Government Subsidy since 1908.
*
* An officer who, being bachelor or a widower without pensionable children, leaves the dismissal public service on shall, if he elects to discontinue being a contributor, receive back half the contributions which he has made without interest there- Any officer who relires or is deprived of his offee, but who is not granted a pension, may continue to contribute on the
receiving salary which he was
al the date of retirement or
Stich deprivation, at the same rate and subject to the same terms and conditions as if he had continued in the public service and con- inued to receive the salory which he was receiving at the rate of such retirement or de- privation.
*
*
*
. An
ofcer Who, being a bachelor, leaves the public ser- vice S
shall, if he elects to discontinue being a contributor, receive back half the contribu tions which he has made without interest thercon: and if an officer who is a bachelor dies while in the service one half of the contributions made by him shall be paid without interest to his legal rep
representative.
......
*
The allowance or pension to an orphant shall cease in the case of male at eighteen years, and in the case of a female on marriage or at the age of 21 years.
#!
No Government subsidy he Hongkong since 1008 Ordinance Wis passed. All contributions have been by civil servants.
*
**
+
been
No acturial review has applied in Hongkong since 1900.
LIVED
Volunteers
MONEY SHORTAGE - "Telegraph" Staff Reporter. FOR the first time in many
years, the Hongkong Volunteer Defence Corps will not go in to camp this winter.
Financial stringency and the extra expense incurred owing to the high number of non-British units who joined recently is stated to be res- ponsible for decision to can-
rel the usual training
arrangements in camp.
It is understood, however, that arrangements are being made for nlimited camping season, which will be attended by the Portuguese Company only.
Onc or two other units may also encamp with units of the Regular army later in the sea-
SON.
RADIO BROADCAST
Tourist Trophy Motor Car
Race Relay
DANCE MUSIC.
From Z. B. W, on a wavelength of 355 metres (845 kilocycles):
1.
4-7 p.m. Chinese Studio Concert, 7 p.m. Conchita Supervla (Mezzo- Soprano). Richard Crooks (Tenor). New Light Symphony Orchestra.
Orchestra-Two Symphonic Rhapsodies
(u) 1 pitch (Eric Coates); my lonely Caravan; (b) Bird Songs at Eventide; I heard you singing: 2. Songs-Danza (Granados): Granada
Conchita Supervia; (Albeniz)...
(Coleridge
Orchestra-Intermezzo
Taylor);
Prelude (Huyda W
3.
the Song My Song goes World: O Song Divine...... Richard Orchestra-Parade of Crooks) 5. the Tin Soldiers (Jessel); Policeman's Holiday (Ewing): 6. Song-Nirvana
Weatherly-Adamaian Music,
7.10
p.m. Nohen I
Sweet
Muolau Lani; Hawaiian Dream Girl-Waliz; Under- neath the Blue Hawaiian Skies; Howalian Porndise; Hawailan Hap- piness Medley.
Time, Weather and an-
p.m. nouncements.
8.03 gramme.
and his Company: Organ APART FOR
52 YEARS
p.nt. A Variety Pro-
Plano Solos-Medley No, 19.............. Charlle Kunz: Song-Little Village Vagabond Lover Green.....The (Tenor); Orchestra-Romance in Vocal-Oh Moonlight;
Susannah; We' rest at the end of the Trail.... The Rocky Mountaineers; Humerous Powell -Sondy the Farmer...Sandy
Salos--The King Steps out Medley.... .Reginald Foort; Song Pretty Girl is like a Melody ("The Great Ziegfeld"). Frances Day (Soprano); Band--Six Hits of the Day; Vocal-A Melody from the Sky....Les Allen and his Canadian Auckland (N.Z.), Aug. 20.
Bachelors: Orchestra- $5,000 against it for as long as the AFTER 52 years of married life, Aloht, Marimbal, Plano Solo-You Rods will continue the luck of the
never looked so beautiful....Carroll during which she had never
Gibbons: Bandt-Stars Over Broad- Fund-this advantage we can shared a home with her husband, way-Selection; Queen of Hearts- understand. Orphans
a woman has been granted a Selection. "Oh, but it is said that Govern- divorce. 7,000
ment isn't going to make anything 5,410
long out of this transfer, In the 11,700
The suit, which was undefended, run: the benefits are all in favour was brought on the ground of 12,009-
the contributors. 1, however, desertion, the present proposals highly advantageous to the contributors in Acting-Chief Justice Reed, in the Mrs. Annie Christina Clayden told the long run, they must be equally Supreme Court at Gisborne, that she disadvantageous to the Hongkong had been married for more than half Laxpayer.
a century to William Clayden, but had never lived with him.
There were no children of the mar- rings.
to Treasury.
Treasury's Payment to Widows &
1900
1910
*$ 414,109 42,500
$
1911
42,500
1912
45,500
1013
44,000
13,000
1914
44,000
21,200
1915
55,000
23,000
Since 1908 Government has not paid one cent towards pensions for Withdrawal widows and orphans.
1016
€2,800
20,000
1917
€1,650
25,700
1918
01,200
30,000
1919
£3,000
27,000
1920
1921
55,000 £9,000
40,900
you
1920 1922 Add this to the $1,820,018 sur-
1933 1923 Chat discover plus, and
1924 as a result of the Government
1926 of the present scheme, adoption has saved a total of $1,169,618 at of widows and or- the expense
53,6201
53 6211 60,803
00,000
1927
1820
* 170,000
phans.
1929
NO INTEREST
1030
152,300
175,000 100,000
1931
1932
1033 30-1,000
100,000 110,000 **120.000 135.000 213,000 250,000
244,000
1934 1935
200,000
+1930
250,000 210,000
of the subsidy has meant a saving to. Government, since 1908, of ap- proximately. $2,340,000.
Because Government has spent all this money as part of its General Revenue, no interest has accumul- ated, as would have been the case had the old Widows and Orphans' Pension Fund been in operation.
It is hard to understand what total: the credit of such a Fund would have nancy reached this year, if the puid in by civil servants, and by Government as subsidy, have been
01,000 87,000 107,000 123,000
90,000
of
are
She had earned her own living and had been using her malden. name ever since the wedding day, August 5, 1881.
"I am sure no taxpayer would be likely to grudgo whatever benefits are İlkely to peerue under this BIU to the wives of departed ofclats, but as so much hus been made of the llablilty of the Fund; so much said
as to the prospects of it be- coming insolvent unless taken over, that at least the Hongkong public may be pardoned for destring to a home for her, but had never done
know n little more definitely than they do at present the nature of the lability to which this Ordinance commits them.
SIR HENRY POLLOCK
Her husband, she said, had made repented promises that he would make
0.
willing to live with him.
She had always been ready and Corroborative evidence was called and Mr. Justice Reed granted a decree nisi, remarking that it was an astonishing caRG.
0.30
9 p.m. News und announcements from London.
0.20
Gems"White P.nt. Vocat Horse Inn" (Erik Chorell).
p.m. Dance Orchestra from the Hongkong Hotel Grill Room. 10 p.m. Big Ben from London, 11.15 pm. A Relay from London. A commentary on the Royal Auto- mobile Club Tourist Trophy Motor Car Race over the Ards Circuit near Belfast, Northern Ireland..
12.15 am. News and Announce- ments.
12.35. a.m. Close Down
SUNDAY'S PROGRAMME
John's
Relay From St. John's Cathedral
394,000
PIANOFORTE RECITAL 300,000
10.30-11.30 m.in. Morning Service 338,000
from the Union Church. 307,000
It is interesting to note that the
*11.30 a.m.-12.15 p.m. Morning Ser- ⚫ including $380,000 surplus of Ordinance was also opposed by the
vice from the Hop Yat Church old Fund.
Hon. Sir (then Mr.). Henry Pollock. In recognition of the servlees ren- (Chinese).
Far from being advantageous to dered to Indo-China by Mr. Kwok
12.15 p.m. "A Trial by Jury" the civil servant and beneficial to Chan, compradore of the Banque de (Sullivan)-Complete Opera sung by their widows and orphans, the 1908 L'Indochine, and Mr. Chan Sul-ky, the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Ordinance has proffed
12,48 p.m. the Hong- Manager of the Kwong lang ling
A Violin Recital by When the Widows' and Orphans'kong Government, and the Hong firm, Uie Emperor of Annam has Jascha Heifetz, 2%
per cent, compound interest, Pension Scheme was brought be kong Government alone to the ex-conferred on them the decoration of
(Continued on Page, 5.) the total would have been enormous: fore Legislative Council 1908 it|tent of at least $5,000,000.
Knight of the Dragon of Annam--
allowed
to accumulate.
At over
† Estimated.
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