Enclosure,
290
Superannuation Act of 1859 to be given by the Head Officer or Officers of a Department before the granting of Pension under that Act to any subordinate officer of the Department; and to inform you that a Circular, copy of which is enclosed, to the like effect has been sent to Heads of Department in this Colony.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
A. Flamer.
Enclosed Circular.
25th June, 1887
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG.
(C. O. Circular 15th April, 1887.)
C. O.
16960
CIRCULAR No. 80
RECD 22 AUG 87,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 25th June, 1887.
PENSIONS.
The Officer Administering the Government, under instructions from the Secretary of State, desires to invite the attention of the Heads of Departments to the eighth section of the Superannuation Act of 1859, which runs as follows:--- "It shall not be lawful for the Commissioners of the Treasury to grant the full amount of superannuation allowance which can be granted under this Act to any person, not being the Head Officer or one of the Head Officers of a Department, unless upon production of a certificate, signed by the Head Officer of the Department, or by two Head Officers, if there be more than one, that he has served with diligence and fidelity to the satisfaction of such Head Officer or Officers; and in every case in which any superannuation allowance is granted after the refusal of such certificate, the Minute granting it shall state such refusal and the grounds on which the allowance is granted."
His Excellency is fully aware that in giving certificates under similar circumstances Head Officers throughout the Service generally have taken care that the terms shall accurately describe the nature of the service rendered: at the same time he has reason to believe that in some few exceptional cases the certificate has been regarded as partaking more or less of a formal character, and that it has not specified instances in which the retiring officer has failed to satisfy the Head Officer of his Department of his zeal, diligence, and general good conduct.
His Excellency attaches great importance to having before him in each case information as to the nature of the service, upon which he can place implicit reliance. He desires, therefore, to place it upon record that he will regard any certificate of character and conduct, given by a Head Officer in connexion with a subordinate officer's pension, as an assurance binding upon the honour of the Head of the Department that he has satisfied himself, either as the result of his own personal knowledge, or by full inquiry in the Department, of the nature of the service rendered by the retiring officer, and that he recognises his responsibility for the accuracy of the terms of the certificate.
His Excellency desires it to be made known throughout the Service that in the award of Pensions he feels himself bound to conform strictly to the regulation which declares that it shall not be lawful to grant the full amount of superannuation to any person unless upon production of a certificate that he has served with diligence and fidelity to the satisfaction of the Head Officer or Officers of his Department.
The Pension will be modified according to the terms of the certificate in each case, to the particular irregularities or faults reported, and to the nature of the punishment which may have been imposed, whether by reduction of salary or deposition into a lower class.
By Command,
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.