from his service
for pension.
When it is considered that the European Constable's duty is as a rule performed at night in all weathers, winter and summer, and that much of his time is taken up with beat duty and in attending Police & Supreme Courts, it is accounted for by the fact that they do not like having to "make up" in England all leave granted; they prefer to remain at the risk of their health.
At present one Inspector and one Sergeant are on leave in England, and I think it will be allowed that they should be encouraged to go home after 5 years to recruit their health, and come back a better man. It seems hard that the few months' leave granted in a total of 15 years' service "have to be paid back" as it were to Government, and it can hardly be called an indulgence when looking upon it in this light.
The casualties amongst Europeans of the Force average 15 per cent per annum for the last 5 years, there being a number of men on leave at the same time. The few men who have leave is accounted for by the fact that they have only one request in England. When a pension is granted after 10 years' service, the "paying back" of leave did not appear so hard, but now that men have to serve for 15 or 18 years for Pension, the adding of months in a climate like this makes a great difference.
The Colonial Surgeon in his report for 1886 remarks: - "The admissions to Hospital from the Police Force show a considerable increase, and have been the largest in the past 6 years. The increase amongst Europeans was 14 as compared with 51 in 1885."