the existing Pension Minute were entitled
to pensions, i.e. Officers on the Fixed
Establishment drawing not less than £30
per annum, whereas all the Officers in
question were drawing less than £30, except one and he was not on the Fixed Establishment, so that they had no absolute
claim to any Retiring Allowance. I do not wish to question
3 I hope to address you shortly in
regard to the provisions of Clauses 1(2)
of the Revised
and 15 of the Draft Pension Minute enclosed in your Despatch No.43 of 7th Feb.
1888 under which annual compassionate allowances or in certain circumstances
gratuities may in future be granted to
such Officers on the Temporary Establishment or on the Fixed Establishment drawing less than $240 a year;
4. In some of the cases reported in
the Despatch under acknowledgment the
ground of retirement is simply given as
old age; and I think it desirable to
suggest that where Officers have no
absolute claim to superannuation, the
age of 55 alone should not without
regard to health and capacity to earn
a livelihood be held to constitute a
claim to a gratuity or compassionate
allowance.
the propriety of granting these particular gratuities, for which there may have been special reasons, but I merely mention the point for future guidance, pending the issue of this Revised Pension Minute.
I have &c.
R