TO
Enclosure1.
2460
'REG? 1 M98
873
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MR. JOSEPHI CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonies.
THE PETITION OF WILLIAM STANTON, OF No. 9, HOLLYWOOD ROAD, VICTORIA, IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG, LATE INSPECTOR
IN THE POLICE FORCE OF THAT COLONY.
RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH :-
1. Prior to January, 1873, your Petitioner had been for four years a Constable in the London Metropolitan Police Force. Your Petitioner left that force with a certificate marked "His conduct was good," in order to join the Police Force of Hongkong.
2.-Your Petitioner joined the Police Force of Hongkong on the 12th March 202, under an agreement in writing, dated the 12th December, 1872, made between himself and William Charles Sargeaunt, one of the Crown Agents for the Colonies for and on behalf of Her Majesty, whereof the third paragraph is as under:
3.
And it is further agreed and declared that the said Government of Hongkong will, if the conduct of the said William Stanton shall, in the opinion of the said Government, have been satisfactory, grant him at the expiration of ten years a pension at the rate of or of his annual salary and an addition of as of such annual salary in respect of each additional year of service after ten years." (A copy of the said agreement is set out in the Schedule No. 1 hereto).
At the time of entering into the above agreement nothing was said to qualify the conditions thereof and your petitioner understood and claims that thereunder, subject to his giving satisfaction, first for ten years, and then year by year, to the Government, he became entitled absolutely to a pension of 8 at the expiration, of ten years, and also absolutely entitled to an additional pension of at the expiration of each additional year, that he elected to remain in the service, and that the Government of Hongkong cannot legally withhold the agreed pension earned during the years during which his conduct has been admittedly satisfactory to the Government, whatever may be the case with regard to men who have not got special contracts.