F
DRAFT
Mr.
Mr.
MINUTE.
Mr. Just.
Mr. Antrobus,
Mr. Cox,
Sir C. Lucas.
Sir F. Hopwood.
Col. Seely.
The Earl of Crewe,
:
+ CONFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
JoqdJ
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6427
Res 3 FLL 17
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
499
HONGKONG. 28th. December, 1916.
Referring to Lord Crewe's Despatch No. 248 of
the 20th. October, 1909, I have the honour to request permission to introduce legislation giving the Government power to compel the retirement of any public officer at the age of fifty-five years, and to compel the retirement of an incompetent officer at any time.
2.
The legislation might be in the form of that contained in the Pensions Enactment, 1906, of the Federated Malay States, an extract from which I attach.
3.
In a semi-tropical climate, such as that of Hongkong, physical and mental deterioration comes in some, though not by any means in all, cases more rapidly with advancing years than it does in a more temperate zone; and at the age of fifty- -five a man's capacity may be so impaired as to render his further employment valueless or positively harmful to the public service. 22508 The case of Mr. Dealy, dealt with in my Confidential Despatches of ¿ðist the 27th. May and 21st. September, 1916, is in point.
4.
My Executive Council, whom I have consulted, are unanimously agreed that the proposed measure is a sound one.
I have the homur to be̟ -
Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
B
Governor,&c..
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
WALTER LONG, M.P.,
&c...
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