!!
-CONFIDENTI.
My Lord,
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27 JUNIC
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 7th May, 1919.
34023
But they are
their al the same.
BL
I have the honour to address Your Lordship
on the general subject of pensions in the public service, as stated in paragraph 9 of my Confidential Despatch of the 15th April, 1919.
2.
I feel that at a time when the emoluments of the service are under consideration it would be convenient to consider also the method of providing for the superan- nuation of public servants. The present system on which pensions are granted has one great disadvantage, namely that on an officer's death there is nothing for his widow and family or other dependants. I do not regard the small pensione available under the Widows and Orphans pension scheme as they are the result of the officer's cash contri- butions of four per cent of his salary throughout his ser-
vice.
3.
+
Both in the Straits Settlements, Federated
Malay States and Hongkong (I have no figures for Ceylon) the sum that has to be provided annually for pensions for officers domiciled in Europe is to my mind surprisingly small, and this is due to the fact that so many officers die within a comparatively short time of retiring. I remember that some years ago a list was made out of senior
officers
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B..
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