RETRENCHMENT COMMISSION.
GENERAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT.
COMMENTARY.
32
Paragraphs 2 - 7.
Retiring Age.
The draft Pen si on Ordinance which was forwarded
with my confidential despatch of the 20th May, 1931, referred
to and dealt with the recommendations of the Commissioners.
That Ordinance legislates for the optional retirement of
officers at the age of 50 years, and, as stated in the
despatch, it is the intention of Government, by invoking its
power of calling on an officer to retire at the age of 55
years, to make retirement at not later than 55 the general
ru le. Provision is also made for the retirement of nursing
staff after twenty years service, even if not yet 50 years
of age.
The recommendation contained in the fifth paragraph
of the Report is hardly practicable; its main result would be to increase the pensions bill of the Colony out of all
proportion to the advantages gained.
The only really
practicable way of effecting retrenchment is that set out in
the sixth paragraph.
Hong Kong Government.
This is the method employed by the
The seventh paragraph is dealt with
under the Public Works Department Report.
Paragraph 8. Conveyance and travelling allowances
in all departments had already, prior to the receipt of the
Report, been carefully scrutinized and reductions made: the
Government has gone as far as it considers practicable in
this matter.
Paragraph 9.
The suggestion was considered
by