PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O.885
19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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that the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury concurred with him in thinking it just and necessary that the position of the members of the Crown Agents' establishment "should be rendered more attractive by giving them advan tages analogous as far as possible to those enjoyed by officers of the Imperial Government in respect of retiring allowances."
On 19th January, 1878, the Crown Agents in 778/73. proposing to pension a Mr. Davis, who had become insane, submitted for the approval of the Earl of Carnarvon : "That in every case in which it is decided that a member of the Crown Agents' Department is entitled to a retiring allowance, the amount of such allowance shall be calculated upon the terms set forth in the various Superannuation Acts and Treasury Minutes which govern the pensions of members of the Civil Service."
The Secretary of State's reply was: "Pensions 7th should be granted in strict accordance with the November, rules observed in the Imperial Service, but with 1878,
778/78. full notice to all persons on joining your depart- ment, that while all proper measures will be taken to insure the adequacy and permanency of the sources from which the pensions are drawn, the failure of those sources from any cause whatever will necessitate either the suspension of the payment of pensions altogether or a pro rata reduction in their amount, and that neither the Colonial Governments nor Her Majesty's Government can be responsible for the payment of any pensions except from such receipts of the Crown Agents' Departinent as may be available in the manner described in this letter."
In the same letter the Crown Agents had suggested that on a pension being fixed, a sum sufficient to purchase a Government Annuity equal to the allowance should be withdrawn from the Reserve Fund, and either given to the man or invested in a Government Annuity on his behalf. The Secretary of State refused to agree to this, however, on the ground that the pro- vision of pensions was not the only purpose of the Reserve Fund, and that to adopt the suggested course might result in placing those officers who were the first to retire in a position of unfair advantage compared to their successors, and he added: “Sir M. Hicks Beach is of opinion that pensions should be paid, as salaries now are, from the ordinary income without drawing upon the Reserve Fund so long as that income is sufficient."
Pensions to the Crown Agents and their staff 7019 1900. are always submitted to the Colonial Office for the approval of the Secretary of State. In 1900 the Crown Agents suggested that this was unnecessary, but the answer returned was: "Mr. Chamberlain does not see sufficient reason for changing the practice as to the submission
1466 01.
32751 01.
1201 08.
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of pension cases separately for the consideration of the Secretary of State, as they involve charges on your Office Funds additional to the maximum suma sanctioned for your establishment, and with a view to ensuring that the rules observed in the Imperial Civil Service are as far as possible applied in your Department, I am to request that in future a paper of particulars may be
furnished
In 1901, in dealing with a pension case Mr. Chamberlain wrote: “But I think that before long it will be necessary to assimilate pension rules in the Crown Agents' Department and those in Government Departments.'
In 1904, Mr. Lyttelton minuted: “I should like a Conference on the question of pensions to the Crown Agents' clerks and officers.
I am disposed to think that very special cause olight to be shown for any departure from the Super- annuation Acts. I see at present no reason for putting the employes of the Crown Agents in a different, and in the existing condition of the Reserve Fund a better, position than Civil servants"; and in a subsequent minute on the saine paper he repeated his desire to have a Conference on the whole question of Crown Agents' pensions," though apparently, however, no Conference was held.
The pensions shown on the latest return- that for 31st December, 1907, are:--
T'ensions.
Amonnt of Pension per annum,
To Crown Agents (1).
£ s. d.
1,450 0
0
500 0
500 0 0
N. Hardingham
Sir M. Ommanney
To Staff (13).
J. W. Leonard, C'.M.G.
T. R. Marsh, C.M.G.
T. S. Dunn, I.S.O.
B. Bartlett
W. H. Weir
C. Oxley
G. Davis
J. H. Wareham
Miss J. M. Woodd
Miss H. G. Cather Miss M. A. Stephens
Miss A. M. Brandram.
Compassionate allowances (2).
W. R. Sanderson
Mrs. J. G. Wing
:
Total pensions and compassionate
allowances
450 0 0
425 0 1)
205 0 0
168 0 0
77 0 0 54 5
34 0 0 148 0 0
0
70 0 0
2
53 1 30 0
£2,714 6 2
52 0
0
52 0 0
£104 0 0
£4,268 6 2
M