CO129-393 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [11] — Page 330

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I do not recommend any increase in the pay of Constables (£100

2120 by £10 triennially) or of Chief Inspector and Chief Detective

Inspector (£300 to £360 by £30 triennially) but I would make the

increments biennial for the sake of uniformity and because I

prefer the shorter periods. Constables do not as a rule enjoy any of the allowances which it is proposed to abolish. They are

not supposed to marry for they are not entitled to the privilege

of free quarters and passages for families. For bachelors the pay

is ample and till it fails to attract a good class of candidates

from England there is no need to increase it.

The Chief Inspectors do not draw any of the allowances referred to and their existing scale of pay is good. The increase involved by my recommendation is £1,090 per annun in maxima salaries. From this has to be deducted the saving of

84,380 per annum which at 2/- to the dollar is £438.

3.

Paragraph 3. It will be seen from enclosure 2 that

the rates of Pension in the London City, Edinburgh and Glasgow Police are much less favourable than in the London Metropolitan and Dublin Police. The Hongkong Pension Scheme, therefore, does not compare unfavourably with those of some of the principal Home

Forces. I do not recommend any alteration in the Pension Rule,

copy enclosed for convenience of reference, to which the Petition-

-ers refer except that the words "provided he shall have been in

receipt of the same for the last 3 years" be altered so as to

read "provided he has held that rank for the last three years". This will bring the rule into line with clause 13 of the Civil

Pension Minute which is much fairer.

4.. Paragraph 4.Medals are awarded for specially faith- -ful, meritorious or gallant service. They are not in the nature

of mere good conduct badges to be earned by length of service and

good conduct only. I cannot recommend the alteration asked for.

5. Paragraph 5. The Captain Superintendent of Police has recorded his opinion that a man should as a rule be expected

to

Enclosure 7.

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