CO129-452 - Others & Individuals - 1918 — Page 95

D

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such

Compulsory for an officer already in the permanent

service of that Colony to become a contributor: officers when a Widows' and Orphans' Pension Scheme or

Fund was first established have always been allowed to

elect whether they would contribute or not; and it has

only been when they are appointed (or engaged) or re-

appointed (or re-engaged) that they have been compelled

to become contributors. As will be seen by reference

to the Hong Kong Widows' and Orphans Pension Ordinances

1908 and 1914 (copies enclosed), a new contributor must

be an "officer", a term which for the present purpose

means a person "permanently employed in the service of

the" Hong Kong Government. It does not appear that a

Postal Agency official can properly be described as

permanently employed, or indeed as exployed, in the

service of the Hong Kong Government.

IMIA

No.

(C)

Persons who have been appointed as Govern-

ment officials in these Agencies since the 31st of

December 1910. The legal position of these officials

appears to be the same as in the case of Class (B); viz).

they are not under the law as it stands eligible to

become contributors.

Whatever their legal position,

as they were not required to contribute when first

engaged, it would be against the existing Colonial

practice to force them now to join the Scheme.

(D) persons hereafter appointed to the Agencies.

These could, if the Hong Kong law were altered so as

to make them admissible as contributors under the

Alenk

93

(E) Persons employed-not by to overs

ment but by the Agent. These could not be

admitted as contributors without subverting

the principle of the Schere. They cannot be

regarded as Goverment officers at all.

3.

I am next to invite attention to

the financial aspect or the matter.

The pen-

sions of Widows and Orphans payable under the

Hong Kong scheme are calculated by means of

Pension Tables, and these Tables are framed on

the assumption that the Colonial Government

allows 6% compound interest on contributions.

Thus the Colonial Government makes a consider-

able though indeterminate contribution to the

pensions. There does not seem to be any

reason why it should make such a contribution

to the pensions of widows or orphans of

employés or the Postal Agencies. If therefore

it is desired by the Postmaster General and

the Treasury that the Hong Kong scheme should

be opened to Postal Agency officials who are

not already contributors, the fairest arrange-

ment would be for the General Post Office to be

credited with all such contributions and to

repay to the Hong Kong Government all the

amounts issued by way of pensions and refunds

The Govern-

in the case of such ontributors.

ment of Hong Kong might be willing to bear the

additional cost of management of the scheme due

I

Widows and Orphans Pension Scheme, be forced to

become contributors as part of their conditions of

service.

(E)

to

PALASA la ?