CO129-574-6 Hong Kong pensioners in India- rate of exchange 31-8-1938 - 26-10-1938 — Page 8

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(a). Computation of Pensions.

In paragraph 5, the petitioners ask that an

allowance for quarters be included for the purpose of

computing their pensions, as they claim to be the

only Indian officers in the service of the Hong Kong

Government for whom such allowances are not included

in the amount on which their pension is assessed.

In particular, they claim that this is the principle

adopted in the case of all Indian members in the

Prisons Department of whatever rank.

The Governor's despatch unfortunately makes

no mention of this, and I have not been able to trace

any special Pension Regulations for the Prison

Department. The despatch does, however, state that the

omission of allowance for quarters was not due to an

oversight when the Police Pension Regulations were

drawn up in 1933: it was deliberate on the principle

that no allowance should be added to salaries in

respect of officers whose normal quarters are in

barracks in which it is their duty to live. Moreover,

the petitioners are in the same position as all police

officers, including Europeans, below the rank of

Assistant Superintendent of Police. Any change in this

respect made on behalf of the Indian contingent, would

have to apply equally to all contingents, and the

Governor does not suggest that there is any necessity

for a change.

(b) The Rate of Payment of Pensions.

In 3 on this file, we approved the Governor's

proposal for the payment of pensions in India at the

current

social rate of exchange, i.e. approximately

HK$ 100 = Rs.83, instead of the artificial rate of

payment at HK 100 Rs.112 adopted in 1930. The

=

petitioners now ask that the

old rate should be

maintained;

Page

Page

9

maintained; but it has been established that there

is no longer any justification for the payment of

pensions at an artifically high rate.

An

advanad

argument site by the petitioners in

support of their claims is that, whereas a European

Officer can earn a full pension after about 25 years'

service, an Indian Officer must serve for about 35

years. But, as the Governor points out, this applies

to all non-European contingents of the Force, and is

based on the fact that Europeans, unlike their

Asiatic Colleagues, have to serve in a climate which

is totally different from that of their native country.

? reply that after due consideration of the

petitioners' requests, the Secretary of State is

unaware of any reason for altering the existing basis

of assessing the pensions of the Indian Officers of

the Hong Kong Police Force, and sees no justification

for restoring the old rate of exchange for the payment

of pensions in India which was adopted in 1930. Ask

that the petitioners may be informed accordingly, and

express regret for the delay in replying.

As regards the

Convus in rake

the petition to

A. N. Galsworthy

1.6.39.

dollar (Rasere

is nothing

thus

прись на нов

decision reached on No/

made clear in para 2

429

2 No4

that

the SIRS Wi not

consider such a claim.

110

age 9

age 9

Page

ge 10

10

As reponds alles being

pension

an

nisesed fo

the fact that the petrihome,

the only Inhin offens of the th

Bout, whose aller

it is

an

AIT

not asscis able

I'mmatiunt point. Al

This Asiaki colleagues in the Police

The Same

-bout

are

й

live in

thony

barracks: I in consegames

thin housing sung smonts and

from these 1

different from

Indian

other offices surring in Depts

other than the Police Dept.

As reponits

the benos of

service neesismy

to qualify for

the forgives

to the

^

a satisfactory

andern

full pension

petitioner's claims.

- Decline to interven,

Express repot that an

deuson has not

been communicate of

Page

D&A.

56:39

atorice.

to the Governor.

Gress

Jom.

чь

3/6

216

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