CO129-595-2 Financial compensation for married officers whose families were evacuated in 1940-1 21-2-1946 - 31-1-1947 — Page 19

MEMORANDUM ON THE TREATMENT ACCORDED TO MEMBERS OF

THE CIVIL DEFENCE SERVICES AND TO TEMPORARY GOVERNIENT

SERVANTS OF MALAYA AND HONG KONG WHO WERE INTERNED.

1. It has been decided that ex-gratia payments equivalent to accrued pay for the period of internment, at the rate appropriate to the rank of the individual, may un application be made to members of the Civil Defence services of Lalaya and Hong Kong who were interned, subject to

(1) a deduction of 10%;

(2)

a maximum of £1,500 in any one case ;

(3) deduction of ex-gratia payments already made to members

themselves. As regards payments to dependants see 4(c) below;

and

(4) to the fullowing exceptions and qualifications :

(a) In cases where there is reason to suspect that

a member of a Civil Defence Unit left his or her post without permission or reasonable excuse before the cessation of resistance, claims will be subject to special investigation and payments will be made only if the results of this investigation warrant such action.

(b) Individuals who were not subject to the Compulsory Service Ordinances of Malaya er Hong Kong (as for example persons not ordinarily resident in either territory, Dominion citizens, persons who are not British subjects, persons under 18 or over 55 on the date of internment, etc., etc.) will not automatically receive such ex-gratia payments. Nevertheless, where there is evidence that an applicant who could have left before the fall of Malaya or Hong Kong elected to remain cut of a sense of loyalty or duty an award may be made. Each such case will be considered on its merits and will receive such treatment, within the limits prescribed, as in the opinion of the Secretary of State may seem equitable.

(c) In the case of women members of Civil Defence Units

who were not normally dependent on their own earnings it is considered that the award (already authorised) of ex-gratia payments equivalent to three months! salary on their Civil Defence posts will, generally

speaking, moet all equitable demands. Where, however, for example, a qualified nurse in private employment joined the Medical Auxiliary Service and was interned an application for more liberal treatment will receive consideration.

(a) Certain groups, such as the Observer Corps and

Mine-Watching Corps of Malaya, received pay at a uniform rate of S.S.$10 day; while members of cther Civil Defence Service Units were on grades ranging from $1 a day for an untrained man to $14.50 a day for a District Supervisor. Most of the members of these two groups were also members of a Local Defence Corps from the northern areas (forced to Singapore by the Japanese advance down the Peninsula) and as such have been accorded treatment on the same basis as Volunteers. In these circumstances the grant of accrued pay on a basis of $10 a day to the

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