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Government transport for recreational purposes without payment, and it was considered possible that the cost of undertaking such a check would be more than covered by the additional revenue accruing, or the saving of expenditure arising out of the use of vehicles by officers for private purposes which was being charged to public funds. A reply is awaited.
55. Pensions. Arising from the Japanese occupation of the Colony, which lasted nearly 4 years, a considerable accumulation of awards of pensions and gratuities required verification during the year under review. Many of these awards involved considerable research work and, in numbers of cases, notably those concerning Police personnel, all records of service had been lost as a result of anany action. In such circumstances the officers' statements regarding the dates of commencement of service and other details of service had often to be accepted.
56. Approval for the award of Pensions. It was observed recently in the verification of the award of pensions that in cases of ordinary pensions, calculated with no modifications in accordance with the Pensions Ordinance (No.21 of 1932) and the Pension Regulations (A & B of 1932 and C of 1934), the awards were being approved by an Assistant Establishment Officer "for Colonial Secretary". The question as to whether or not the approval of the Governor-in-Council was necessary for awarding these pensions was raised by this Department.
It was stated in reply that the present practice was followed before the war, and that the Pensions Ordinance and Regulations did not require the approval of the Governor-in-Council for awarding these pensions.
In order that the procedure might be clarified and approved, the matter was referred to the Governor for a decision and his approval has now been obtained for the present practice to continue. As a result of this decision, the approval of all these awards in 1946/47 by the officer holding the post now designated as Assistant Establishment Officer "for Colonial Secretary" has been accepted.
57. Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps - Pay, Allowances & Pension Awards. The question as to whether the Imperial Government or the Government of Hong Kong should be charged with payments made in respect of pay, allowances and pensions paid to Volunteers, and be liable for disability or other pensions awards, was referred to the Secretary of State in the Governor's Savingra No.464 of the 30th December, 1946. It is understood that the pay and pensions of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (and the Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) have now been accepted as a commitment of this Colony, but confimation on this point is awaited.
58. It was reported to Government by this Department on the 5th February, 1947, that the legal position and the authority for payment of Volunteers at British Amy rates and for the award of pensions to widows and dependants are not satisfactory. The chief points at issue are that, although the Governor-in-Council may, under the Volunteer Ordinance (No.10 of 1933), prescribe pay and allowances, no regulations have in fact been made, and that although under Section 14 of the Ordinance, the Governor-in-Council has powers to grant a pension up to $1,000 p.a., the payments of the disability pensions and widows pensions awarded at British Amy rates often exceed $1,000 per annum. A reply is awaited to the memorandum on this subject sent to the Colonial Secretary by this Department.
59. Awards of Volunteer pensions and allowances generally have been made by the local Pensions Assessment Board on the basis of the terms prescribed in the Royal Warrants, but instances have come to notice
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