Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 63

Memorandum on the subject of new Police Pension Rules and Increased Rates of Pay for the Police,

Presented to the Legislative Council by command of H. E. the Governor.

No. 139,

par. 2.

28th August,

par. 2.

In Lord DERBY's Despatch of 11th July 1883 he says, referring to my Memoran- dum of 18th December 1882 on the subject of Police Pensions, "I will address you in a separate Despatch as to the fresh Pension Minute which will have to be issued to take the place of that of 17th March, 1874." This further Despatch has not yet been No. 185 of received and consequently no action has yet been taken upon another Despatch of Lord DERBY stating that be is prepared to sanction certain increases of pay to the Force, provided they are voted by the Legislative Council, and conditional on the withdrawal of the privilege of remitting home half their pay at 4/2d. I understand that the men now engaged on condition of earning a pension under the existing Pension Minute of 17th March, 1874, at the end of 10 years' service, will consent not only to the with- drawal of the privilege of remitting half their pay at 4/2d., but also to the prolongation of the service entitling them to Pension, from ten years to fifteen years, provided their pay is increased to the rates proposed.

Under these circumstances I submit for His Excellency's consideration a draft of a new Pension Minute, which, if approved, might be sent home for the approval of the Secretary of State. I would propose that if this Minute is sanctioned, all the European Police who consent to its substitution for the one of 17th March 1874, which now

applies to them, should receive pay at the increased rates from 1st January instant, ceasing from that date to enjoy the privilege of remitting half their pay at 4/2d. Also that the newly recruited European Constables, who have not the privilege of remitting at 4/2d., should be allowed to draw the same rates. In the case of these men the ques- tion of Pension has been left open by the Secretary of State; but as it might be urged that as the Pension Minute of 1874 had not been repealed when they enlisted, it there- fore applied to them, they should, I think, all receive the increased pay conditional on their subscribing to the terms of the new Pension Minute. I have shown the new draft minute to the Acting Captain Superintendent who anticipates no trouble in its general adoption by the whole of the European Police Force. As regards Sikhs and Chinese, who are to receive no increase of pay, the new Pension Minute would only apply to those who enlist after its promulgation.

If this is approved by His Excellency I would propose to ask the Council to vote the sum of $6,684, being the amount of the increased rates of pay for the present year. The loss on the amount which the Police are entitled to remit at 4/2d., may be estimated for the year 1884, at the rate of 3/8d., to be $3,477:89. The real increase, therefore, in the expenditure will be $3,206.11, but the larger sum indicated above, viz. $6,684 is the

one which the Council should be asked to vote.