SUPERANNUATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 149, 18 March 1908, Page 8

SUPERANNUATION.

ATTITUDE.OF THE POLICE FORCE. " SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS .TO THE 1 POLICE FUND. " The antagonism of the police forco to merging tho established polico .provident 'fund in the now Public Service ; Superannuation schemo has been patent .for several .weeks past. The business transacted at. last Friday's meeting of tho polico forco has now been made public. A-resolution . was carried unanimously that in the opinion of members, of the forco they would bo placed in a false position if' brought compulsorily, in • many cases, under tho Public Service Superannuation Act. It was further resolved that Par-' .•liament would-bettor'servo the interests of .the polico force.'generally by amending the Polico Provident.'Fund'Act, 1899, and under it conferring oil members, of, the forco benefits similar to those conferred on members of tho public service under the: new Superannuation , Act, than by amending, the latter .Act and!giving ,tho police tho option of.com■ing under it. . '

Tho '.following arguments .-were urged .in support'of .thc : sccond motion :—- : ' ' ■ (1; That for nearly ten years ;'they ,havo carried'on . their own ; scheme, Spaying premiums'that must be considered.'very high .if compaTod with . those', paid by . tho. railway servants 'under . tho .Government' Railways -Superannuation Fund Act, .1902,. and rcceiving'behefits'that must': bo considered; very inadequate if compared with those received by •tlio'raihray servants, under their scheme,.

(2)-That as a consequence they had'accumulated over £30,000, to tho ' solo benefit of which-tlioy were justly entitled, tho Government having paid no compensation moneys to polico officors during this period, even if tho Government should' sooner or' later find it-necessary to subsidiso tho scliomo as provided in the Act. - ' "

(3). That, the Police, Provident Fund, even when amended, would apparently be sounder than , the Public,. Service Superannuation Fund, partly because a full .pension could, not be drawn by any. contributor before sixtyone, whereas .- under the' other' scheme. most males might draw a'full pension about fiftyfive, and females have the option of retiring on pension about forty-five. ; ' (4; That in looking forward' a. period - of twenty-fiye or.thirty, years, and considering the possibility of- the Dominion;, passing through a period -or periods of. depression, and til© Government of ' the day .being faced .with the necessity, for' retrenchment, the police force, could reasonably .hope for more consideration : from Parliament.- and the .country for a fund' which" was .'nearly ' ten years■ older than'-'the; , other, which .was sounder.-in its operation, which had no conflicting interests involved,' and which, in the' event/of a scarcity, of • money,- would •be 'less expensive- proportionately 'to the country thanthe one,, the police were invited'to join. : (5) .That the Polite Provident Fund Act contained; a J provision for ;■ granting - a stantial ' pension to' a' contributor injured in the execution of his;duty,:, whatever' his length -of service; whereas this - very; necessary provision was - absent from .'the 'Public' Soryice ' Superannuation. 'Act," and. probably could not 'be inserted on behalf of 'the' police without, ' causing' grave- dissatisfaction.' among other-.public . servant's..- \ ■ (6) That after the Police Provident' Fund Act, 189!);. became law, many, members-of the forco:'elected under Section 4 .to 'come uricler its proyisiohs ; Jin pother-.lvordsj 'that) "in 'consideration" of paying oertain : their.'-.pay/,:, they ' were 1 -"to- -receive '-"certain benefits: as laid down', in" the Act. ■ , ;

, ,' ('7) -That it'was now proposed; without the cons'crit of each of theso'persons individually, to cancel that .agreement: and 'substitute another in its' place. - ■■■■•■•- l '.'■• (S) That as there was no .provision in-the Public SprviceXSuperannuation l Act;-1907, 'for increasing tlio amount of ' tho yearly grant by. Parliament in v .the event oi 'the" police forco coming in, it would apparently- disturb to, a certain extent the':financial; soundness of the Act.- ''It could' not 'be arguesd tliat'the £30,000! to be. appropriated from the Police .Provident -Fund would compensate for, this because ,that sum would be required for : ,'tjie purpose,, of meeting''pensions" that'have' already been authorised: under this : Police - Pro--vidqnt Fund "Act.: . PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT. The following; amendments to, the-Act were then proposed for the ; consideration of the authorities':— ■'

. (1) That the fund should consist of; in addition, "to" the,'moneys specified; in, Section .4 of vthe. present- Act; a sum of money-to bo, paid annually into -.the; fund ..by: tho; Minister for Finance,, such sum,to ; .be proportionately equivalent' to that laid down 'under 'the Public' Service Superannuation Act,'l9*o7. (2) That tho Board .should-bc : -constituted. a3.at. present, with the. addition' of. two other members,.to be elected by ballot from the subordinate ranks of the, service' (other thaii ollicers); .officers already being sented by. -the Inspector of : Police; Wellington. ':' -' -■ ' , '-;' ' ,

: (3) That contributors at the date of the coming, into operation of, tlie proposed amen 1mont 'should be entitled on voluntary retirtmemt, or on. discharge .other' than'; formisconduct, to a-refund of all contributions paid by them, •hut in the case 'of' thoso- joining after, that' dato there' will be. no - refund unless a - contributor is compulsorily discharged other than for misconduct. :' ■ (4) That tho .maximum pension- should be 40—CO, instead of,-36—60. . i . (5) That provisions similar- to', those-., cf Sections 25. arid. 27' of tho. Public Ser/yV Superannuation Act, 1907, should be inserted, providing pensions for widows and children; or, return'of contributions to personal repre-* sentativos'-.of;.unmarried' contributors. (0) That' the powers and duties of the Board should.be more clearly defined..