SUPERANNUATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 318, 3 October 1908, Page 5

SUPERANNUATION.

THE POLICE FORCE'S £30,000. MERCED INTO THE NEW SCHEME. WIGNATION MEETING HELD. there appears to bo a good deal of dissatisfaction in tho police, forco at present in regard to the afctiou ofthe Government in proposing to merge the Police Provident Fund in the Civil Se'rvico Superannuation Fund. Tho provident fund has been in ex. istenco for nino years, during which timo the sum of £30,500 has been accumulated solely by contributions from tho polico, no assistance whatever having been given by the Government. The Commissioner of Police in his last report stated "that tho provident fund had, up to the end of March last, saved tho country over £18,000. 'A section was inserted in tho Publio Service Superannuation Act of last year that on a day to bo fixed by tho Minister for Justice a ballot was to be taken of tho contributors to tho Police Provident Fund on the proposal that such contributors should become contributors to the Public Service Superannuation Fund, in lieu of -the- provident) fund. A circular was issued'by tho Commissioner of Polico setting forth the alleged advantages that. would be gained by the police if they came under the new Act. The matter was discussed by tho police, and, on legal advice being obtained, it was discovered that they would probably lose all their'service by adopting the new proposal. On representations being made to tho Minister for Justice, no ballot was taken. It was plainly indicated that tho forco generally was not favourable to the proposal, even apart from tho objection mentioned: j Time for Consideration Wanted. . Recently the Prime Minister was reported to hare, said that it was intended to amend the Polico Provident Fund, and tho police naturally thought that _. that meant an amendment of the Police Provident Fund Act. They had no other intimation of the intention of the Governmout until the present Bill, proposing to merge tho provident fund with tho Civil Service scliomo, ! was brought beforo the House. This new proposal provides for tho abolition ef the Police Provident Fund Board. It has caused dissatisfaction amongst' the _ police, and the committee which was - : appointed by the police at Wellington lias received- communication from members of tho force throughout the Dominion urging that every endeavour should bo. made to delay the proposed Bill, in order-to give the force timo to consider their position.

Against the Proposals. A largely-attended meeting of the Wcl-> lington members of the force was held at the Lambton Quay Police Station last evening, Inspector Ellison occupying the chair. Tho latest movo by the Government was fully discussed, and it is stated that tho general feeling at the meeting was ag*inst the proposals contained in the now Bill. Several mombors wore of opinion that it would bo better for tho force to retain their present scheme with all its faults, if any.. It was also urged that tho Civil Service was more liberally treated than tho police were, inasmuch us the members of the Public Service ■had all the contributions made by them for superannuation, prior to the passing of the Act, returned to them'with interest, whereas ; it Was proposed to take the £30,000 belonging to the polico fund to'bolster up the new scheme. The only concession, if concession it cau bo called, was that the police contributions to tho new fund were based on tha ago at which the contributors joined tha police fund, instead'of a,t their present ace. '.This wolild mean V small reduction in tha case of some men and a slight increase in the case of others.'-

Other Disabilities Alleged. , > Point was aTso made of the fact tliat mem-, hers of'the Civil Service can join as young as 15 or 16 years of age, and after serving 40 years may retire on full pension, whereas policeman cannot join before they are 21. years of age, and frequently aro much older than this when they enter the force. Thus they could not receive a pension until they were over 60 years of age. Exception was taken to Section 56 of the Act, which was considered ridiculous, as it gives the Publio Service Board power to employ men vho have bocome medically unfit for the position they have held in the police force or any, position in the public service the board may consider suitable. Thus, for instance, an inspector of police who becomes medically unfit for his position might bo considered by ths board suitable for some menial position in another branch of tho service and be ordered to tako up such position or lose his pension. Many of the police regard the proposal as a breach ,of contract on the part of the Government. They contributed to the Provident Fund on the strength of an Act of Parliament which it is now proposed to repeal without consulting them in any way. Tho meeting rosolved that it was desirable that time should be obtained to enable' the police fully to consider and ascertain their position.