POLICE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 5

POLICE PENSIONS.

MEETING OP THE WELLINGTON FORCE. THE NEW BILL APPROVED. Members of the local police force met yesterday to <Hscu9s matters connected with tho pension sclwnie proposed by the Pubho Service Classification and Superannuation Amendment Bill, which was introduced, in Parliament on -Thursday.night'; ; -.; :J : -- : ■■"-' '■'.■ .-'.:';'■. :: : - .;■■ - ■■■ ■■.:': The BUI abolishes 'ihePolice'ProvidenOund, and .merges it, in'?,the Public":Service,Superannuation itfuhd. -All existing contributors to, the I formefjund'are ■:transferred' to the latter 'and' become; subject; to-the scheme of Publio, Service ■ superannuation.::. Clause 25'- preserves. the'right of; a :nie'jiber of:the v police .-force who , is-' ■. in-: : jured; in .the ,;ojwcntion : : .pi his . duties to V ob-' tain, if -\ he Superannuation l Board thinks fit, a' larger;'l'fliriDg wiilowincijilian wise be payabie.- Clause 28 increases the annual: subsidy.' 6t-' the ; Publio Service .Superannuation .tfund by .SIOOIHn view of; the increased burden ijplaoed' ufon-thut fund bythe inclusion of tuo. 'police force as contributors. :; ." ':';.;■< ~":>'■■=■ '- .-.'■ •..•'" - -The meeting .iwtia.'.attandeii. by.i. about ■thirty: inibinbers from .the: city: ioi-i suburbs,; and In'' speotor■Ellison,preside!;' ' ; . ■'-\ ; - . , .■'■■'-.: ■■'.'■•■' . 'A-resolution was carried to the effeot thiit'it vaa; deemed desirable thai:, the; Police Provir' dent I'und shoulil be.merged in the .Publiober- 1 vice SuperiinriuiUm ]?u.Kl^:i.poa'-.the', conditions set forth 1 in ' the : Biu; : but a qlauso. was ■addod .in : >whichr:.the'.'force? resppctfally: urged : unoh the Government-tho' desirabiUty of : embodying, in the'iimendnient Act' ajroYision'to f give iriembere pi-Vie police seryioe. the. option ol rotiringVon preaching; the agei.'of'sS years. '':'■ -'-"."-, ■The reason for. Ibis addition, it was explained, was. that polico'.omiors.rnbt'bfling: able to; join /the'service/Under 21 y>;ars : of age, were suifer-' ing a. severe/hardship,:ns cbmourwl-Svith those 'in-otner;briinche6 of the Civil;Service...A cadet might join anothe: Deportment at 15;0r'16, and quality iiom the; beginning; for : fiuporaiuiuation- beheftty 1 but'the, police could, riot eater the ser 7i jo (an J "ho superannuation fund) befpro attiiining tlie aga.'ot t«6nty-one.-.V.-...;-.■.V , ." : This lnenr.c: that an. "office. - in another Dβ-' partmeit : miehc i«ceivo.the niax'nium. pension ,ou' retiringi : al-..«5--hP:miglit.then pletecl. 40. years' .•servicp.'..: '■■ -A. police; officer,' onthe other napd,,could only draw a poitionVof. the pension- if lie retired at >55. He would recsive t ne .benefits, ot' onlrSi years of.yseryice, whereas'the; n.uximui'.iallowancoi was ppidbnly; 'to officers' who' had tofnpleted.B6 years in , ;.the' force. : And Uiat. 34- s : eard cxperienca did'"notl give'. K- pc lice. ufficer Ihe vipf'it :to retire. .' At prpsent, ■. oi\ ;offi;er ;m : ;the :Pdlico. : Department had the right; vo retire at 60, and he was compelled to loave duty at:Gs.'- •'':.,' - : ,: ;; : it was -pointed out that a proviso was inoludcd in the* Bill which said that theSuperaniiU&tion Boaril .might permit an oißcer to rotirc'lit 55'.. if he considered siioh a course _dosirable;but the iiioeting expressed the "ojoiriioh that Officers sliutild have - the' right to retire-, at 55, if ■' thev. 'desiredMo'-"do This: was the only.i.iimsadmeiit::Which ; :they';de«rel to hayc made; in tho Bill.;"--'■;-' ■• ".-."'■ ■--'-. ; -,'■ .':-;':-"■;;