SUPERANNUATION THE POLICE PROVIDENT FUND. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1908, Page 9

SUPERANNUATION THE POLICE PROVIDENT FUND. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE.

Members of' the police force hare .been furnished with ballot-papers with' a view to thpjr determining whether or not they will adhere to their present pension system or com"6"uftder;the provisions of the Public Service Superannuation Act. The Police Provident Fund now amounts to £31,000. ■ ' So far as can he gathered, tiie' n>ajority of the police force admit the superior advantages offered by the Public Service Superannuation Act, but before agreeing to coaie under the general scheme arranged by the Government lasj- year, and passed by Parliament, they wish to be clear iupon several points. There appears to be little doubt that so far as the police arc concerned there are several defects in the Public Service Superannuation Act. For -instapce, as the Apt. is worded they cann6L come in as original contributors. Then jt, is not made clear that their service will count back to the time they originally joined the f orce ; nor is -it provided that each ma n"s .''share of the £31,000 -wil'sbe credited to him under tha general" scheme. The date for the .ballot was fixed for 2nd Jlarch, but,- as, will be seen below, the Minister has agreed to extend the time to a later d^ate. The precise day has 'not yet been settled by_the Minister.' The position, as briefly outlined above, having been stated by a 'Post-representa-tive to the Hon. J. M'Gowan, MinifiteT in charge of the Police Force, the lion, gentleman said: "The police force has had absolute freedom, in all respects in coming to a." decision on this matter. The opportunity of taking th& ballot within a given time was suggested ;to them, and now apparently— whether from, outside advice or on their own .reading of the Act, I am , unable to say — they request longer time 'to come to a decision. That longer time wo have agreed toj as"- the desire of • the Government is that' they shall be absolutely satisfied, and that they shall come to their own decision in their own way. ' The police force v*ill be treated absolutely fairly anS justly. The whole object of the Act is -to treat those who come under it with absolute fairness,' and proof of that is shown in the wide scope of the Act." - '