§ 55. Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether officers now in receipt of pensions for service in the Federated Malay States are entitled to have their pensions 1657 paid to them at the rate of 4s., or its equivalent in local currency to the dollar, while living in the United Kingdom or in any country, other than the Netherlands, India, of which the currency is based on a gold standard; whether the Federated Malay States is not now a country in which the currency is based on a gold standard; whether consequently there is now any sufficient reason for paying such pensioners at a reduced rate of about 2s. 4d. a dollar in cases where they decide to hold their pensions in the Malay States; whether an officer who has served in the medical department of the States has made application for the full payment of his pension at the rate of 4s. a dollar, to which he is entitled; and whether that application has been refused by the local Government?
Mr. HARCOURTCertain officers who were in receipt of a dollar salary in the Federated Malay States and whose pension was accordingly calculated in dollars are entitled to have their pensions converted into sterling at 4s. to the dollar when residing in gold standard countries. With regard to the second and third parts of the question, pensioners residing in the Federated Malay States naturally receive their dollar pensions in dollars, and no question of exchange arises. The officer has claimed to be paid pension at 4s. to the dollar in the Federated Malay States as well as in the United Kingdom, and this application has been refused. His pension, when paid to him in this country, is converted at the full rate of 4s.
§ Sir P. MAGNUSCan the right hon. Gentleman answer the part of the question which refers to the fact that the Federated Malay States have now a gold standard?
§ Sir P. MAGNUSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to consider whether, having regard to the fact that prices have risen considerably in the Federated Malay States, and in consequence of the adoption of a gold standard, some injustice has not been done to this distinguished medical officer by being paid in dollars