§ Mr. Roland RobinsonI have the honour to present a petition, signed by 5,211 retired police pensioners or their widows, on behalf of those police pensioners who retired prior to 1st April, 1919, or their widows. Following the report of the Desborough Committee in 1920, the rates of pay and pension of the police forces were increased and provision was made for payment of pension to widows of retired police constables. However, no provision was made for the police pensioners who retired before 1919 or their widows. Their claims have been freely admitted by this honourable House, and, in particular, when a Motion was passed on 12th November, 1930, to that effect. No action has been taken, and now the number of persons affected by this discrimination is approximately 5,000.
Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray your honourable House that legislation may be introduced at an early date to remove the inequality between the pensions of members of the police forces who retired before 1st April, 1919, and 1st September, 1918, and their widows, respectively, and those who retired after those dates, and to provide such other relief to your petitioners as your honourable House may think fit. And, further, your petitioners pray that any amendment to the Police Act, 1921, conferring benefits upon police widows and orphans shall, as a matter of justice and equity, be made applicable to all such widows and orphans.