§ Mr. VIANTasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why officers of Customs and Excise were compulsorily superannuated in 1914–15 on attaining the age limit for retirement, though remaining at work; and if this Regulation was enforced in all other Departments?
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSThe officers in question, in common with other officers of Customs and Excise, were superannuated in accordance with the standing Regulations as to retirement then in force in the Department. But to meet the exigencies of war conditions, officers regarded as suitable were offered and in many cases accepted temporary re-employment in an unestablished capacity on the reserve of superannuated officials. This reserve had been previously organised on those explicit terms to supply temporary reinforcement of the permanent staff at any time of special emergency. As no such reserve existed in most Departments, and different Departments had different retiring ages in force, it is improbable that all Departments treated their staff precisely alike in this matter, but it is the normal rule of the Public Service that re-employment after the age of 60 is in an unestablished capacity.