SUPERANNUATION is a retiring allowance granted under an act of 1859, 22 Vict. cap. 26, to all persons not being weekly laborers employed permanently in the civil ser vice of the country. Before the age of 60, retirement can only take place from broken health (or ostensibly so), or from abolition of office: after 60 any person may retire. If the retirement take place before completing ten years' service, a gratuity only is allowed. After ten years, the pension is of the salary at the time of retirement for every year of service, up to 6, which is the maximum allowed, except under very special circum. stances, when the treasury may grant larger pensions, never, however, exceeding th. tedary vacated. Professional persons appointed later in life than the usual age ma', have pensions computed with a number of years, not exceeding 20, added to their actual service. On the other hand, the treasury may, for grave demerit, diminish a pension below the scale granted in the act. A person on a pension is liable to recall to a position as good as he vacated up to the age of 60, if in suitable health. A civil servant is defined
to be one holding appointment direct from the crown, or under certificate from the civil service commissioners; and his salary must be paid out of the consolidated fund or out of moneys voted by parliament. Weekly laborers are ineligible; but artificers may serve for superannuation, provided they are not paid at the full current market rates of wages. See RETLREMENT.
Superannuation is one of the great boons of the permanent civil service, in which the officials are, as a rule, paid salaries lower than they could earn elsewhere; but to render promotion tolerably certain, retirement at 60 should be, not as now voluntary, but com pulsory. At present an official may at his option serve as long as he is capable of attend ing office; and many actually do die in harness, years after they have become useless.