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officers was fixed at 1/6 to the dollar for the first three months of 1936 and for subsequent months at such rates as the Legislative Council might direct. By a resolution of the Legislative Council on the 27th May sterling paid officers absent from the Colony on leave for a period exceeding three months or absent from the Colony on duty for any period were exempted from the sterling conversion rate and by resolutions of the 13th May, the 22nd July and the 24th November the conversion rates were fixed at 1/54, 1/4 and 1/32 respective- ly for the last three quarters of 1936. Clause 2 (5) of the Bill fixes the special conversion rate for the whole year at the prevailing monthly Treasury rate if such rate exceeds 1/3 to the dollar and at 1/3 to the dollar or sixteen dollars to the pound sterling if the Treasury rate does not exceed 1/3 to the dollar. The effect of this will be that a conversion deduction will be made only when the Treasury rate for the dollar is below one shilling and three pence. The exemption of the salaries of officers on leave for a period exceeding three months and of officers absent on duty is dealt with in the proviso.
9. Except for the necessary substitution of 1937 for 1936 clause 3 (1) of the Bill corresponds with section 3 (1) of the repealed Ordinance.
10. Clause 3 (2) of the Bill corresponds in effect with sections 3 (2), 3 (3) and 3 (4) of the repealed Ordinance except that the dollar percentage deductions are reduced to 2%, 4%, 7% and 9% for the first half of 1937.
11. Clause 3 (3), which is new, provides that the Legis- lature may by resolution continue, reduce or abandon such dollar percentage deductions in respect of the months of July to December inclusive, or of any of them.
12. Clause 4 which relates to Widows' and Orphans' Pension Contributions corresponds with section 4 of the repealed Ordinance.
13. Clause 5, corresponding with the repealed section 5 limits the operation of the Ordinance to the year 1937.
14. Clause 6 (1) relating to the power of the Legislature to grant exemptions corresponds with the repealed section 6, and clauses 6 (2) and 6 (3) preserve the effect of the resolutions of the 13th May and the 24th November, 1936, which exempted officers employed on the construction of the Dam and Reservoir Works at Shing Mun and the temporary Gymnastic Instructor from the operation of the levy.
15. Clause 7 relating to the saving of the rights of the Crown corresponds with the repealed section 7.
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16. Clause 8 expressly repeals the 1936 Ordinance which being spent, under section 5 thereof, is no longer required.
C. G. ALABASTER,
December, 1936.
Attorney General.