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ing, and Inspection of Dangerous Goods. The allowances for supervision of Distilleries and Collection of Liquor Duties should be revised, the collection of duties, which involved financial responsibility alone being paid for. The allowances attached to Yaumati, Shamshuipo and Bay View would thus be abolished while those at the remaining stations with the exception of Kowloon City would be reduced to $10 in the case of Cheung Chau and to $5 for each of the other stations including No. 3 Police Launch. This measure would effect a saving of $365 a month. The following allowances should be retained :-
(a.) For Conveyance.
(b.) For Knowledge of Languages. (c.) For Detective Staff..
(d.) For Rations.
(e.) For Finger Prints (special know-
ledge),
(f.) For Drill Instructor (special know-
ledge).
(9.) For Medal (reward for special ser-
vices).
(h.) For Registrar of Births.
(i.) For Telephone.
(j) For School Monitor.
(k.) For Fire Brigade.
(7) For Theatre Duties.
(m.) For Collection of Crown Rent.
The Governor recommended that if the European contingent were willing to forego the allowances referred to above the following increases should be granted in addition to the increase resulting from the alteration in the rate of exchange for payment of salaries :—
Present Pay.
Lance Sergeants,.
£120-£130 by £10
Proposed Pay. £130-£145 by £51
Sergeants,
£140-£160 by £10
£155-£175 by £10"
Inspectors, 2nd class, ......£200
£200-£220 by £10"
£240-£260 by £10"
Inspectors, 1st class,........£220-£240 by £20
and that the increments of Constables and of the Chief Inspector and Chief Detective In- spector should be made biennial instead of triennial.
The additional expenditure involved in maxima salaries by these increases amounted to £1,090 per annum from which however had to be deducted the saving of $4,380 on allow- ances or say £438.
His Excellency made the following further recommendations:-
"}
(i.) That the words "provided he has held that rank for the last three years
should be substituted for the words "provided he shall have been in receipt of the same for the last three years" in Clause 4 of the Police Pension Regulations on page 436 of the Regulations of Hongkong.
(.) That the privileges of the Free Passage Scheme should be extended to not more than 12 married Lance-Sergeants and that the condition ordinarily attaching to the Scheme that officers included therein should not draw any half salary for acting appointments should not be applied in their case. (iii.) That the allowance for boots be increased from $12 to $24 per annum in
view of the increase in cost of boots.
The Governor at the same time dealt with the application by the European Police on dollar salaries with exchange compensation. They were entitled to pensions calculated at 3s. 8d. to the dollar. He recommended that they should be given the option of accepting the new sterling rates recommended.
The above proposals were supplementary to that relating to the rates of exchange for payment of sterling salaries.
Mr. Harcourt in a reply under date 8th February, 1913, accepted generally the above proposals.
13.—Officers who are not in receipt of sterling salaries or of exchange compensation. In a despatch under date 22nd November, 1912, (No. 4), the Governor dealt with the application from officers on dollar salaries without exchange compensation.
The Grading Scheme which was introduced in 1906 involved considerable increases of salary and many other increases in the salaries of individual posts had been made since that date. Comparing the salaries of posts which existed in 1902 which the salaries now attach-