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Crown Sclicitor's Office,
RES 4 AUG Ofongkong, 2nd. July, 1908.
!
Sir,
Referring to 0.0.D. 6462/05 Confidential and to the
estimates for 1907, I have the honour to point out that owing to the rise in exchange the intended increase in the remuneration of the Crown Solicitor has proved to be illusory.
In the estimates for the present yeat the remuneration was fixed at f1,000 including the cost of any staff, clerical or technical, that I may employ, as well as all other expenses inci- dental to my office in substitution for the previous list of sala- ries and vote for incidental expenses.
The Honourable
I was asked to accept the sum of $1,000 and I accepted it for the year 1906 reserving the right to raise the question again
for subsequent years.
The exchange at that time was estimated at 1/81 and the equivalent of $1,000 was, therefore, $12,000 which sur was insert-
ed in the estimates.
The Government rate of exchange for the month of June is 2/14 1. and the arcunt paid to the Crown Solicitor, instead of being $1,000 is $784.31; a loss to me of $215.99 and an equivalent saving to the revenue of the Colony.
Last year in the month of April 1 drew $732.39 to which should be added one-twelfth of the incidental expenses vote of $150, that is $12.50 and an allowance for stationery, which has since been withdrawn. Comparing that month with the month of June
whereas 1908, the increase is only about $30 or say $360 a year, the estimated increase when the arrangement was made was $1,980.
The Colonial Secretary.
F