2
into one-half the period of leave with full salary, provided that the total period of com- muted and uncommuted leave, together with any period of vacation leave that may be granted, does not exceed ten months at a time. No officer can claim as a right to commute his leave in this manner, the decision whether commutation can or cannot be allowed being wholly within the discretion of the Governor.
8. The present rule as to superannuation is that in the case, of ill-health an officer may be allowed to retire on a pension after ten full years' resident service; otherwise he must have attained the age of 55. For ten full years' resident service fifteen-sixtieths of the
average annual salary of the retiring officer's fixed appointment for the three years prior to retirement may be awarded, to which one-sixtieth may be added for each additional year's service; but no addition will be made in respect of any service beyond 35 years.
For pension purposes absence on vacation leave counts as full service, and leave on half-pay as half service.
9. A deduction of 4 per cent. is made from the salaries of all members of the permanent service, including Cadets, as a contribution towards the provision of pensions for the widows and orphans of Public Officers. An officer may also contribute at the rate The of 4 per cent. of any duty allowance drawn by him but is not required to do so. choice once made as to contributing per cent. of duty allowance will be final and will apply to the whole of the officer's service.
#
For purposes of 10. The currency of Hong Kong is based on the silver dollar. local payment salaries fixed in sterling are converted into dollars at a rate fixed by the Government, and based upon the average exchange value of the dollar during the month ending on the fifteenth day of the month for which salary is to be paid. At present, however, if the average exchange rate for any month exceeds 2s., salaries are converted at 28. to the dollar.
11. The Civil Service of Hong Kong is at present classified as follows, but no guarantee whatever is given that the numbers and conditions of the appointments or the Moreover, some of the posts included in salaries attached to them will remain unaltered.
these classes are not exclusively confined to officers originally appointed as Cadets :—-
Class,
Number of Pusts.
Initial Salary.
Rising by increments (which are triennial except where otherwise stated) of
Maximum.
IlI..
Ten
II.
Seven
I.
Three
Staff
Que
£
£
3
400
20 (annual)
560
600
40
720
800 1,600
100
1,000
In addition to the fixed salaries of their posts, officers receive, while actually serving
in the Colony, duty allowances at the following rates :—
COLONIAL OFFICE,
March, 1912.
Class II-£100 a year (in one case £150 a year).
Class II.-£120 a year.
Class I.-£150 a year.
Note. Further information can be obtained on personal application at the Eastern Department of the Colonial Office.
119
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O. 882
Reference :-
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO