A (2) 8
42. During a discussion raised by instructions from the Secretary of State on the question of the interest received on the monthly balances at the Bank it was pointed out by the Bank that while the cheques drawn by the Treasury amounted to over 10,000 a year those drawn by outside departments amounted to over 30,000, thus showing that only about one quarter of the payments are actually made by the Treasury. With the exception of the Kowloon Canton Railway none of these departments are recognised as sub-accountants.
PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS.
(Paras. 41/44-1930 Report.)
44. The audit of Personal Emoluments has again needed special attention, on this occasion due to the ruling of the Secretary of State that the gravity of the local financial situation demanded special conversion rates for the payment of sterling salaries. It was decided that from 1st January all sterling salaries should be converted as to half at the rate of 1/6 to the dollar and half at the Treasury rate for the month and by this means a saving of over $1,000,000 was effected.
45. Claims for exemption from this ruling arose and two officers were specially exempted by the Secretary of State from the operation of this ruling while two other officers were exempted under local authority. Further, at the instance of this department the Secretary of State was asked to give a ruling on other points which presented difficulty e.g. the conversion rate for vacation leave spent in the Colony, sick leave, absence on duty in other Colonies, &c.
46. Later in the year more favourable rates of conversion were conceded to those officers who had dependants in a gold currency country.
Thus there were being used simultaneously three methods of conversion in the salaries of sterling paid officers.
SUITORS FUND ACCOUNTS.
47. After consultation between officers of the Treasury, the Supreme Court and the Audit Department an Ordinance (34/1931) was introduced which, together with Rules made by the Chief Justice, has considerably simplified the system of these accounts by transferring from the Treasurer to the Registrar of Supreme Court the immediate responsibility for keeping the individual ledger accounts which, though individually of small amount, are very numerous. The Registrar will be responsible for all payments out of court and the present cumbrous system of having these payments made in the Treasury will cease and will save much time, alike to the public and the accounting officials. The Registrar will be working on an imprest and his transactions will be incorporated monthly in the Treasury books by Journal Entry.
The Ordinance came into force on 1st January 1932.
A (2) 8
42. During a discussion raised by instructions from the Secretary of State on the question of the interest received on the monthly balances at the Bank it was pointed out by the Bank that while the cheques drawn by the Treasury amounted to over 10,000 a year those drawn by outside departments amounted to over 30,000, thus showing that only about one quarter of the payments are actually made by the Treasury. With the exception of the Kowloon Canton Railway none of these departments are recognised as sub-accountants.
PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS.
(Paras. 41/44-1930 Report.)
44. The audit of Personal Emoluments has again needed special attention, on this occasion due to the ruling of the Secretary of State that the gravity of the local financial situation demanded special conversion rates for the payment of sterling salaries. It was decided that from 1st January all sterling salaries should be converted as to half at the rate of 1/6 to the dollar and half at the Treasury rate for the month and by this means a saving of over $1,000,000 was effected.
45. Claims for exemption from this ruling arose and two officers were specially exempted by the Secretary of State from the operation of this ruling while two other officers were ex- empted under local authority. Further, at the instance of this department the Secretary of State was asked to give a ruling on other points which presented difficulty e.g.-the conversion rate for vacation leave spent in the Colony, sick leave, absence on duty in other Colonies, &c.
46. Later in the year more favourable rates of conversion were conceded to those officers who had dependants in a guld currency country.
Thus there were being used simultaneously three methods of conversion in the salaries of sterling paid officers.
SUITORS FUND ACCOUNTS.
47. After consultation between officers of the Treasury, the Supreme Court and the Audit Department an Ordinance (34/1931) was introduced which, together with Rules made by the Chief Justice, has considerably simplified the system of these accounts by transferring from the Treasurer to the Registrar of Supreine Court the immediate responsibility for keeping the in- dividual ledger accounts which, though individually of small amount, are very numerous. The Registrar will be responsible for all payments out of court and the present cumbrous system of having these payments made in the Treasury will cease and will save much time, alike to the public and the accounting officials. The Registrar will be working on an imprest and his transactions will be incorporated monthly in the Treasury books by Journal Entry.
The Ordinance came into force on 1st January 1932.
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