PAYING A KING HIS SALARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8333, 3 June 1905, Page 2

PAYING A KING HIS SALARY.

How European Sovereigns Receive Their Allowances.

(Pearson's fVteldy.) The, manner in which monarchs are paid their salaries varies considerably. The Emperor of Russia, for instance, is tho only European Sovereign who is entitled to draw on the revenues of the country over which he rules whenever he pleases, and to almost an unlimited extent. All the vast sums accruing '. from various forms of taxation in Russia are banked to the credit of two officials named the Imperial treasurers, who discharge all the liabilities of the Russian Government. The Czar, however, has the first call upon the money paid into the Imperial Treasury,* and draws upon it whenever he wishes, by simply directing the Treasury officials to lodge so much money to nis private account, giving them a voucher for the amount. Under the Russian Constitution the Czar -is entitled to receive a seventh share of the revenue of the country, and though he, as a matter of fact, never draws upon the Treasury to this extent, the Emperor of Russia is yet by far the best paid and wealthiest of European monarchs. The Emperor of Germany is in receipt of a salary of £100;000 per annum from the. State, but his Imperial Majesty has, of course, many other .ways of supplementing this pay, which would be a very poor one for the Sovereign of a great Power. The salary is paid into the Emperor's private banking account twice a yeary the cheque for it being signed by no feweV than seven officials, and is finally endorsed by the Kaiser himself. The Emperor also receives a " military and naval" allowance, which amounts to a big sum, and the expenses in connection with the maintenance of the Royal household- at Potsdam are, paid quarterly by the State Treasury. . . King Edward receives a quarterly cheque from, the for his salary as monarch ; the cheque is; what is known as a negotiable receipt, and is sent to the keeper of the privy purse, by whom it is signed on behalf of the King, and then lodged to the credit of his Majesty's private banking account. The Emperor of Austria is put to some personal inconvenience before he can obtain hi? salary, owing to ' the love of maintaining ancient customs

and ceremonies that prevail in the Austrian Court. On June 1 and December 1 the Austrian monarch pays a visit to the office of the State Treasury, where he is received by three important officials. One of these officials then reads out a document to the monarch, reminding him of the many duties he owes to the State, and exhorting him to the faithful performance of the same. The document concludes with a mention of the amount of money that the Emperor is entitled to receive from the State to maintain him in a position of such great dignity becomingly. The Emperor is then asked if the amount is sufficient, and, on his replying to the quest-ion in the affirmative, is given a receipt to sign for the money, which is, in due course, lodged to the credit of the Imperial account. The King of Portugal's salary is never paid to him direct, but is vested in the care of three officials, upon whom the King can draw whenever he requires money. This is an arrangement to which the King of Portugal has a distinct objection, but as it is a very old-establish-ed custom his Majesty would probably have some difficulty in having it alter- ! cd. Each of the three purse-keepers, as | these officials are called, receives £500 per annum, . which the King of Portugal has to pay out of his own pooket, so that the arrangement costs the King £1600 a year, which coiild be very e&sily saved by the dismissal of Buch entirely needless officials as the pursekeepers. The Sultan of Turkey has no allowance or salary; he simply informs the Grand Viziet* when he wants money, and that official has to see that the amount required is forthcoming promptly, otherwise it is more than likely he might lose his head-