The Government is empowered within this maximum point to fix the rate of interest for deposits. The Government can also ordain that the abovementioned deposits, especially the guarantee deposits shall either bear no interest at all or only partially do so. § 7. Of the money paid into the Orders' (Cheque and Clearing) Service of the Post Office Savings Bank there will always be kept in hand a portion in specie adequate to meet probable needs. The surplus remaining is to be placed out at interest in such a way as always to assure the complete fulfilment of the engagements entered into. The placing out can be made: 1. By acquiring partially mortgaged bills of exchange (salt mine, treasury bonds). 2. By opening at a banking establishment a running account at short dates of payment (a deposit running account). 3. By advances on security of bonds of the United National Debt and of the National Debt of the kingdoms and lands represented in the Imperial Council, also those Austrian bills upon which loans are permitted by the statutes of the Austro-Hungarian Bank, finally upon stock and other securities in the Austro-Hungarian Bank. (Advances with the exception of accounts booked.) 4. By discounting coupons of the funds pointed out in N^o 3, also in prize-tickets in the Austrian State Lottery, also of other funds indicated in N^o 3, repayable by draft, last on discharge certificates of Customs duties. 5. By discounting Bills of Exchange to be cashed at a Bank, a Savings Bank, or else at a Deposit or Credit Company, registered according to the Law of April 9^{th} 1873 (Z. 70 R. G. Bl.). 6. By purchase of bonds of the National Debt, deeds of mortgage or bonds having priority rights, in so far as such stocks are, in conformity with N^o 3, capable of being taken in deposit. The duration of the loans described in N^o 3, as well as the paper to be discounted, described in N^o 4, and the bills of Exchange within the kingdoms and lands represented in the Imperial Council as described in N^o 5, is limited to three months. In selecting what to take in deposit, or what to buy, in fixing the extent of the sum to be lent out, as well as the choice of the institutions with which it is to enter into business relations, the Post Office Savings Bank is to seek direction from the Ministry of Finance. § 8. The Orders (Cheques) issued in the Orders' (Cheque and Clearing) Service are subject to no other tax than that fixed by the Law of February 29^{th} 1864, § 7 (R. G. Bl. N^o 20) of 2 kreutzers a piece.