APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1067

be kept locked, and the key kept in a safe place. No persons should have access to the box except those whose duty it is to clear it. An enamelled notice-plate, to be placed over the posting-aperture, will be supplied by the Department. Chief Postmasters should see that some protection is provided for the aperture of any posting-box known to have been entered by birds.

34. A Postmaster on being appointed to an office where it is his duty to see that the posting-boxes on railway-trains are attended to should take steps to guard against any oversight in doing so. The consequences of an irregularity of this kind may be serious, and the importance of the work should be kept steadily in mind and the duty punctually performed.

35. A copy of the Guide, of the notice headed “Post Office Regulations,” showing the hours of attendance and times of closing mails, and of any other notices for public information, such as the conditions governing the receipt and transmission of telegrams, must be conspicuously exhibited at every office. Notices from the Department of Agriculture issued for exhibition at post-offices are not to be sent to combined post and railway offices.

36. Offices must be washed out periodically. An allowance, when necessary, to be fixed in each case by the Secretary, is made for this purpose. No allowance is made in respect of railway or non-permanent post-offices. It is the duty of a Postmaster or an Officer in Charge to see that his office is kept in a clean and orderly condition. Departmental offices in use are to be regularly disinfected by sprinkling floors with a disinfectant, to be obtained from the Controller of Stores. The disinfectant is to be prepared according to formula. Dry dusting and dry sweeping are forbidden. By “dry dusting” is meant the act of flicking dust into the air by a towel, a feather brush, or other similar means. The proper means of removing dust from a surface is to damp (not to wet so as to cause a smear) a rag with a disinfectant in solution and to wipe the dust into a receptacle. No sweeping is to be done until the floor or other surface has been sprinkled with a solution of disinfectant. The best way of doing this is to soak sawdust in the solution, and to spread that over the surface. The operation, however, can be effectually performed by sprinkling with solution without sawdust as a medium.

37. Offices at which officers suffering from consumption are or have been stationed are to be fumigated at regular intervals. When possible, controlling officers should confer with the local Health Officer, and follow his instructions in this matter.

38. Relieving Postmasters are required to report on form P.O. 105 on the general management of the office relieved.

39. Public offices must be properly supplied with pens, ink, and blotting-paper, and the necessary postal and telegraph forms. Only forms which are for immediate use, and are intended to be issued to the public, are to be supplied. Official envelopes are not to be issued. Ink-bottles must be frequently washed, and the ink kept fluid.

40. Fuel (to include native coal, where procurable) and lighting are supplied for official use only, and not for private purposes, except in special cases. The annual allowance for consumption at each office will be fixed by the Inspector of Post-offices, and, unless under exceptional circumstances, no further supply will be authorized.

41. The following are the maximum quantities of fuel and lighting-material allowed per annum:---

Fuel: For North Island—If firewood used, 2 cords; if coal used, 1½ tons. For South Island—If firewood only used, 4 cords;