APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1079

When properly filled up, the forms are then to be sent forward
for execution. A bond for a Postmaster is not to be signed
until the Postmaster has actually been appointed to his office;
but when a change of accounting Postmaster is to take place
the new appointee should be informed as quickly as possible of
the necessity of finding sureties and furnishing a bond, and
the bond should be prepared forthwith.

117. A surety may not witness the signature of a principal,
neither may one principal witness the signature of another.
The witness to any signature must be that of a person not in-
terested in the instrument signed. When signing a bond it is not
essential, though desirable, that a person should sign his or her
name in full or use all the initials. The full name should, how-
ever, in all cases appear in the body of the bond.

118. The security required of a Postmaster or other officer
may be given by means of two or more approved bondsmen, or
of an approved guarantee society. It is the duty of the Chief
Postmaster to see that the bonds required from his subordinates
are promptly executed and forwarded to the Secretary, with a
report showing whether the bond refers to the opening of a new
office or to a change of Postmaster or his sureties, &c. If,
after giving the security of a society, an officer should omit to
pay his premium when due, and thereby compel the society to
notify the approaching termination of its liability, his salary
will, should it be necessary to renew the guarantee, be imme-
diately applied to satisfy the demands of the society.

119. Should either of the sureties die, or withdraw his
liability, or become bankrupt or insolvent, or should the guarantee
society withdraw its security, the Chief Postmaster must imme-
diately require a fresh bond to be given. Chief Postmasters,
and the Officers in Charge at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin,
and Wellington keep a record of bonds on the appointment record-
cards, and are held personally responsible for the amount of any
defalcation not covered by bond or guarantee.

DECLARATIONS.

120. Before any person can be employed in the Department,
either temporarily or permanently, declarations must be made
according to the prescribed forms, with copies of which the
Postmasters are supplied; and no person can be permitted to
have access to letters, or to perform any official duty whatever,
either postal or telegraph, unless both these declarations have
been duly made and signed. The following are copies of the
declarations referred to:—

Declaration by Post Officer.

“I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely declare that I will be true and faithful
in the execution of the trust committed to my charge, and that I will not willingly
or knowingly open, detain, return, or delay, or cause or suffer to be opened, de-
tained, returned, or delayed, any postal packet which comes into my hands,
power, or custody, by reason of my employment in the postal service, except with
the consent of the person to whom such postal packet is directed, or in such cases
as are or may be provided for by the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, or by any
rules or regulations to be made in pursuance thereof.
“And I do further declare that I will not intentionally read the contents of
any postal packet which I may lawfully open, except so far as may be necessary
for the purpose of ascertaining the name and address of the writer or sender, or
for any other lawful purpose; and that I will not divulge to any person whatever,
except so far as lawfully required, any of the contents of any such postal packet
which may come to my knowledge in course of opening and examining the same
for any such purpose as aforesaid, or any information which may come to my
knowledge with respect to the business of the Post-Office Savings-Bank.
“And I make this solemn declaration under the provisions of the Post and
Telegraph Act, 1908.”

Telegraph Officer’s Declaration.

“I, [Name in full], do solemnly and sincerely declare that I will be true and
faithful in the execution of the trust committed to my charge, and that I will not
willingly or knowingly divulge the contents of any telegram coming to my know-
ledge in my official capacity, or suffer any other officer in the service to divulge