1084

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 29

148. Chief Postmasters, Officers in Charge of telegraph-offices, and other officers in charge of staffs should see that the following precautions, recommended by the Department of Public Health, are taken by persons under their control known to be suffering from consumption. The patient must carry a proper spittoon—the Deitweiller flask is recommended (The best way to destroy the sputum is by fire; and any left in the flask should be chemically treated in order to be made innocuous.) He is to carry the flask in a pocket lined with washable stuff, so that his clothes may not become infected. If after this warning a patient is found spitting on the floor, the Secretary is to be at once informed. The practice of wetting the fingers with saliva in order to turn over the leaves of books or papers is strictly forbidden to all officers. These precautions are required to be taken in the interests of the health of officers, and if they are observed there is little or no danger of infection. Offices at which consumptive officers are stationed are to be fumigated at regular intervals.

149. A Postmaster or Officer in Charge should be careful to see that each officer through whose hands official money or its equivalent passes accounts for it as soon as possible. The accounts of the counter clerks should be examined at short and irregular intervals, and the Postmaster should personally ascertain that the officers responsible for the money-order and savings-bank cash, the sale of postage-stamps, &c., do actually possess the moneys and postage-stamps shown in their accounts. Stamps advanced for sale at the counter and the money-order and savings-bank cash should be checked daily, and, at any office where more than one officer is employed, the checking must be done by some one other than the officer who has immediate charge of the stamps or cash. Any neglect of this direction will render a Postmaster liable for any loss consequent thereon.

150. The Assistant Postmaster or the Chief Clerk at each chief post-office will act as examining officer of the stock of postage and revenue stamps of the Chief Postmaster. In this capacity he is subordinate to the Secretary alone.

151. An officer of the Department is forbidden, on pain of dismissal, to borrow money from his subordinate, or to lend money to his superior officer. He is also strictly forbidden to become surety for a fellow-officer in raising a loan, except from the Fine Fund.

152. No Postmaster or other officer may make use of any portion of official cash for private purposes. No breach of this rule will be excused.

153. Officers are strictly forbidden to cash cheques for any officer of the Public Trust Department. They are also to understand that the Post Office is not to be made a medium for negotiating private cheques except as stated hereunder.

154. Cheques drawn by local bodies, such as a County or Borough Council, may be cashed on the local body indemnifying the Post Office against loss arising from forgery, fraudulent alteration, or any other cause whatsoever.

155. At isolated places where there is no bank agency an arrangement may be made whereby cheques aggregating a fixed amount, drawn by well-known firms and persons of repute, may be cashed by Postmasters, provided the bank on which such cheques are drawn guarantees to honour them to an amount to be determined between the drawer, the bank, and the Post Office. No arrangement of this nature may, however, be made without the express authority of the Secretary.