1090
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 29

199. When a departmental flag is in need of repair, it should be sent to the Controller of Stores, with a note explaining where it is from and for what purpose sent. The Controller of Stores will have the flag repaired and returned or will issue a new one. Flags must be kept in good repair and not allowed to remain frayed at the edges.

200. The attendance of any or of all the persons employed in any office may be required at any time for official duty.

201. The Minister may require the services of officers during any holiday, but in such case, and in lieu of any payment for overtime, such officers will be entitled to a holiday, or relief from duty, upon such other day as shall not interfere with public business. Sufficient staff must be provided on holidays to meet all public requirements and avoid occasion for complaint.

202. Special announcements as to holiday attendance or duty are made from time to time in the Official Circular. A notice of holiday-closing must be exhibited in some conspicuous place at any office at least three days prior to the holiday, and in the case of telegraph or telephone offices the notice must specify the hours of attendance. Newspaper advertising charges are not to be incurred in announcing holidays.

203. When a holiday or a half-holiday is authorized at a non-permanent office, the Chief Postmaster is to instruct the Postmaster to publicly notify as widely as possible the intention to close. A notice must be exhibited in a prominent place in the public office, and every other available means used to circulate the information.

204. When requested by the General Manager or a District Traffic Manager of Railways to remain on duty for the purpose of transmitting telegrams on urgent railway business, officers are to carry out such instructions without reference to the General Post Office; but a report of the circumstances must at once be made to the Secretary by wire.

205. An attendance-book for all officers of the Department, including telegraph message-boys, must be kept, and in each should be recorded the time of arrival and of departure, and the total daily attendance, and any irregularity in attendance. In all cases the actual and not the officially due time of attendance must alone appear. A list should be prepared showing the order in which officers are to sign: new entrants to sign at bottom, the list being revised monthly or quarterly. All officers should have access to some time-book at the time of beginning work and of leaving work, and the entries are to be made then, and not earlier or later. No excuse will be accepted for entries made in anticipation of beginning or of leaving work. Any irregularity in connection with time-book entries is a serious offence, and any officer at fault in respect thereof may be very severely dealt with. A red line should be drawn across the book at five minutes past the hour at which the various staffs of officers commence duty, and an explanation required of every officer whose name appears below the line. The five minutes’ grace is a privilege, not to be taken when not required, and not in any way to be treated as a right. In the case of letter-carriers each man is to set down, in addition, the time at which his delivery is commenced and completed. All officers must sign the attendance-book, with the exception of the Chief Postmaster, the Assistant Postmaster at chief post-offices, the Officer in Charge and the Assistant Officer in Charge at separate telegraph-offices, and the Postmasters at first- and second-grade sub-offices. The