APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1108

Uniform.

295. Letter-carriers, post-office messengers, mail-cart drivers employed by the Department, and telegraph message-boys at the larger offices are supplied with uniform, and the Postmaster or the Officer in Charge must see that they wear this when on duty, and that it is kept clean and not misused. When officers and persons wearing uniforms are engaged on indoor duty new tunics should be taken off and last year's worn. Post-office messengers will be supplied with canvas aprons for protecting their uniforms while cleaning and performing other work likely to soil the cloth. The aprons are to be applied for on form Acct. 225. Lockers should be provided in which to hang up uniforms. In the event of the promotion or resignation of an employee who is supplied with uniform the tunic must be properly cleaned and repaired at a cleaning establishment, and, at the discretion of the Postmaster or the Officer in Charge, transferred to his successor if it will fit him, the Controller of Stores being at once advised. If it will not fit him it must be sent to the Controller of Stores with form P.O. 296, and requisition made in the usual way for a new tunic. In all cases new inside bands must be sewn into caps or helmets. Trousers which have been worn are not to be transferred from one man or boy to another. The following are the articles of uniform clothing which letter-carriers are required to wear : Tunic, trousers (walking, cycling, or riding), overcoat, cycling suit, shako, black boots, leggings. For telegraph message-boy : tunic, trousers, black boots, overcoat, and leggings. For schedule of uniforms and forms of requisition to be used see form Acct. 282A. Letter-carriers' sorters may be supplied with overcoat and leggings.

296. The wearing of unauthorized badges, such as fern-leaves, football colours, &c., must be immediately checked. Letter-carriers, post-office messengers, and telegraph message-boys supplied with uniform may wear straw hats as part of the uniform during the summer months. These will not be supplied by the Department. A red band should be worn on carriers' straw hats.

297. Chief Postmasters, Officers in Charge, and Postmasters are required to see that uniformed employees under their control present at all times a clean and tidy appearance; that they wear the full uniform, whether they are on duty or are proceeding to or from their homes; that those who shave do so regularly, and that their uniform garments are properly worn, kept in good condition, and repaired when necessary. To this end letter-carriers and post-office messengers should be mustered on a day in the last week in each month, and an inspection made by the Chief Postmaster or Postmaster of their appearance and the state of their uniform. The Postmaster will then report to the Chief Postmaster, and the Chief Postmaster to the Secretary before the 10th of the month.

Officers in Charge and Postmasters where the message-boys are in uniform will muster the lads at least once a week. The report will be in this case made monthly also to the Secretary by Officers in Charge and to Chief Postmasters by Postmasters.

298. Applications must not be made for new uniforms more than three months prior to the date of their becoming due. If it should be necessary to make an earlier application, a memorandum should accompany the requisition, setting out the reason therefor.

299. One tunic and two pairs of trousers are expected to last for one year. Letter-carriers' shakos are to be worn for two years, and white helmets, which are expected to last for three