392. In connection with the repurchase of stamps (see Guide)
     Postmasters and officers will observe the following directions:
     (1.) Stamps may not be purchased from any officer or other
     person employed by the Department, except by the
     special permission of the head of the office at which
     such stamps are presented.

(2.) A record must be kept in the Stamp-commission Book,
under a separate heading, "Repurchase of Stamps,"
showing the names of the persons from whom stamps
have been purchased, the value of such stamps, and the
amount charged as commission. These particulars must,
at the end of each period, be entered on form Acct. 190
and treated as "Miscellaneous receipts."

(3.) No charge is to be made for commission on the repurchase
of postage-stamps received as a remittance by Government
officers in their official capacity. On no account
must "Official" stamps be repurchased or exchanged
for stamps of the ordinary issue.

393. The stamps on newly posted letters, &c., should be frequently examined for the purpose of ascertaining that they have
     not been previously used and are not forged or joined. Automatic franking stamp impressions should also be examined, and the
     attention of the holders of the machines called to faulty or faint
     impressions.

394. Officers are warned against accepting any stamp, whether undefaced or not, which, through being removed from any document or material prior to being affixed to a letter or telegram,
     would be held to have been "previously used" within the meaning of the Stamp Duties Act, 1908. Stamps cut from letter-cards,
     post-cards, newspaper-wrappers, registered-letter envelopes, or embossed envelopes may be used for postage, but not for any purpose
     under the Stamp Duties Act, 1908. (See Guide.) (For the regulations governing the acceptance of impressions of the automatic stamping-machine, see Rule 417.)

395. If a letter for delivery within New Zealand is observed bearing either a used postage-stamp or one joined—that is, in separate pieces placed to look like one—the Postmaster should report the circumstance to the Chief Postmaster, and at the same time request the delivering Postmaster to arrange for its special delivery, and to obtain the cover and the name and address of the sender (see section 30, P. and T. Act, 1908). Letters for places beyond New Zealand bearing previously used stamps should be detained and sent with a report to the Inspector of Post-offices. Any letter posted bearing a postage-stamp which is believed to be forged is to be sent, with any report the Postmaster may have to make, to the Chief Postmaster, who, after making any further necessary inquiry, will send the papers to the Secretary, with his remarks. Postmasters should be careful not to obliterate any suspected stamps.

396. "Christmas," "Charity," and other such temporary stamps are not recognized by the Department. Letters from abroad bearing such stamps are, however, to be delivered if the full postage in recognized postage-stamps is prepaid.

397. Fully paid private correspondence from the United Kingdom not bearing ordinary postage-stamps but impressed with the "Paid" stamp is to be accepted in New Zealand.

398. Defaced and undefaced postage-stamps, not the property of the Postmaster, found loose in a post-office must be attached to a sheet of paper and sent to the Dead Letter Office monthly, marked "Postage-stamps from _."