of the district where it originated. (Inquiries as to the disposal
of parcels addressed to places beyond the Dominion should be
made by means of form C. & F. P.P. 27, and submitted to the
Inspector of Post-offices.)

669. On receipt from his Chief Postmaster of a missing-
     letter inquiry, a Postmaster should endeavour to trace the article
     by every means in his power; but subordinate officers should
     not be informed of such inquiries.

670. Inquiries respecting letters addressed to places outside
     New Zealand must be forwarded by Chief Postmasters to the In-
     spector of Post-offices, stating by what mail the letters should
     have been despatched.

671. Missing-letter inquiries should be regarded by every
     Postmaster as confidential and of grave importance, and as pos-
     sibly involving the reputation of his office. He should therefore
     make such arrangements as will enable him positively to name
     the officers through whose hands any particular letter may have
     passed.

672. Every application for missing letters, from whatever
     source received, must be at once entered in the Missing-letter Re-
     cord, which should also contain full notes of any circumstances
     which may appear likely to throw light upon the case in question or
     to assist in any future inquiry. Missing money letters and letters
     containing articles of value should be entered in the Missing-letter
     Record separately from ordinary missing-letter inquiries. Both
     series must be numbered by the Chief Postmaster in consecutive
     order from the beginning of each quarter. The record-numbers
     of inquiries for money letters or letters containing articles of
     value must be entered in red ink, and distinguished by the suffix
     M in addition to the distinguishing quarterly letters.

673. Inquiries for A.R.s relating to registered letters are
     not to be recorded as missing-letter inquiries. Such inquiries,
     when relating to letters addressed to places beyond New Zea-
     land, will be recorded in the Inspector's office as hitherto, but
     it will not be necessary to show them in the quarterly missing-
     letter return furnished by chief offices.

674. The progressive numbers for the four quarters of the
     year should be distinguished by the prefixes A, B, C, and D re-
     spectively, and the number in the register should be written in
     red ink on the right-hand top corner of the inquiry form. In
     entering up inquiries from the Inspector's office or from other
     postal districts the respective office numbers must always appear
     in the register, preference being given in all cases to the In-
     spector's number should the paper have passed through his office.

675. Completed inquiry forms which do not bear the In-
     spector's office number and relate to articles addressed to places
     within New Zealand found to have been duly delivered may be
     filed at chief post-offices. All other missing-letter inquiries are
     to be sent to the Inspector.

676. The Missing-letter Record must be attended to by the
     Chief Postmaster alone, and should be kept under lock and key.

677. At the end of each quarter a return must be furnished
     to the Inspector of Post-offices, on form P.O. 80, provided for
     the purpose, showing particulars of all missing money letters or
     letters containing articles of value, with special remarks in re-
     ference to each case, and the names of officers through whose
     hands each letter would pass. The result of every inquiry within
     the Dominion is to be communicated by the Chief Postmaster to
     whom the inquiry was addressed to the person inquiring and
     a copy thereof retained for reference. The final result of each
     inquiry should be entered in the Missing-letter Record so that