APRIL 3.| THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1235
the title of the Act under which they were issued. The application should then be forwarded to the Controller, M.O. and S.B., General Post Office, who may, if the funds are available, authorize the purchase. Debentures may under no circumstances be purchased without such authority.

1149. Old-age Pension Payments.

In the following rules and regulations relating to old-age and military pensions, “the Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Pensions; the “sections” refer to the sections of the Old-age Pensions Act, 1908; and the “forms” to the forms under the said Act.

1150.

No instalment of pension is payable unless an advice (form 13) has been received from the Commissioner authorizing payment, and no such advice is to be altered in any particular without authority.

1151.

Payment must be made at the paying office indicated in the advice, or as instructed by the Commissioner or the Chief Postmaster. The acknowledgment of payment must be signed by the payee in the presence of the paying officer, and no advice is to be sent out of the paying office for the purpose of obtaining the signature of the payee, except as provided in Rule 1172 hereafter, or unless under exceptional circumstances, which must be reported.

1152.

When claiming payment the payee must present a pension-certificate granted under the Old-age Pensions Acts, and bearing the signature of the Commissioner.

1153.

The paying officer must first compare the pension-certificate with the advice issued by the Commissioner, and should he discover any discrepancy he must withhold payment, and communicate by telegram with the Commissioner, quoting the number of the certificate, the name of the district, and the surname of the pensioner. This comparison must be very carefully made when the first instalment on any pension-certificate is claimed.

1154.

If a pension-certificate is presented for payment and no advice has been received, or if an advice has been received and payment is claimed without a pension-certificate, the Commissioner is to be informed by telegram. Likewise, if payment is claimed, and neither advice nor pension-certificate has been received, the Commissioner is to be informed by telegram.

1155.

Upon the paying officer satisfying himself that the pension-certificate and advice are in agreement, the payee’s receipt should be taken. The receipt, when taken, must be initialled and date-stamped, and the amount paid entered on the back of the pension-certificate opposite the month to which the payment relates, the date-stamp and signature of the paying officer being added.

1156.

The mark of a payee must be witnessed by a European other than the paying officer.

1157.

Any alteration in the amount payable on an advice must be initialled by the payee when receiving payment. In the case of a payee unable to write, the alteration must be initialled by the witness to the payee’s mark.

1158.

With respect to the identification of applicants for payment, paying officers are enjoined to require proof of identity if there is reason to doubt that the applicant is the lawful holder of the pension-certificate. In cases where proof of identity is not obtainable, payment is to be withheld and a report furnished to the Commissioner forthwith.

1159.

Where the signature of a pensioner does not appear to be in agreement with the name on the advice or pension-certificate, or where the signature of an agent does not agree with the name on the warrant, the words “Identity satisfactory” must be enfaced on the advice and initialled by the paying officer. Where the