APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1237

1170. Any alteration in an agent’s warrant must be initialled by the officer who issued the same.

1171. The direction “Pay to agent only” stamped across the face of an advice indicates that the instalment must not be paid to the pensioner direct, but to an agent appointed under section 41 or 42. If payment is claimed by the pensioner in such a case it must be refused, and the Commissioner informed by telegram.

1172. Pensioners residing in outlying districts who desire payment through the medium of a non-money-order office may make application on form 12A to any Postmaster or Registrar, who will forward the application superscribed “Identity satisfactory” to the Chief Postmaster, who in turn will instruct the Postmaster at the paying money-order office to forward the advice each month to the office named in the application. The Postmaster at the non-money-order office will obtain the payee’s signature to the advice, and return it, together with the certificate (and, if there is an agent, the warrant also), to the Postmaster of the paying office. After satisfying himself that the advice is in order, and having indorsed the certificate, the paying Postmaster will remit the amount (accompanied by form 12B) either in cash or by cheque direct to the pensioner in a registered letter, enclosing the certificate therein. The number of the registered letter and the office of delivery must then be entered on the back of the advice in the space provided for the purpose. (Note.—This system of payment is not to apply as between one money-order office and another money-order office.)

1173. A record of the applications under the last preceding rule is to be kept at the money-order office which pays and remits the instalments each month, the applications themselves being forwarded to the Commissioner to be filed.

1174. Postmasters at money-order offices who deal with this class of pension-payments must see that the advices are posted each month immediately after receipt, in order that payment may be made as soon after the end of the month as practicable. In no case is payment to be remitted to the pensioner before the due date.

1175. A Maori applicant for payment, when not personally known to the paying officer, must in every case be identified by a European of repute known to the paying officer.

1176. The signature of a Maori payee must be witnessed by a European other than the paying officer.

1177. No payment is to be made to a Maori acting as agent under section 42 unless a special direction has been previously given in regard to such agent. Should a Maori not duly authorized at any time apply for payment of a pension on behalf of another Maori, the circumstances must at once be reported to the Commissioner.

1178. For the purposes of the three preceding paragraphs “Maori” shall be deemed to include half-castes and persons intermediate in blood between half-castes and persons of pure Maori descent.

1179. Immediately after the expiry of the calendar month allowed for payment (see Rules 1160 and 1161), all unpaid advices must be withdrawn from issue and returned under cover of form 13B direct to the Commissioner.

1180. Applicants for payment after the expiry of the calendar month should be asked to fill in form 14, which, when completed by the addition of the recommendation of the Postmaster as to payment, should be forwarded direct to the Commissioner.

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