Feb 10.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 519

deficiency in or damage done to the arms, clothing, appointments, or ammunition, and, if so, the proper sum must be deducted from the amount due to such men. The Superintendent or Inspector shall be responsible for damages or deficiencies not reported, or not paid for by the individual.

Watchhouses and Watchhouse-keepers.

521. A watchhouse is that portion of a police-station to which prisoners are taken to be searched after arrest and before being placed in a cell.

522. At all important stations a Constable, who shall be known as the watchhouse-keeper, must always be on duty in the watchhouse, which he is not to quit on any account during his hours of duty, unless relieved by another Constable under the direction of the Sergeant or other officer in charge.

523. Constables must not loiter or gossip in or near the watchhouse-keeper’s office.

524. Members of the Force who arrest offenders will be responsible for their safe custody until they are searched and handed over to the watchhouse-keeper.

525. From the time of arrest until searched careful watch must be kept to see that a prisoner does not make away with anything that might be used as evidence against him.

526. The arresting Constable shall search his prisoner, and the watchhouse-keeper shall verify the search before locking the prisoner up.

527. The arresting Constable shall accompany the watchhouse-keeper to the cells, and assist him in placing the prisoner safely therein.

528. When the prisoner is taken to Court the arresting Constable will be responsible for him until he is either bailed, discharged, or again locked up.

529. Immediately a charge is entered against a prisoner, if there is no prospect of his being bailed, he should be carefully searched, and the property found upon him entered in the Watchhouse Charge Book, also upon Form D48; the latter should be read over to the prisoner, who should be requested to sign it; it should then be signed by the arresting Constable and watchhouse-keeper.

Should a prisoner be too drunk to sign when arrested, he should be requested to sign before being taken to Court, so that, if he has any complaint to make, it can be promptly investigated.

530. Prisoners should be searched in the presence of the watchhouse-keeper where there is one, or in the presence of a third person, who should be invited to witness the search and sign the property-sheet. It is only where absolutely unavoidable that a prisoner should be searched without a witness.

531. Female prisoners must be searched by the Matron or female searcher, if any, and, if none is available, then by a female to be employed for that purpose. On no account must they be searched by Constables.

532. The prisoner’s property-sheet shall be made out in duplicate, whether the prisoner has property or not.

533. If a prisoner is unable to write, the property-sheet must be read over to him, and he must be requested to make his mark, which shall be witnessed by a third person.

534. If property belonging to a prisoner is received by the Police after he is locked up, it must be entered on his property-sheet with a note of the date and from whom it was received.

If received after the prisoner has been sent to gaol, a fresh property-sheet must be made out and sent with it to the gaol.

535. Property retained by the Police for the purpose of investigation or in connection with the charge must be entered on the sheet, and the signature of the officer who retains it obtained on the sheet.

536. When prisoners are remanded from one station to another the property-sheets must be in triplicate, so that one sheet can be receipted and filed at the station where he was arrested, one at the station where dealt with, and one at the gaol.

537. Any member of the Force escorting a prisoner must invariably obtain a receipt for the prisoner and his property from the officer to whom he hands over the prisoner.

538. If a prisoner is discharged or released on bail, his property must be handed to him unless wanted for further proceedings, and his receipt taken on the property-sheet.

539. When a prisoner is sent to gaol his property must be sent there at the same time with duplicate property-sheets, one of which must be signed by the Gaoler, who shall retain the other.

540. Received property-sheets must be carefully filed, and the watchhouse-keeper will be held responsible for the due filing of them.

541. Property taken from a prisoner must remain in the possession of the watchhouse-keeper until the prisoner has been disposed of, unless the property is alleged to be stolen, when it shall be retained by the arresting Constable, who must sign the sheet as having retained it.

542. When prisoners without property are sent to gaol “Nil” property-sheets must be sent with them.

543. Orders given by prisoners for the payment of money or delivery of property shall not be acted upon without the sanction of the officer in charge of the station.

544. Where there is any suspicion that the money or property forms part of the subject of a charge, it must not be handed over without reference to the officer in charge of the district.

545. Any order given by a prisoner for the payment of money must bear a penny stamp, duly cancelled.

546. If any property is handed over, the receipt of the person to whom it is handed should be attached with the order to the property-sheet, and a note made on the duplicate for the gaol that it has been so handed over.

547. Where prisoners have money and wish to use it for their defence they must be allowed to do so, unless such money is directly or indirectly connected with a charge pending against them, and there is a probability that a judicial order may subsequently be made as to its return to the prosecutor or other person, in which case it must not be handed over.

548. In places where two or more watchhouse-keepers are employed, each one will be held responsible for the proper carrying-out of the duties of his office during the time he is on duty.

549. On taking over charge of a watchhouse the watchhouse-keeper must see that all prisoners are safe and well, and that the cells are in good order and secure. He must also see that their property is correct.

After taking over the watchhouse he shall make an entry in the visiting-book setting forth the number of prisoners, male and female, the time taken over, and their condition.

The watchhouse-keeper handing over shall draw the attention of the officer relieving him to the necessity, if any, for special supervision over any