Aug. 8.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1995

The preparation will remove from a foul chimney the greater proportion of soot, but it will not effect a complete cleaning. As a general rule, chimneys should be cleaned alternately by sweeping and by using soot-destroyer.

35. An outbreak of fire, however quickly suppressed, in any departmental premises must be at once reported by telegram to the Secretary.

36. (a.) The insurance against fire of premises occupied by the Department is, when ordered, to be effected in the State Fire Insurance Office. A request for instructions should be made to the Secretary in respect of any leased or rented building.

(b.) The Department does not accept liability if the personal effects of officers residing on departmental premises are destroyed or damaged by fire. Officers who desire protection against such loss or damage should insure their property in the ordinary way.

37. A Postmaster should be careful to see that every possible precaution is taken to secure his office against burglary. Before an office is locked up a responsible officer is to thoroughly examine the premises, including telephone-cabinets, and the fastenings of doors and of windows, and is to satisfy himself that unlawful access to the building cannot be obtained. Cash, stamps, or other valuable property should not be left unguarded day or night. Cash and stamps should be deposited in the safe every night, and all cash not required for change should, when practicable, be banked. Wherever it can readily be done, the cash in hand at or towards the end of the week (end of day when remittances are made daily) should be remitted to the chief office, so that there will be only a bare supply of money in the office overnight or over Sunday. At least two officers are to be on duty in savings-banks on nights on which the banks are open. In cases in which the post- or telegraph-office counter is adjacent to that of the savings-bank, one officer will suffice at the latter if there is an officer at the former the whole time. When a Postmaster goes on leave the key to the door, if any, between the office and the quarters is to be enclosed in an envelope, and the packet kept in the custody of the Relieving Postmaster.

38. (a.) Laxity in regard to the custody of safe and office keys must be carefully guarded against. No safe-key is on any account to be duplicated or copied without the permission of the Secretary. The utmost care must be exercised in the custody of office and safe keys; and leaving such keys in a pocket or other easily accessible position in an open room is not a sufficient precaution. The key of the office or mail-room safe must be retained at all times in the personal custody of an officer. Any controlling officer permitting any departure from this rule will be held responsible for losses resulting therefrom equally as though he immediately caused the loss. The need for the greatest care, in regard both to keys and to securing offices at night, must be emphasized by controlling officers. At offices at which all the keys are in the custody of one officer, the keys are to be kept on two rings, the one containing the keys of the office-door, the cash-box, &c., and the other the keys of the strong-room or safe, lockers, drawers, &c. The rings are to be carried in different pockets by day and separately disposed of at night. Safe and other office keys are to be put into a place of safe deposit nightly. On no account are they to be left in a pocket of a holder’s clothes.

(b.) Official keys must not be transferred from one officer to another without the permission of the controlling officer. When a bunch of Mail Branch keys is transferred the officer taking over the keys is to sign a receipt for them on the margin of the traffic-sheet for the day. An officer taking over the keys of any other