2080

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 69

posting-box before the appointed time; and that they correctly state the time at which they complete their respective deliveries.

431. (a.) Postmen and all other officers are strictly forbidden to place or carry a postal packet in a pocket of their clothes. Any officer guilty of a breach of this regulation will be liable to dismissal.

(b.) At offices at which lockers are provided for postmen, controlling officers are responsible for seeing that the lockers are not made receptacles for mail-matter. It is forbidden to use them for that purpose.

432. A postman must observe the following instructions:—

(1.) He may not, after starting from the office on his delivery, go to his own house or to any other house, except for the purpose of leaving correspondence, until his delivery is finished.

(2.) He may not smoke whilst on duty.

(3.) He may not deviate from his prescribed walk.

(4.) He may not moisten the thumb at the mouth before using it to detach a letter from a bundle. (Thumb-stalls may be obtained from the Stores Manager.)

(5.) He may not deliver letters, &c., in the streets, even to the owners, but must deliver all articles at the houses to which they are addressed.

(6.) He may not put letters or other articles under doors, or through open windows, even when requested to do so.

(7.) He may not, under pain of dismissal, carry or deliver, either singly or in parcels, circular letters or ordinary letters of any kind, or newspapers, whether stamped or unstamped, which have not been regularly posted.

(8.) He may not, under pain of dismissal, act as a news agent.

(9.) He may not be connected, either directly or indirectly, with the ownership of a publichouse.

433. A postman who is intoxicated when on duty, or who carelessly loses a postal packet, or wilfully delays the delivery of such a packet, or otherwise infringes the declaration he made or the Post and Telegraph Act, is liable to dismissal and to be punished by law.

434. A postman who is provided with a whistle should blow it on entering a gate or when placing correspondence in a gate-box. At houses in which door-bells are fixed and letter-boxes or letter-slots are not provided the postman should give a double ring, or, where knockers are provided, a double knock. The rings or knocks should be short and sharp, with a slight interval between them. Any person who is inclined to be slow in answering a postman’s signal should be served, as occasion requires, with a copy of the notice intimating to householders generally that the postman is instructed not to wait for a response to his signal for more than a reasonable time, and requesting that letter-boxes or letter-slots be placed in front doors to enable postal matter to be delivered without delay.

435. Overflow matter left for postmen at shops and other places is to be dealt with as follows:—

(1.) All places of deposit must first be approved of by the Chief Postmaster or Postmaster, and a list kept in the office showing the walk or division of walk for which overflow matter is left at each place of deposit. The Chief Postmaster or the Postmaster will satisfy himself that the overflow matter may be safely deposited at the places decided upon.

(2.) Nothing is to be left at places of deposit beyond printed matter, circulars, parcels, and newspapers.