2102

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 60

536. Form Mail 9 is a combined letter-bill and registered-letter list. (See Rule 370 (b).) It is to be prepared in duplicate by means of carbon paper. One copy is to be forwarded with the mail, and the other copy retained at the office of despatch as a record.

537. A special Registered-letter Receipt-book, R.M.D. 13, is issued for use on rural deliveries. The use of this book enables contractors on such deliveries to give an acknowledgment to the sender of a registered article, and in turn to obtain a discharge from the receiving Postmaster, who will initial and date-stamp the receipt-butt before handing the book back to the contractor. The contractor should be required to produce the receipt-book for the Postmaster’s examination after the completion of each trip. When the book is exhausted the butt-block is to be taken possession of by the Postmaster.

538. (a.) The treatment of registered letters must be performed by officers in responsible positions, and the entries checked with as little delay as possible, so that in all cases nothing may hinder any irregularity from being promptly and thoroughly sifted, and blame, if any, brought home to the offender or offenders.

(b.) It is the duty of every officer who handles a registered letter to examine carefully its condition, so as to be able to say positively whether there is any reason to suppose that the letter has been tampered with, whether the flap is insufficiently fastened, and whether the envelope requires to be specially sealed. He must report to a superior officer any defect or injury to the letter. If he is unable to report to a superior officer he must note on the envelope the defect or damage he observes, and append his initials and the office stamp. If necessary a special report should be made out and forwarded with the registered article to the office of destination. In any case of doubt regarding injury to the letter or possible tampering therewith the delivering office must arrange for special delivery in order that the addressee may open the letter and check the contents in the presence of an officer of the Department.

(c.) In transferring registered letters from hand to hand the check consists in each officer obtaining a receipt or acquittance from the person to whom he transfers a letter, and it is the duty of every Postmaster to see that this essential check is not neglected.

539. In every office there should be a registered-letter locker for the secure deposit of registered articles which await despatch or delivery. During office hours the key is to be in possession of the officer appointed to this duty, and after hours in the possession of the Postmaster or the senior mail clerk. At the close of business each day registered articles should be securely locked in a safe or strong-room by the senior officer on duty. Careless detention of letters in the locker, safe, or strong-room will be regarded as a serious offence, and punished accordingly. The despatching officer is held responsible for obtaining the registered articles prior to the despatch of each mail.

540. Letters containing coin which have been erroneously accepted for registration, and all unregistered letters containing coin addressed to countries beyond New Zealand and Australia, must be detained and forwarded to the Secretary under registered cover.

541. No article directed to initials or to a fictitious name can be registered.

542. (a.) To the person who presents a letter for registration a receipt must be given. The letter must be date-stamped, care being taken that the impression is clear, and a registration label affixed as explained below. The letter must, in the presence of the person registering it, be marked in blue pencil with a rectangular cross the full size of the letter, back and front (see diagrams), and deposited in the locker until despatched or transferred.