2148
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 60

(Acct. 135). The computation of weekly wages should be based on a six-day week. Thus a temporary employee employed for ten days, including one Sunday, should be paid for 1⅓ weeks. Payment may be made for post-office holidays.

762. An officer who is required to travel on the business of the Department is to be supplied with an order for railway, steamer, or coach fare, as the case may be, for the whole of his journey. Whenever possible, forms Acct. 138 or Acct. 143, as applicable, should be used.

763. Officers travelling on the public service must provide themselves with forms of receipt (Acct. 74), and must take receipts thereon for passages by steamers, horse, cart, and boat hire, and every similar petty expense exceeding 5s. in amount. Receipts for steamer passage-money must be obtained at the time of booking.

764. No payments made by officers travelling on public service for storage or wharfage claimed by any Harbour Board can be recognized. Claims for labour handling goods are allowed.

765. In claims for the hire of motor or horse-drawn vehicles particulars of the journeys are to be given. Vouchers should clearly indicate whether the expenditure is incurred on account of travelling-expenses or for cartage. Officers preparing vouchers are to pay particular attention to the foregoing instruction, and certifying officers are to see that the instruction is strictly carried out in every case.

766. All orders for railway, steamer, and coach fares are to be issued on forms Acct. 138 and Acct. 143 as required. These forms combine both order and voucher, thereby facilitating payment. Acct. 138 is designed for the use of linemen travelling by rail, and is bound in pads providing for a duplicate copy for the District Telegraph Engineer. The issuing officer must in this case insert, in the space provided at the head of the voucher, the nature of the service and whether it is for the maintenance of lines, maintenance of exchanges, construction of lines, or construction of exchanges. In the case of construction the particular line or exchange must be quoted. The duplicate copy must be posted to the District Telegraph Engineer immediately after an order has been issued. Acct. 143 is to cover railway fares of all other officers, and steamer and coach fares for all officers, including linemen. This form is also bound in pad form, with provision for taking a carbon copy for office use. The reason for travelling should be entered on the voucher. Care should be taken to correctly prepare the vouchers so that there will be no difficulty in distinguishing the name of the railway-station, coach-proprietor, or shipping company for which payment is intended. The vouchers should be properly certified by the authorized officer issuing the order in his own name. On presentation of such vouchers for payment paying officers are authorized to pay without reference to Head Office after obtaining the necessary legal acquittance. Vouchers in which alterations in the amount are not initialled by the certifying officer must be challenged, and payment refused.

INSTRUCTIONS TO PAYING OFFICERS.

767. When paying any claim, the paying officer is held responsible for seeing that the following requirements are complied with:—

(a.) That there is proper authority for the payment, and that the due date has arrived.

(b.) That the amount is regularly certified as correct.