2510
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 53

Travelling Allowances and Expenses.

63. Claims for travelling allowances and expenses shall, in addition to the usual certificate by a recognized certifying officer, bear a certificate by the claimant in the following form, viz. :

“I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief the foregoing account is true and correct in every particular; that the charges are reasonable; that I actually expended on the services named the sums included in such charges which are not supported by receipts; that I was absent from my headquarters on duty on each of the occasions or which travelling-allowance is claimed; and that I was travelling on the public service during the period for which the claim is made.”

64. In the case of claims by members attending Parliament, the expenses claimed must be approved by the Speaker of the Chamber of which the claimant is a member. In the case of all other claims by persons travelling on public service who are not officers of the Crown and who are not in receipt of a fixed travelling allowance, the expenses claimed must be approved by the Minister in charge of the Department authorizing the expenditure or by the Public Service Commissioner, as the case may require.

65. Officers or other persons travelling on the public service must obtain receipts properly completed by the payee for passages by steamers, coach fares, motor, horse, cart, and boat hire, and every similar petty expense (excepting railway fares) exceeding five shillings in amount.

66. Payments for porterage must be disbursed out of the daily travelling-allowance in cases where an allowance is received. The term “porterage” means the cost of the employment of a porter to handle luggage at a wharf, hotel, railway-station, or other point of embarkation or disembarkation of a journey. The hire of a conveyance to remove such luggage to its destination is not regarded as porterage; but the hire of an additional means of personal transport for the same journey will not be allowed.

Contingent Services or Supplies.

67. All claims on the Government for contingent services or supplies must be rendered immediately on the conclusion of the service. Officers authorized to incur expenditure on behalf of the Government will be held responsible for any loss of trade discounts due to failure to see that claims were promptly rendered. Except where supported by invoices, a claim must, unless the Paymaster-General otherwise directs, be authenticated by the signature of the claimant.

68. Officers taking delivery of goods purchased for the Government must see that, where practicable, an invoice accompanies the goods setting out particulars thereof and the prices. Officers taking delivery as aforesaid will be held responsible for any loss that occurs through their failure to see that invoices with the required particulars are furnished. The date of receipt of the invoice must be noted thereon by the officer taking delivery of the goods.

The Disbursement of Money.

69. Except where payments are directed to be made by an Imprestee, or through the Post Office on the certificate of a certifying officer, all claims on the Public Account shall be paid by Treasury cheque or postal draft, which will be sent to the payee from the Treasury accompanied by a copy of the relative claim. Such cheques shall be payable at any branch of the Bank of New Zealand, and postal drafts at the Money-order Office of the Post Office nearest to the residence of the payee.

70. Any Government cheque (other than a Treasury cheque payable at any branch of the bank) transmitted to a payee for payment at a branch of the bank other than that on which the cheque is drawn must be enfaced “Free of exchange at only,” the place where it is to be paid being stated. This privilege is allowed for the purpose of enabling Government moneys to be moved “free of exchange” to the Government only, and must not be utilized for the purpose of saving exchange charges to the public.

71. The bank shall return all cheques, when duly receipted, direct to the Treasury or to such other Department or officer as the Treasury may direct.