THE POST OFFICE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1932, Page 3

THE POST OFFICE

ECONOMY IN SMALL THINGS. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS AUCKLAND, December 28. Elementary lessons in how to economise are being given to Post Office officials in the form of printed instructions .Torn Departmental Headquarters in Wellington. Elaborate and carefully worded rules have been made which, if followed, are calculated to save money in string, wrapping paper, ink, pencils, blotting paper, and turkey dusters.

The first lesson is called “Economy in the use of string,” and., reads as follows:—-When it is necessary to cut the string securing a bundle of letters, one-'strand only is to be cut at the knot in order that the string may be used

again. Tile saving thus effected canhot be determined at present in terms of pounds, shillings and pence, but an official said that it is hoped the time wasted in finding the particular strand that has to be cut and joining the ends togeher will eventually be more than balanced by the saving in new string, which would otherwise have to be purchased. Substantial savings are expected to be effected from the set of instructions lieacl "Turkey duster.?, economy in use.’ Officers in all post offices Jre instructed that dusters must not he discarded when washing will prolong their period ox usefulness. The expenditure in washing dusters is, however, not warranted and is not to be Incurred, 'f ile Department hopes that by following this instruction full service a ill be obtained from dusters. PENCILS AND ENVELOPES.

That grave concern is felt in high official quarter? at the universal habit of throwing away butt ends of pencils is to be deduced from clause 8, rule 103, of tlie tutorial series. In order to reduce the waste of pencils the maximum use is to be made of pencil holders. The authorities declare that nexagon and round checking pencils are to be pared to enable them to be fitted into standard holders. The rule omits, however, to give clear and definite- instructions as to what post office clerks are to do with four, fi\(, and eight-sided pencils. Expert tuition is als 0 given in the economical use of envelopes. In order that official envelopes ni-.y be used several times for ordinary correspondence within the Department, they should, wherever possible, be sealed by means of stamping edging. On receipt at the office of destination the envelopes should b e carefully opened, the contents removed, and the envelopes returned to the office cf origin for re-use for correspondence for the original 'addressee. Such envelopes are to be postmarked and before re-use the previous impression is to be crossed out with pen and ink. INK AND PAPER.

Valuable tips on how to make ink and carbon paper last longer ore given in subsequent lessons. Ink in the pots at tho time of cleaning should be poured into a vesel and belore being replaced in th pots strained tlirouga a cloth. Carbonpuper which through use gives faint impressions can be made fit for considerable further service by being held for a few seeunds in front of a fire or a heater. At all offices used carbon paper is to be renewed in this manner at least o n ee before being discarded. In many post offices officials may have been observed in recent months picking pieces of paper and string out it the waste paper baskets and industriously knotting the ends of the string together. This is not a hobby indulged in when business is slack, but merely the strict fulfilment of Lesson 10. All serviceable brown paper with relative string received in an office must be employed for further use. WARNING TO OFFICERS. The authorities in Wellington would appear* to be gravely concerned lest ;heir correspondence courses should bo •eceived with flippancy. They therefore issue '.v warning that serious notice will be taken of any failure on the part of postmasters and officials to any out their instructions to the letter. An official stated that far from wishing to neglect the Useful series of •uies, devised for their better guiduiee, further lessons designed to pronote economy would be welcomed in all post offices, particularly if they gave instruction:! how ink could be prevented from drying up in the wells md messenger boys could lengthen their stride.