COMMISSIONERS' LATEST.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 155, 5 March 1915, Page 3

COMMISSIONERS' LATEST.

TELLING PUBLIC SERVANTS HOW TO WRITE. "Johnny, peine your pen to your shoulder, and don't scratch!" This is the latsst order in effect from the Public Service Commissioners to the 12,000 civil servants in this country. And the Public Service is roaring with laughter (says the New Zealand "Times.")

In the "Public Service Official Circular" of March Ist there are a number of funny injunctions from the three Commissioners, but the funniest of them all is under the heading cf "General Notices" —"Handwriting of Officers." Here it is, word for word: The attention cf all officers is directed to tla) necessity for legible handwriting. To ensure this, the subjoined rules should be observed: 1. Each letter and each figure should be clearly and completely formed, so that one letter or figure, taken apart, cannot be mistaken for another. The slope from the vertical should be even, and not exceed 30 degrees. 2. The characters should be of moderate and even size. The projection of capitals and long letters above or below the line should not be more than on e and a half times the length of the short letters. Flourishes and superfluous strokes should be avoided. 3. There should be moderate and even spaces between the letters in a word, and also between the words in a sentence. The letters in a word shculd be united by strokes; the words in a sentence should be unconnected by strokes.

4. The writing should be in straight lines, running parallel with the top cf the page. The intervals between lines should be even and sufficient to prevent the intersection of - loops and tails.

Controlling officers are requested to keep close supervision over their officers in this matter.

The next circular is expected to contain advice from the Commissioners to their children in the service regarding the neessity ,cf shinirfr boots every mcrnng, and asking mother for a clean collar every dav.