General Instructions for the Guidance of Post Office Inspectors in the Dominion of Canada

Part 1

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+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been | | preserved. | | | | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected in this | | text. For a complete list, please see the end of this | | document. | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE GUIDANCE OF

POST OFFICE INSPECTORS

IN THE

DOMINION OF CANADA.

CONTENTS.

PAGE. 1. General Instructions, 3

2. Arrangement of Papers, 9

3. Books and Records, 10

4. Returns to the Department at Ottawa, 12

5. Salaries and Allowances, 15

6. New Post Offices, 18

7. Mail Arrangements, 19

8. Mail Service, 19

9. Establishment of New Routes or Alteration in Routes already in operation, 20

10. Contracts for Mail Service, 21

11. Bonds, 23

12. Railway Mail Service, 24

13. Circulation or Distribution, 26

14. Travelling, 27

15. Cases of Loss or Abstraction, 28

16. Arrears and Outstanding Accounts, 32

17. Conclusion, 33

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.

Part 2

1. You are required personally to superintend the performance of the routine work of your office and see that it is properly done.

2. This routine work should be suitably and fairly apportioned amongst your clerks--each clerk (under your superintendence) being responsible for the duty assigned to him. You will, after fair warning, report to the Postmaster General any clerk who fails correctly and efficiently to perform this duty.

3. Carefully superintend the working of the Department in all its branches within the limits of your Division. As however, it is important, that the operations of the Department should be carried on under one uniform plan throughout the Dominion, do not make any alterations in the system of doing the work without the permission first obtained of the Postmaster General.

4. Endeavor to instil into all persons connected with the Department in your Division the importance of a harmonious working together for the good of the Service, and of each, in his own sphere, performing the duties assigned to him in an intelligent and thorough manner.

5. All letters received on official business should be carefully and promptly attended to.

6. All matters referred to you from the Department at Ottawa should be disposed of with the least possible delay.

7. Provision should be made for the performance of the ordinary routine work of your office when you are absent, under the superintendence of your senior clerk.

8. No portion of your work should be allowed to fall into arrear; If it should do so, however, from circumstances beyond your control, you will at once report the fact to the Postmaster General.

9. See that the Time Bills and Mail Transfer Receipts are properly examined and fyled away every day. A separate pigeon hole should be provided for each set of Time Bills and Transfer Receipts, the pigeon holes being arranged and labelled in alphabetical order.

10. When fines should, in your opinion, be imposed upon Railway Mail Clerks, Clerks in City Offices, and other officers in the employ of the Department--full particulars of each case should be communicated to the Postmaster General, and his authority for the imposition of the fine obtained.

11. Make once in every three months a regular and thorough inspection of all the details of account and general business in each City Post Office in your Division--without any pre-arranged date or notice of the time at which such inspection will be made.

The inspection should, however, take place on the 1st of a month, so that the Accountant may be able to verify from your report the entries in the accounts of the Postmaster for the month preceding.

In making these inspections you must verify the Stamp Account of the office--personally count the stock on hand, and see that it agrees with the amount stated in the Postmasters' Stamp Account, made up to the last day of the month, to which account you should attach your signature.

Satisfy yourself that all other items of revenue, such as postage on unpaid matter, on insufficiently paid matter and on newspapers, also rent of boxes, and drawers, &c, are duly brought to account.

Certify to the numbers of both boxes and drawers rented at the time of your inspection.

Investigate the state of the Money Order and Savings Bank business, and see that the regulations and instructions are closely adhered to.

Enquire into the conduct and efficiency of each person employed.

See that all the work of the Letter Carrier's Branch is promptly and accurately performed. That all the Carriers are supplied with and wear uniforms. That an account is kept by the Postmaster of the cost thereof, and that the outlay incurred does not exceed the amount allowed by the Postmaster General.

Forward to the Postmaster General the result of your inspection as promptly as possible, giving clear and full information on the several points enquired into.

12. See that all errors and irregularities are reported to you by the Postmaster or Railway Mail Clerk by whom observed, and that prompt steps are taken for their correction.

Irregularities of whatever kind should be promptly enquired into and corrected; if overlooked they have always a tendency to increase.

13. Investigate thoroughly all cases of complaint. Obtain a clear statement of the charges made, and of the facts which can be proved in support of these charges, and from these facts draw your conclusions.

In cases where the evidence is conflicting, the characters and antecedents of the parties concerned may probably be important elements for consideration.

14. In making investigations bear in mind that any person who haw been detected in one dishonest act may probably have been guilty of other dishonest acts, and that your enquiry should therefore cover, not only the particular case under investigation, but other irregular or fraudulent proceedings, which it is possible may have been committed by the party suspected. This point should be particularly remembered in regard to offices transacting Money Order and Savings Bank business.

15. You have authority, for the purpose of any official enquiry or investigation it may be your duty to make, to apply to any Judge of the Superior or Exchequer Court of Canada, or of the Superior Court of the Province of Quebec, or of any one of the Superior Courts of either of the Provinces, or to any Judge or Stipendiary Magistrate in and for the Territories, for an order that a subpoena be issued from the Court or Magistrate, commanding any person therein named to appear before you at the time and place mentioned in the subpoena, and then and there to testify to all matters within his knowledge, and (if so required) to produce any document or thing he may have in his possession relative to such enquiry or investigation. And any witness may be summoned from any part of Canada, within or without the ordinary jurisdiction of the Court. Judge, or Magistrate issuing the subpoena,--any reasonable travelling expenses being tendered to any witness so subpoened at the time of such service. And any person thus summoned who may neglect or refuse to appear, or refuse to give evidence or to produce the papers demanded of him, may, by order of the Court, Judge or Magistrate who issued the subpoena, be taken into custody and imprisoned in the common gaol of the locality, as for contempt of Court, for a period not exceeding fourteen (14) days.

16. You have also authority to examine any person on oath or affirmation on any matter pertinent to any investigation you may make; and such oath or affirmation may be administered by you to any person you may so desire to examine.

17. You and any officer under you having the rank of Assistant P.O. Inspector, have authority to require any Postmaster or Assistant Postmaster in any Post Offices, Mail Contractor or other person in the employment or service of, or undertaking to perform any duty or work for the Post Office Department, to make and sign an oath or declaration in the following form, or to a like effect.--

I (insert the name of the person and the capacity in which he is employed in or by the Post Office) do solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, (or declare if the person is one entitled to declare instead of taking an oath in civil cases), that I will faithfully perform all the duties required of me by my employment in the service of the Post Office, and will abstain from everything forbidden by the laws for the establishment and government of the Post Office Department in Canada, so help me God.

Part 3

_______________________________________________ Signature of person taking oath or declaration.

The oath (or declaration) was __________ (sworn or made) and subscribed before me, the __________ day of __________ 187_.

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