SAVING OLD STRING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21377, 29 December 1932, Page 8

SAVING OLD STRING

POSTAL ECONOMIES INK AND TURKEY DUSTERS V LESSONS FOR POSTMASTERS ELABORATE SET OF RULES Elementary lessons in how to economise are being given to Posi Office officials in the form of printed instructions from departmental headquarters in Wellington. Elaborate and carefullyworded 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." Tho saving thus effected cannot 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 together, will eventually be more than balanced by the saving in new string which would otherwise have to be purchased.

Substantial savings are expected to bo effected from the set of instructions headed, "Turkey Dusters: economy in use." Officers in all post offices are instructed that dusters "must not be discarded when washing will prolong their period of usefulness." Expenditure in washing dusters is, however, not warranted, and is not to bo incurred. The department hopes that by following this instruction, "full service will be obtained from the dusters." Pencils and Envelopes That grave concern is felt in high official quarters at the universal habit of throwing away the butt ends of pencils is to be deduced from clause 8, rule 153, of the tutorial series. "In order to reduce the waste of pencils, the maximum use is to be made of pencil-holders," the authorities declare. "Hexagon 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 the Post Office clerks are to do with four, five and eight-sided pencils. Expert tuition is also given in the economical uso of envelopes. "In order that official envelopes may be used several times for ordinary correspondence within the department, they should, wherever possible, be sealed by means of stampedging. On receipt at the office of destination, the envelopes should be carefully opened, the contents removed, and the envelopes returned to the office of 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." Some Useful Tips

A rigid control is to be exercised over the use of scribbling paper. Postmasters are required to see that the "best possible use is made of waste paper in their offices; if there is a shortage of scribbling paper, used envelopes may be cut open and used for the purpose." The backs of obsolete forms, with which the majority of post offices are cluttered up, are also to serve a useful object. Newspaper is to replace brown paper for wrapping parcels forwarded within the department. Valuable tips how to make ink, and carbon-paper last longer are given in subsequent lessons. "Ink in pots at the time of cleaning should be poured into a vessel, and before being replaced in the pots, strained through a cloth." Carbonpaper which, through use, gives faint impressions, can be 'made lit for considerable further service "by being held for a few seconds in front of a fire or heater; at all offices used carbon-paper is to '• be renewed in this manner at least once before being discarded." "Economy in the Use of Blotting Paper." This lesson shows how, by exercising "particular care," waste of blotting paper may be avoided. "Sheets of soiled blotting paper from pads and holders are to be re-used as hand blotters if they are still serviceable," states a further subsection of Rule 153. Not a Matter for Flippancy In many post offices, officials may have been observed in recent months picking pieces of paper and siring out of the waste-paper baskets and industriously knotting ends of the string together. This is not a hobby indulged in when business is slack, but merely the strict fulfilment of Lesson 16: -"All serviceable brown paper, with the relative string, received in an office must be employed for further use."

The authorities in Wellington would appear to be gravely concerned lest their correspondence courses should be received with flippancy They therefore issue a warning that "serious notice" will be> taken of any failure 011 the part of postmasters and officials to carry out their instructions to the letter.