CO885-(7-8) — Page 539

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

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ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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reference is made to the Colony, it is done in a special form; if to the Colonial Office, by letter. There is no hard and fast rule with regard to these references, except in the case of certain Colonies which fix a percentage of excess, and when the head of the department is in doubt he takes the instructions of one of the Crown Agents in the matter.

151. If the estimate is satisfactory, the order is prepared by an Assistant, who initials it to signify that he has carefully examined the whole matter; that there is proper authority for the expenditure; that the amount is within the estimate (or if in excess has been approved by the Deputy Head or by a Crown Agent); that all necessary instructions or conditions have been added to the order; and that, in short, the order is correct in every respect.

152. The order is next-unless this is dispensed with in certain cases by the Crown Agents-examined by the Deputy Head as to its general correctness and com- pleteness, but not necessarily as to details, initialled by him, and sent with estimate attached to one of the Crown Agents for signature.

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153. After signature the order is press-copied (into the same book as Class I. and all other orders and memos.) and despatched, and the estimate is put aside to be copied next day, or as soon after as possible.

154. The copy of the estimate, if the estimate is in manuscript, is made in copy- ing ink, is press-copied in a book (same book for all classes of indents) for permanent record, and then sent to the Inspector (if the work is to be inspected) with form of instructions and any necessary further papers as in Class I. Indents.

155. If the estimate form has been printed, the prices, date of acceptance, and all other particulars are filled in on two prints, of which one is inserted in the press- copy book, and the other is sent to the Inspector.

156. The subsequent steps are identical with those for Class I. Indents.

157. The manuscript copying, press copying and issuing of estimate tender and order forms, the preparation of Inspectors' instructions, the indexing of all press-copy and other books of record is done by Juniors under the supervision of the Assistants. As complete a check as possible is kept against copying and other errors, and every document, by whomsoever prepared or copied, is examined by another person and initialled by the responsible officer before being issued or used for record.

158. To facilitate reference to the records of orders given an Analytical Index (known as the "Cross Index ") of articles is kept, in addition to the indexing of the record books themselves. The posting of this Analytical Index needs care and ex- perience and is usually done by the Assistants. The record is of great assistance in examining prices and conducting the work of the department.

Class III. Indents.

(ie., those in which some items require specifications or recommendations from a Consulting Engineer and the remainder can be dealt with by the Works Depart-

ment without such assistance).

159. These indents are usually for stores or plant for the working and main- tenance of Railways or other completed public works, for which the Consulting Engineers are not in receipt of a retaining salary and to whom, therefore, reference is made only when the demand is of a nature which calls for their services.

160. The portion of the indent needing reference to the Consulting Engineer is at once copied and sent on, and as the jacket cannot be then put aside as in the case of Class I. Indents, a dummy jacket is put into the "Consulting Engineers' Waiting Specification" Box to ensure the reference not being overlooked in the periodical scrutiny.

161. The rest of the indent is then proceeded with as in Class II. 162. The further action on the Consulting Engineers' portion is as in Class I.

Class IV. Indents

(ie., those which are dealt with partly by "Works" and partly by "General"

Department).

163. The action by the Works Department is the same as under Class II. Indents, and that by the General Department as under Class V., but the difficulties of dealing with the indent are much increased, and the risks of delays in the several steps are greater, owing to the papers having to pass frequently between the two departments.

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164. When the indent is a long one and the work about equally divided between the two departments, it is usual to make a jacket for each department; and if the indent is so drawn up as to be divisible, both portions can be dealt with simultaneously.

165. When this is not the case, it is the duty of the department which receives it first after registration to decide whether that department or the other should deal with it first, and in any case it is clearly understood that the papers must be passed on to the other department at the earliest possible moment, which is usually after invitations for tenders or estimates have been issued and before the orders are given. Sometimes the papers can be passed on conveniently after some only of the items have been dealt with. No hard and fast rule, however, can be laid down, and the smooth and satisfactory working of these combination indents depends on constant vigilance and the general effort of the staff to make things go smoothly.

166. Some delay would be saved if indents were invariably sent home in dupli- cate, or if the items to be dealt with by the second department were extracted at the time of registration or subsequently, but it is a dangerous practice to act on copies, both on account of the risk of copyists' errors not being detected (a very real risk where. as so often is the case, the indents contain many figures often carelessly written) and on account of the influence of context on the description, or want of description, of articles.

167. An opportunity will shortly be taken of pointing out to Colonial authorities the desirability of classifying the articles in indents in accordance with trades, and of sending separate indents for engineering materials and stores in contradistinction to stores of a general nature such as stationery, medicine, clothing. The more this sub-division is carried out by indenting officers the fewer will the number of Class IV. Indents become, and the more will the work of the departments concerned be facilitated.

General Remarks.

168. The foregoing is a general statement of the manner in which ordinary routine indents are dealt with in the Works Department. Exceptional requisition's need exceptional treatment, as, for example; requisitions for the equipment of military or other expeditions, survey parties, and similar special services, the stores for which must be shipped at all costs by a particular and often very early date. The ordinary routine would be altogether inapplicable to such cases. It is usual in these excep- tional demands for the Head of the Department or his Deputy to personally superin- tend all the operations from first to last.

Paragraph of Memorandum

84.

85.

88.

LIST OF BOOKS KEPT AFFECTING WORKS DEPARTMENT. Kept in Contract Registration Department.

1.-Register of Requisitions.

Contains all requisitions whether for "W." or "G.”

2.-Register Index.

Contains some of the particulars recorded in Book 1, but in a more concise form for convenience of reference.

Kept in Works Department.

3.-Works Register of Requisitions.

Is a register of Works requisitions only, with a separate opening for each Colony. Every requisition received in » W." is entered in it immediately on receipt in the department and before any other steps are taken.

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