CO885-(7-8) — Page 540

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TILT C.O. 885

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

Form of indent.

Special

forms of indent for

Paragraph of Memorandum.

88.

98.

99.

99.

100.

109, 154.

106; 153.

158.

109.

108

1.-Register of Samples and Patterns.

A register of all samples, patterns, instruments for repair, &c., referred to in indents received. It constantly happens that these do not arrive till some time after the indent. but the entry is made immediately on receipt of the indent, at the same time as the entry in Book 3.

In this book are also entered articles which arrive in advance of the instructions referring to them.

5.-Printers' Memorandum Book.

Dates of transmission of proofs, &c., of specifications to and from printers and Consulting Engineers.

6.-Index of Specifications,

Index to printed Specifications only.

7-Rough Diary of Dates on which tenders are due.

8.-Tender Day Book.

List of firms invited to tender for cach contract entered up on morning tenders due and sent in to Crown Agents. 9.-Press Copy Book of all Tenders and Estimates (other than printed

contracts or specifications) received.

Lithographed tenders are also stuck into this book. 10.-Press Copy Book of all Orders and Memoranda.

Issued by Works Department (indexed according to firms or recipients).

11.—Analytical or “ Cross" Index.

12.-All printed Specifications are kept and bound from time to time.

Enclosure A 2 in No. 34.

NOTES on the Preparation of Indents on the Crown Agents with Classified Lists of Stores and Type Form of Indent suggested for use by Colonial Governments.

Form of Indents.

1. It will facilitate the execution of indents if they are prepared on forms generally similar to the type form attached to these notes. There is no objection to such modifications in detail being made as may be necessary to meet local require- ments, provided all the information given on the type form is retained, and its general arrangement adhered to.

2. Printed indent forms for drugs, chemicals, surgical instruments, and medical sundries are in use by the majority of Colonies. They are kept standing in type, and can drags, &c. be supplied on application. The use of these forms is a valuable safeguard against error, and it is hoped that those Colonies who have not hitherto used them will find it convenient to adopt them.

Distin- guishing number and date.

To be in duplicate.

Depart. ments of the Crown

Agents'

ofice.

3. Every indent should have at its head a distinguishing number and date, both of which should always be quoted for reference. Confusion is sometimes caused by reference being made in correspondence to different dates appearing on an indent under the various signatures appended to it. To avoid this the date at its head should be considered the date of the indent, and no other should be referred to.

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Indents to be in Duplicate.

4. Indents should invariably be sent in duplicate (marked "Original” and Duplicate"). If this is not done delay and risk of error are in many cases en- tailed.

Division and Classification of Stores on Indents.

5. Indents are dealt with in the Crown Agents' Office by separate departments which work independently of one another. One, the Works Department, deals with engineering and allied stores; another, the General Stores Department, with clothing

109

and equipment, as well as military and other stores not for the most part directly con- nected with engineering work; the supply of stamps, currency notes, &c., is a separate matter; and the supply of coinage forms another distinct branch. Lists are attached to these notes giving a general indication of the manner in which the various descrip. tions of stores are classed.

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Indents for

6. It is particularly requested that indents which will be dealt with by different different departments of the Crown Agents' Office may be kept entirely distinct and sent under depart separate covering letters, as reference from one department to another entails difficulty ments of and loss of time. No delay is, however, caused by several indents on the same de. the Crown partment being forwarded under a single covering letter, if the covering letter con- office to be

Agents' veys no special instructions, or only such as apply to all the indents.

kept separate. 7. From the above paragraph it follows that indents regarding which special Special instructions are conveyed in a covering letter should not be sent under the same letter instruc- as others to which the instructions do not apply.

fione.

Separate

8. Stores under different sub-heads of the classified lists should as far as possible indent for be included in separate indents.

each sub- head.

9. The classified lists are of a general character, and there are necessarily many Articles articles not falling under the heads indicated. Such articles should be included not shown in separate indents, leaving them to be allotted by the Crown Agents to the depart- in liste.

ment concerned.

10. Indents for buildings, machinery, bridges, and other stores of special design, Indent entailing the preparation of specifications and drawings, or which are likely to give rise to much enquiry or correspondence, should always be sent under separate cover- ing letters.

entailing

Corre-

lesign or

spondence.

Full Information to be Given.

11. The descriptions given in indents should be as clear and complete as possible. Full infor. References to specified previous supplies are sufficient; but, where these cannot be nation given, either a specification should be sent, accompanied when necessary by fully necessary. dimensioned drawings or sketches; or, a clear statement of the purposes to be served, leaving it to the Crown Agents to obtain expert advice as to what is likely to be most suitable.

12. When detailed descriptions or drawings accompany an indent it should be Extent of stated whether they are intended to be rigidly adhered to, or whether articles may tatitude be sent which are practically the same, and answer the same purpose, but differ as to permis- details. When some latitude is allowed it is often possible to utilise stock patterns instead of having the articles specially made, or to adopt newer improved patterns.

+

sible.

13. References to trade catalogues are often useful, but it should be borne in Trade mind that catalogues are frequently misleading both as to price and quality, and con- catalogues. stantly omit reference to accessories which are essential for the use of the article con- cerned and which greatly increase the cost. It is most important that the date of any catalogue referred to should be quoted, as successive editions are sometimes very different from one another.

14. When the articles are described from the War Office vocabulary of stores, War Office special care should be taken to adhere strictly to the wording made use of in the stores. book, as the smallest variations are often queried by the War Office, and give rise to correspondence and delay. Also the order of the indent, should follow that of the book.

. 15. In ordering articles of a very unusual kind, or for which there is a patent, Unusual or or which are only made by a particular firm, it should, if known, be stated where they patent can be obtained.

articles.

16. Where it is important that goods should be obtained from the same firm as Matching previous supplies, in order that they may match-as, for instance, in the case of type- previous this should be stated on the indent.

supplies.

17. When references are given to previous supplies they should be given in full References detail, with numbers and dates, and, if possible, the Crown Agents requisition to previous number also. Unless this is done, great labour is entailed in searching for the supply supplies, in question, and it is, moreover, not always possible to ensure that it is found.

Page 540Page 541

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:-

TLC.O. 885

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Indents to be self-

contained.

Shipping by instal

ments.

Address and con- signment.

Estimated prices.

Conjec- tural estimates.

Advantage of large orders,

Long miscella- neous in- dents

110

18. Every indent should be accompanied by all the instructions or references necessary for its execution. The Crown Agents endeavour to carry out standing in- structions which they may receive from any Colony as to methods of marking, packing, and similar matters, but standing instructions frequently require modification in view of the particular circumstances of each case, and their use is always attended with risk of error and should be avoided as far as possible.

Mode of Shipping.

19. In dealing with indents of moderate size, and in the absence of special cir- cumstances, the Crown Agents endeavour to keep down expenses by shipping the whole as one consignment. When it is desired that the various articles, or any of them, should be shipped as each is ready, this should be stated on the indent.

20. For each individual Colony there is an established arrangement as to the addressing and consigning of goods, which is followed unless instructions to the con- trary are given in any particular indent:

Estimated Prices.

21. When estimated prices are entered on an indent they are, unless the contrary is stated, understood to be the invoice cost, exclusive of packing, freight, and other charges. When the estimated prices are intended to be a fixed limit of expenditure not to be exceeded, this should be stated, in order that, should it be impossible to keep within the limit, further instructions may be obtained before executing the indent,

22. When, as must not infrequently happen, the prices are not known to the officer preparing the indent, and figures more or less conjectural have to be inserted. for the purpose of local estimates, this should be stated in order that the delay of a possible reference back to the Colony may be avoided. In such cases the Crown Agents will execute the order on the best terms procurable, provided that the cost does not very materially exceed the total sum set down in the indent.

Size of Indents.

23. It will facilitate execution and tend to economy if the officers who prepare indents will avoid sending home a number of separate indents for supplies of the same or similar articles. In supplying large quantities not only is the price usually less, but the shipping and other charges are comparatively reduced, while manu- facturers will frequently take more trouble and give quicker delivery for a large order than for a small one.

24. While it is desirable, as stated in the preceding paragraph, to order supplies of similar articles in as large quantities at one time as possible, it is most inconvenient to deal with requisitions containing a large number of different classes of items, en- shouldbe tailing correspondence with many different firms. Instead of sending home long in- dents for a great variety of stores, it is desirable that the classification indicated in the lists and referred to in paragraphs 5 to 10 of these notes should be adopted. It should be remembered that if indents are more divided than is necessary it is easy to com- bine them; but the division in the Crown Agents' office of long indents inevitably- takes time.

avoided.

Urgent

Urgent and Telegraphic Indents.

25. Indents for articles of which the supply is urgent or which are required to Indents to be received by any particular date, should be kept separate from those to which these

considerations do not apply and should be forwarded under different covering letters.

26. The expediency of allowing ample time for the execution of indents should always be borne in mind; urgency usually means enhanced prices, while at the same time, owing to the difficulty of immediately procuring replacements in case of rejection, the inspection cannot always be as effective as when time is of less importance.

be kept separate. Disadvan- tages of urgent orders.

Tele- graphic orders must be

27. When stores are ordered by telegraph, a confirming indent should invariably follow as early as possible. Care should be taken that in such indents the previous telegram is referred to, in order to obviate risk of the telegram and indent being; confirmed. treated as separate orders and a double supply made.

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28. Similarly, if after the despatch of an indent it is found necessary to tele- Avoid graph for the stores, the indent should be referred to in the telegram.

dupli-

cating

orders.

29. When there is any room for doubt as to the port to which stores are to be Portshould shipped, the necessary information should be included in the telegram.

be named.

30. It is, however, desirable to avoid telegraphic orders as much as possible, Avoid

as they are frequently of necessity ambiguous, and hence liable to be misunderstood. telegraphic They are always treated as urgent, and involve the drawbacks already pointed out as ortlers. attendant on urgent requisitions.

Standing Requisitions.

31. The management of standing requisitions, ie., those for supplies to be re- Standing peated at stated intervals, is always a work of difficulty, and this is much increased indents to when variations or additions to the indents are subsequently required. It is particu- be avoided larly requested therefore that these indents may be confined to periodical publications if possible. and, in the case of other stores, to such as are not likely to be often varied, and that when variations have to be made it may be done by cancelling the previous indent and substituting a new one which should be forwarded to the Crown Agents by a separate letter.

32.

Homeward Packages.

When samples, drawings, instruments for repair, or other articles are sent Identifi- home, the packages should be marked, for the purpose of identification, with the name cation of

of the Colony and No. of indent or explanatory letter, and a bill of lading or parcel homeward receipt sent to the Crown Agents. It has frequently happened that packages have been packages. received with no means whatever of ascertaining from what Colony they have come or in what letter they are referred to, and hence for what purpose they have been

sent.

CLASSIFICATION OF STORES ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENTS BY WHICH THEY ARE DEALT WITH IN THE CROWS AGENTS' OFFICĘ,

Stores classed under different sub-heads in the following lists should be included in separate indents (see clauses 5 to 10 of "Notes respecting preparation of indents ").

Articles in the same indent should as far as possible be classed under the different

trades.

If any articles such as artificers' and intrenching tools, electrical appliances, carts, &c., are intended to be obtained from the War Office, the following classification need not be followed, but all should be included in a special indent prepared according to clause 14 of the "Notes,"

1-Works Department.

(a.) PERMANENT WAY MATERIALS, including those for light or temporary lines. (b.) ROLLING STOCK.-Locomotives, carriages, wagons, and other stock, and

all parts and fittings thereof, including those for light railways. (c.) Bridges* and BRIDGE MATERIAL of all descriptions.

(d.) ENGINEERING APPLIANCES and MACHINERY (except Marine).-Cranes, turntables, signal fittings, engines, boilers, ice-making plant, printing machinery* (but not type, which is dealt with by General Stores Department), &e.

(e.) GENERAL ENGINEERING STORES (not Marine).—Fencing, barbed wire, asbestos fittings, leather belting, canvas hose, workshop stores, &c.

• It will much facilitate execution if stores of the classes marked with an asterisk, although included in the same Indent, are enumerated on separate sheets of the Indent,

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