CO129-575-5 Passport Office- authorisation for writing off deficiencies 31-3-1939 - 19-3-1940 — Page 20

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ing a revenue loss of not less than $280.00. No record has

been kept, by the officer responsible for the sale of

Passports, of the receipt of fresh supplies of forms, and of

the balances on hand at any date. A record of issues, in a

note book only, has been maintained. It is impossible

therefore to ascertain what forms were unaccounted for or

on hand at the commencement of the period under audit. The

note book did not even record the registered number of the

receipt given for the fee collected, instead the word "Paid"

was inserted. A detailed examination of the entries in

this book revealed several numbering errors, including one

of 100, and that while a number of issues recorded therein

had been marked "Paid", the relative Application Forms showed

the issues as "GRATIS"

10.

It is essential that the register should record

receipts, as well as issues of forms, and that it should

be ruled off at least every month and also show clearly the

balance of unissued forms on hand. The balance of stock

should be verified and certified, preferably by an independ-

ent officer. The registered number of the receipt given in

respect of every issue must be recorded in the Register.

The insertion of the word "Paid" is useless for the purpose

of check.

1.

The shortage of Passport Forms would appear to be

a matter of considerable importance from the Administrative standpoint, far outweighing that of the financial side,

which is in itself a serious one.

12.

It is also necessary to point out that all

"Spoilt" Passport Forms should be retained until approval

has been given by the proper authority for their "write off" and destruction, but it is desirable that they should

first be seen and checked by an officer of the Audit

Department.

13.

In order to put matters on a more satisfactory

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