Sessional_Paper_1949 — Page 106

102

M

Initial action on mail received.

255. Category (1) should be passed immediately to the Inward Transit Clerks. The file indexes should then be referred to for category (2) mail, the appropriate Secretariat registered file number endorsed on each letter or memo and passed to the Inward Transit Clerks. When a letter or memo is received which refers to a new subject for which there is no Secetariat file, the document should be marked "N.S." indicating new subject.

Recording transits.

256. On receipt of the inward mail, the Transit Clerks should draw the appro- priate files from the cabinets, endorse the transit record (numerical index) entering the new transit, place the documents inside the respective file covers, enter the new transits on the face of the file covers and arrange for an office attendant to deliver to the clerical sections. No additional recording should be required at this stage.

Responsibility for recording file transits.

257. The onus of responsibility should be on officers and clerical sections to ensure that all file transits are plainly indicated on the face of each file cover. When a file is to be sent to more than one officer the designation or name of each officer should be written on the transit record on the face of the file. An officer receiving a file should cancel the relevant transit recorded on the face of the file cover before passing the file or a new transit is recorded. The Clerk in Charge of a registry should arrange for all documents received to be passed to the relevant clerical section on the same day as received. If a file is to be "brought up" the letters "B.U." and the date the file is again required should be recorded on the face of the file cover. If the file is no longer required for action, the letters "P.A." should be written on the face of the file cover.

Files required already in action.

258. If a file required is in action, the transit clerk should record on the document where the file is resting and pass to the senior clerk of the clerical section.

Transit of files.

259. The Secretariat should transit all "Open" files either in or out of the Secretariat via the clerical sections or appropriate Registries.

260. When files are received from the Receipt and Despatch Section or direct from an officer or clerical section they should be delivered direct to the transit clerks. These clerks should refer to the transit marked on the face of the file cover, endorse the numerical index by cancelling with one stroke the previous transit and enter on the record the new transit if any. Files to be "put away" require the cancellation of the transit record on the numerical index and file cover only.

OUTWARD FILES.

Charging files on numerical index.

261. Files for despatch within the Secretariat should be charged on the numerical index to the clerical section taking action and delivered by an office attendant to the respective clerical sections. Files for despatch outside the Secretariat should be charged on the numerical index and delivered via the Receipt and Despatch Section.

Recording of connected files.

262. The transit of "connected" files, should be recorded by the registry receiving or despatching. In such cases the numerical index should be appropriately endorsed. For example when four files are received and three of these belong to the registry receiving or despatching, the numerical index of the "top" file should be endorsed with the numbers of the connected files. The numerical index of the two domestic connected files should be endorsed with the letters "C.W." (connected with), the number of the "top" file and the transit.