Sessional_Paper_1949 — Page 109

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Difficulties with tracing files.

278. Difficulties with tracing are experienced for two reasons:

(1) Correspondents fail to quote the file registered number.

(2) Files are retained or despatched by officers without informing the

registry.

Use of reference slips.

279. Over a test it was found that a small proportion of correspondents failed to quote the registered file number. To help encourage the quoting of file numbers, it is recommended that coloured gummed slips be printed as follows:

Reference

Attach to reply

280. The gum on these slips should be of the special type used on postage stamps. The slip should be attached to the top of a letter before typing with only the Reference portion stuck down, and the other half free for attaching to the reply. The reference number should be typed on both halves of the slip.

Searching for files in officers' rooms and preparation of file lists.

281. The second difficulty in tracing referred to above was that officers retain and despatch files without the knowledge of the registry.

282. The present arrangement is for registry clerks each day to visit the rooms of officers and their assistants, rummage among their desks and note the file numbers of the files found. Some officers are visited by clerks from more than one registry and more than once a day. The Confidential Registry require officers' secretaries to send a file list to them twice a day.

283. It was found that on an average 70% of the files recorded each day were also recorded the day previously. The disturbance to an officer's work caused by this file searching should be avoided especially as it has been frequently said that the record obtained is often incomplete.

The use of emergency transit cards.

284. It is recommended that the following procedure should be followed:

(1) All files passing between officers and Departments should do so via the clerical section or registry, when the transit should be recorded in the numerical index.

(2) Coloured cards printed as Appendix V should be issued to all adminis- trative officers. When such an officer is urgently required to pass a file and does so without informing the registry he should note the transit on his card. As early as possible each morning, registry clerks should collect the transit cards, note the transits on their numerical index, cancel the entries on the cards and return them without delay to the officers.

(3) File searching on officers' tables and the preparation of file lists should

be abolished.

Registration of receipt and despatch of savingrams etc.

285. Many registers are maintained throughout the Secretariat to record the receipt and despatch of savingrams, despatches and telegrams, in addition to the regis- ters maintained by the Coding Office.