73

A.—4

All moneys paid for stamps are received in the office of the Accountant to the Stamp Office, and the stamps arc issued by the Chief Distributer on the certificate of the Accountant that the money has been paid. All accounts of the transactions of the Stamp Office are kept by double entry The form of the Journal entries is given in the Appendix. The cash is paid daily into the Commissioner's account at the Bank, whence it is transferred to to the Public Account.

Appendix B,

All the stamps used in Victoria —postage stamps, duty stamps, fee stamps, freight stamps—are made in the Post Office. The paper is obtained from England, and is in the custody of the Postmaster-General until issued to the Printer, who requisitions for what he requires. The whole of the paper is accounted for, and the spoiled sheets are destroyed by a Board of three, of whom one is appointed by the Audif Office. The stamps, when created, are in the joint custody of the Assistant Post-master-General and the Controller, who is the Accountant to the Post Office. They are issued thence on requisition to the Chief Distributer, by whom all stamps are issued to the various depositaries for sale to the public. There are no subordinate officers for distribution, all stamps being sent from this officer directly to the officers, by whom they are sold. The Chief Distributer takes no money. All the cash for receipt and payment in the Postmaster-General's Department passes through the hands of the Cashier All sellers of stamps are depositaries, having fixed advances of stamps, and being held under bond for the amount. The larger holders are required to keep not less than three-fourths of the full amount of their stock in hand, smaller holders not less than two-thirds. On applying for fresh stock, the depositary sends up the cash with his application to the Cashier, who initials it as received, and passes it on to the Chief Distributer, who thereupon issues the stamps to the applicant. The stock in the hands of the Chief Distributer is inspected once a month by an officer of the department, and once a year all the stocks in the Post Office are counted and balanced with the books by one of the Commissioners of Audit. The usual stock ledgers are kept showing the receipts and issues of stamps of each denomination, and the balances in hand; but the transactions of the Stamp Department are not kept in a separate account apart from other transactions of the Post Office. All the accounts of the Post Office are passed through the journal into the ledger by double entry, and the Stamp accounts and Telegraph accounts are carried into the general accounts of the Post Office. The impressed stamps are only impressed in compliance with requisitions which are sent, with the cash, to the Cashier, and are forwarded by him to the Stamping Department. An overseer, on the part of the Controller, overlooks the stamping of the impressed stamps. The dies are kept by the Controller, and handed out for use as required. All impressed stamps are brought on charge in the office of Chief Distributer as soon as impressed. The whole staff of the Postmaster-General's Department is paid by the Cashier at Melbourne out of a standing imprest issued by the Treastiry at the beginning of every year, and recouped monthly to the extent of the vouchers sent in receipted from the Post Office. The unexpended balance is paid into the Public Account, and the account closed at the end of each year.

Victoria,

The officer in charge of the Stamp Office obtains supplies of stamps from the Lithographic Office, upon requisitions which he sends in from time to time as required. All stamps are issued from the Stamp Office direct to the licensed agents by whom they are sold, there being no Sub-Commissioners. In some few cases stocks are placed in the hands of Customhouse officers to supply the local offices in their 10—A. 4.

Queensland,