Postal Manual Vol. VIII - India Post

216. Painting of letter-boxes and iron safes.-(1) Every Superintendent should arrange to
have each letter-box in his division regularly painted at least once a year. In postal divisions, the
postmaster of each head office will be authorised to make contracts, if possible, with some one to
paint letter-boxes under the head office and its sub and branch offices, the contractor being
instructed how to prepare and use the paint and ordinarily being supplied with the paint and
brushes. When the whole work cannot be done by contract, the Superintendent will make such
arrangements as he may think best for the painting of the boxes.
(2) Red paint and brushes will be kept in store at each head office and record office, and if
not procurable locally, may be obtained on indent from the stock depot. The following instructions
should be followed in preparing and using the paint:-
(a) To one part of paint (red lead) must be added two parts of boiled linseed oil, one-sixteenth part
of turpentine and one-eighth part of copal varnish. For instance, to 80 grams of paints should be
added 160 grams of oil, 5 grams of turpentine and 10 grams of copal varnish.
(b) All the ingredients must be well-mixed.
(c) The box must be well scraped with a knife, edged stone, or piece of broken glass, and then two
coats of paint should be applied, the first coating being allowed to dry before the second is put on.
(3) Iron safes supplied to post offices and record offices should be painted when necessary
– green outside and red inside – to prevent them from getting rusty, and the Superintendent should
authorise postmasters or record clerks, under his control to have this done. When paint cannot be
procured locally, it may be obtained on indent from the stock depot.
217. Letter-box locks.- The Superintendent should, when on tour, make a point of
examining the lock of every letter box he comes across and arrange for replacing the lock by a new
one when it is found broken or out of order. He should encourage his subordinates to report to him
at one when new locks are wanted. In postal divisions, the Superintendent should have a small
stock of locks kept at each head office under his control.
Superintendents, R.M.S.
218. Supply of stationery.- (1) Articles of stationery will be supplied from the stock depot
on indents (sk-11) prepared in accordance with the stationery rate list for the division sanctioned
by the Head of the Circle. A stationery rate list in form (sk-9) must, in the first instance, be
prepared in duplicate by the Superintendent, and both copies submitted to the Head of the Circle
for approval. The Head of the Circle will countersign and return the duplicate to the
Superintendent.
(2) The form is in two parts, Part I being the divisional stationery rate list, and Part II the
sectional stationery rate list. The former will comprise all requirements in the way of stationery for
the entire division, including the Superintendent’s office and for Inspectors; the latter, those of
each section or mail office, under the several record offices.
(3) The proper rate of suppl will depend on the amount of work to be done, the number of
officials and other circumstances; but as a general basis for calculation the following data should
be adhered to:
(a) Candles one for 4 hours;
(b) carbonic paper – one piece for every 500 duplicate sets of documents;
(c) cord No.1 (Jute twine) – one seer for 1,500 dosuti bags or 750 canvas bags.