Information not to be made public

witness other than the official by whom the article or order is delivered or paid. But when the amount of a money order is less than five rupees and there is no literate witness in the village, the payee’s thumb-impression may be attested by the thumb-impression of an illiterate witness whose name should be written on the money order by the postman or village postman by whom payment is made.

Note 2. – When the amount of a money order payable to an illiterate villager is five rupees or more, and no literate witness is available in the village, payment should be duly attested by securing the left thumb impression of the headman of the village on the money order, and his name should be written thereon by the postman by whom the money order is paid.

Note 3. – If he payee of a money order is a blind person, the procedure to be followed in respect of an illiterate payee, as laid down above, should be observed in his case.

(2) In taking thumb-impressions, printer’s ink (which is supplied for use with metal stamps) should be used with the special pad provided for the purpose, and the following instructions should be observed :-

All grease and dirt should first be carefully removed from the ball of the left thumb, which should then be wiped, dry, laid on the inked pad and very lightly rolled from left to right until it is sufficiently inked. The thumb should then be very lightly rolled on the document on which an impression is required. The thumb should be fairly laid on the paper and a complete impression obtained by rolling it once from left to right. It should be recollected that if the thumb is rubbed or allowed to slip, either on the pad or paper, a good impression cannot be secured. It is always advisable to take one or two experimental impressions of waste paper before finally impressing the thumb on any document.

(3) The special pads for taking thumb impressions supplied to postmen, village postmen and extra departmental delivery agents should be replenished with printer’s ink from the post office whenever necessary. Before a village postmen or extra departmental delivery agent proceeds on his beat, the branch postmaster should see that sufficient ink has been applied to his pad to last during the whole period of his absence from the post office.

*35. Postage stamps, coins and other articles of value found in a letter-box or

on a post office counter. – (1) When postage stamps are found loose in a letter-box, endeavour should be made to identify the articles from which it is probable they were detached; and failing identification, the postage stamps should be defaced after affixing them (defaced) in the error book maintained under rule 36. If any empty unused envelope or an unused post card of private manufacture with postage stamps affixed to it, it is found in a letter-box or on a post office counter, the portion of the envelope or such card bearing the stamp or stamps should be cut off and pasted in the error book and the stamps or stamps defaced. If any unused postcard other than of private manufacture,