(a)The head of the office shall order payment on account of "service bearing" or "unpaid" covers only when the cheque is supported by the covers themselves, with the amount of the charge marked on them under the initials of the Postmaster or Deputy Postmaster who receives the payment.(b)The head clerk is the officer responsible for the payment of post-bearing charges. He shall examine all the covers before drawing out the pay cheque, and see that they agree with the amount demanded by the post office peon.(c)The head of the office shall see that all bearing covers are destroyed when he signs the pay cheque, and on this he will endorse "covers destroyed," so that they cannot be used again in support of charges.(d)Any irregularity or incompleteness of the address, superscription, or signature on a cover renders it liable to be treated as an ordinary unpaid cover, any service stamps which it may bear not being recognized.(e)In offices where the number of bearing covers received daily is large, a portion of the permanent advance may be given to the Postmaster, provided the head of the office continues personally responsible for it.
