348

SECRETARIAL PRACTICE
The alphabetical register in book form is recommended for
recording agreements, as affording a more permanent index than
the card system. A book of this kind is never out of date, and
provides under each letter, and in order of time, an entire
survey of the agreements which have been entered into.
Sufficient information will be given by a register with the
following headings: No., Date of Agreement, Parties,
Subject, Remarks.
(6) TitLE DEEDS. Documents relating to the sale and
puchase, etc., of property, or, more exactly, the deeds which
embody such transactions, never become obsolete, and must
be dealt with accordingly. They should always be stored in
the strong room (if such be provided), or in a fireproof safe.
An excellent practice is to file each parcel of deeds relating to
any one purchase or sale separately. Stout expanding
envelopes of a uniform size suitable for this purpose, and
provided with a deep flap and tapes for tying, are manu-
factured by various firms, and are really indispensable if these
documents are so to be preserved as befits their importance.
All the deeds comprised in one parcel may be usefully sum-
marised on a type-written schedule (giving date, nature of
and the parties to each deed) which should be affixed in a
permanent manner to the inside of the deep flap of the
envelope.

On the front of the envelope should be an endorsement in
bold characters, giving the number of the parcel, parish and
name of the vendor or purchaser. This information is only
needed in respect of the ‘principal’ deed as being the one of
prime importance.
Here again an alphabetical index in book form is to be
preferred to the card index, and the following headings will
meet all requirements: No., Date, Name of Vendor or Pur-
chaser, Number of Deeds, Parish, Remarks.

[t must be noted that the ‘principal’ deed only will appear
in this index; all antecedent or subsidiary ones are included in
the schedule recommended above. All the deeds in each
parcel should bear an individual and a progressive number,
thus: 280/1, 280/2, and so on; it will be observed that the
index is furnished with a column which shows the number of
deeds or documents in each parcel.
(¢) REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT. The filing of all papers
and documents connected with the work of this department
calls for separate and different treatment, owing to its peculiar
circumstances.