The postal arrangements made to serve the Abor Expeditionary Force extended over a period of about one year, from May, 1911, to May, 1912. A temporary post office was first opened on the 15th May, 1911, at Saikwaghat, a terminus of the Dibru-Sadiyah Railway, to serve the troops making preparations there for the expedition. The office was under the control of the Superintendent of post offices, Upper Assam Division. It was not until September, 1911, when the force advanced towards Kobo, that the Department was called upon to organize a field postal service. The arrangements were placed under the control of the Postmaster-General, Eastern Bengal and Assam, and for the supervision of the work in the field Mr. A. J. Faichnie, Superintendent of post offices, Upper Assam Division, was, in addition to his own duties, appointed Superintendent of Field Post Offices, assisted by an inspector. APPENDIX J THE POST OFFICE INSURANCE FUND The suggestion to establish a State Life Assurance was first made in 1872 by Sir Richard Temple, the Finance Member of Council. After a great deal of discussion it was dropped in 1873, but was revived again in 1881 by Mr. Hogg, the Director-General of the Post Office, when it was accepted by the Viceroy's Council and finally by the Secretary of State. The principal features of the scheme which was actually introduced on the 1st February, 1884, were: (1) For the time the Fund was confined to the employés of the Post Office. (2) Provision was made for effecting life insurance in three ways, viz.-- (i) By a single payment. (ii) By monthly payments until the person insured attained the age of 50 or 55. (iii) By monthly payments during life. (3) Provision was also made for two classes of monthly allowances, viz. "Immediate" or "Deferred." (4) One life could be insured for any sum which was a multiple of Rs.50 up to the total of Rs.4,000, and the monthly allowance granted on any one life might consist of any sum which was a multiple of Rs.8 up to the limit of Rs.50. (5) Medical examination of proposers for insurance was made free. (6) Arrangements were made for the deduction of the monthly premia from the insured person's salary except the first premium or premium paid during leave without pay. (7) Policies and contracts issued under the scheme were exempt from stamp duty. The scheme worked smoothly, and, taking into consideration that many employés of the Post Office are poorly paid officials, a fair measure of success was attained during the first few years except in the Monthly Allowance branch and in the system of Life Insurance by single payment. The following figures show the proportion of officials who availed themselves of insurance during the first three years:-- 1884-85 1·05% of the whole Post Office establishment. 1885-86 1·46% " " " 1886-87 1·79% " " "