64

has been paid, such packet will be forwarded,
charged with an additional postage equal to
the deficiency, plus another single rate as a
fine.

Should any letter, whether closed or open,
or any enclosure sealed or otherwise closed
against inspection, be found in a book packet,
such letter or other enclosure will be for-
warded, charged not only with the postage due
upon it as an unpaid letter, but also with an
additional sum of sixpence, being the single
book post rate: The packet itself, however,
in such case will be forwarded (provided the
postage shall have been duly paid) without
any extra charge.

With regard to the fines, the Postmaster
General proposes to divide the amount equally
between this country and the Colony: but the
proportions of the postage on books, whether
fully or insufficiently paid, will remain as
heretofore.

It is proposed, as the simplest way of
bringing to account the postage of in-
sufficiently paid books, sent from the United
Kingdom, to credit the Colony in the Letter
Bill, with the full amount to which it is en-
titled, penalty included, and to claim the
whole sum leviable on the delivery of the
packet, under a separate heading on the Let-
ter Bill.

Thus, supposing the weight of a book
packet to be between one and two pounds, sent
from the United Kingdom to New Zealand,
the proper postage would be 2s.; but if such
packet be paid by stamps of the value of six
pence only, the deficiency of postage 1s. 6d.
together with a fine of sixpence, would still
be chargeable, making together 2s. Out of
the total charge of 2s. 6d. the Colony would
be entitled to its proportion of the ordinary
postage, viz., 8d. together with half the
penalty, viz., 3d. in all 11d. Thus 11d.
would be credited to the Colony and 2s. would
be claimed from the Colony in the manner
proposed.

A new item will require to be introduced
into the Letter Bill, and a label, such as that
of which I enclose a specimen, will be attached
to the insufficiently paid packets of Books.

Corresponding arrangements should of
course be adopted with respect to similar
packets sent from New Zealand to the United
Kingdom.

As there is at present no communication by
packet between this country and New Zea-
land, the Postmaster General under the power
reserved to him by the Treasury Warrant of
the 23rd ultimo, has authorised book packets
to be transmitted to and from New Zealand
by private ship.

The Postmaster General trusts that these
new regulations will be satisfactory to you,
and will receive the concurrence of the Go-
vernment of New Zealand.

I am, &c.,

F. HILL,
Assistant Secretary.

The Postmaster General,
&c., &c., &c.
Auckland, New Zealand.

Printed by WILLIAMSON & WILSON, for the New Zealand Government.

LABEL ALLUDED TO.
INSUFFICIENTLY STAMPED BOOKS.

No. of
Books
Amount

Underpaid Postage
claimed by British Office
Postage allowed to
the Office of New Zea-
land.

Crown Land Office,
New Plymouth, 15th May, 1855.
I, WILLIAM HALSE, Commissioner duly appointed by virtue of
the Ordinance No. 15, Session xi, of the Le-
gislative Council of the Islands of New Zea-
land, to hear and decide claims to land by
persons claiming title thereto, from, through,
or under the New Zealand Company, report
that the claims of the persons whose names
appear in the Schedule here-under having been
duly referred to me for investigation, I do
hereby decide that the said persons are respec-
tively entitled to Government Scrip set against
their names in the said Schedule.

W. HALSE,
Commissioner.

No. of Report.
No. of Claim.
Name of
Claimant.
Commissioner's Decision

151 430 Wm. Northcroft Entitled to Government
Scrip for thirty-seven
pounds, ten shillings,
(£37 10s.)

152 433 Augustus Brown Entitled to Government
Abraham
Scrip for thirty-seven
pounds, ten shillings,
(£37 10s.)

153 434 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for thirty-seven
pounds, ten shillings,
(£37 10s.)

154 435 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for thirty-seven
pounds, ten shillings,
(£37 10s.)

155 458 John Lewthwaite Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds, (£75.)

156 459 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds (£75.)

157 460 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds (£75.)

158 461 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds (£75.)

159 462 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds (£75.)

160 463 Do. Entitled to Government
Scrip for seventy-five
pounds (£75.)

W. HALSE,
Commissioner.