THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 17.

Do. above 1 lb. and not exceeding
1 1/2 lb. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 For a packet not exceeding 4 ozs. in
Do. above 1 1/2 lb. and not exceeding
2 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0
and so on, increasing sixpence for each addi-
tional half pound, or fraction of half a pound.

I am, Sir, &c.,
F. HILL.

The Postmaster-General,
&c., &c., &c.,
Auckland.

General Post Office,
London, 10th Sept., 1857.

SIR,-With reference to the arrangement which
was announced to you in my letter of the 20th
February, 1855, in regard to the mode of
treating insufficiently paid Books transmitted
from the United Kingdom to New Zealand, I
am directed by the Postmaster-General to ac-
quaint you, that an alteration has taken place
in the scale of weight regulating the postage of
Book Packets addressed from this country to
New Zealand, and that the following are the
rates of postage, British and Foreign com-
bined, now chargeable upon such Book
Packets, viz.:-

For a Book Packet not exceeding 4 ozs.
in weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s. d.
0 4
Do. above 4 ozs. and not exceeding
1/2 lb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8
Do. above 1/2 lb. and not exceeding
1 lb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4
Do. above 1 lb. and not exceeding
1 1/2 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0
Do. above 1 1/2 lbs and not exceeding
2 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8
and so on, increasing eight pence for each ad-
ditional half pound or fraction of half a pound.

It is necessary to communicate to you this
alteration of the scale, for your guidance in
charging the deficiency and fine upon insuffi-
ciently paid Book Packets from this Country.

I am, Sir, &c.,
F. HILL.

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

General Post Office,
London, 21st Sept., 1857.

SIR,-With reference to my letter of the
9th instant,* I am directed by the Postmaster-
General to acquaint you, that in addition to
the places therein mentioned, Book Packets
may in future be sent, under the ordinary Book
Post regulations, between New Zealand and the
Colonies of Malta or Gibraltar.

The rates of postage, British and Foreign
combined, chargeable in Malta and Gibraltar
on Book Packets sent to New Zealand will be
the same as those upon Books from this country
to Australia, viz.:-

• See Despatch from Mr. Labouchere of 11th August,
  1857, with its enclosure from the General Post Office,
  dated 1st August, published in the Gazette of 15th
  Decr., 1857., No. 34.

weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 4
Do. exceeding 4 ozs. and not ex-
ceeding 8 ozs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8
Do. exceeding 8ozs. and not ex-
ceeding 1 lb. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4
Do. exceeding 1 lb. and not exceed-
ing 1 1/2 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0
Do. exceeding 1 1/2 lbs., and not ex-
ceeding 2 lbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8
and so on, increasing 8d. for every additional
half pound, or fraction of half a pound.

I am, Sir, &c.,
F. HILL.

The Postmaster-General,
&c., &c., &c.,
Auckland.

General Post Office, London,
28th September, 1857.

SIR,-I am directed by the Postmaster-
General to acquaint you that the Lords of her
Majesty's Treasury have authorised British
Postage Stamps to be used in payment of the
Postage of Letters posted at the British Post
Office at Constantinople.

Letters, therefore, despatched from that Of-
fice, bearing British Postage Stamps of an
amount equal to the postage with which such
Letters are chargeable, should henceforth be
treated in the same manner as if the postage
had been prepaid in money.

I am, Sir, &c.,
ROWLAND HILL,
Secretary.

The Postmaster-General,
Auckland, New Zealand.

General Post Office,
London, 6th Oct., 1857.

SIR, - I beg to inform you that with the
view of enabling the Admiralty Agents, and
other persons through whose hands the Mails
pass, to distinguish more readily the boxes con-
taining the Mails despatched via Suez from this
country to the Australian Colonies respectively,
the Postmaster-General has given directions
that the stripe upon each box shall vary in
colour, according to its destination.

The stripes upon the boxes for Victoria will be
red;
Those for New South Wales blue;
Those for Tasmania black;
Those for South Australia brown;
Those for Western Australia drab;
Those for New Zealand yellow.

Measures have been adopted, at the same
time, for the better protection, by means of a
groove made in the lid, of the labels, with the
letter L affixed to the boxes containing letters;
and, as it has been found that the paper labels,
bearing the words "via Marseilles," pasted
upon the boxes intended to be sent through
France, have in some cases been rubbed off,
moveable zinc labels will be substituted for the
paper labels hitherto employed.