Oct. 1.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1091

Post Office Regulations and Rates of Postage.

ONSLOW, Governor.

ORDER IN COUNCIL.

At the Government Buildings, at Wellington, this twenty-ninth day of
September, 1891.

Present:

THE HONOURABLE THE PREMIER PRESIDING IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by the ninth section of "The Post Office Act, 1881" (hereinafter
termed "the said Act"), it is enacted that it shall be lawful for the Governor
in Council from time to time to make, alter, and revoke rules and regulations for the
managing of the several post-offices, for the receiving, despatching, conveying, and
delivering of letters, and for the several other purposes in the said section mentioned:
And whereas by Orders in Council bearing date the fifth day of April, one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-six, published in the New Zealand Gazette of the fifteenth
day of April, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six; the sixth day of March, one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, published in the New Zealand Gazette of
the fifteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight; the twenty-
fourth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine, published in the
New Zealand Gazette of the third day of October, one thousand eight hundred and
eighty-nine, respectively, certain rules and regulations were made under the said Act:
And whereas it is expedient to revoke the said Orders in Council and the regulations
made thereby respectively, and to make other provision in lieu thereof:
Now, therefore, his Excellency the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, in
pursuance of the power and authority conferred by the said Act, and acting by and with
the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said colony, doth hereby revoke
the several regulations made by the several Orders in Council hereinbefore mentioned,
made and issued under "The Post Office Act, 1881," and in lieu thereof doth make
the regulations specified in the First Schedule hereto: And in exercise of the like
powers, and with the like advice and consent, His Excellency the Governor doth hereby
abolish the rates of postage heretofore prescribed to be paid within the colony on books,
commercial papers, packets, and pattern-samples for delivery within the colony, and
doth also abolish the rates of postage heretofore prescribed to be paid in the colony for
the transmission of letters, books, commercial papers, packets, pattern-samples, and
newspapers to places beyond seas, and in lieu thereof doth order and declare that the
rates of postage payable within the colony on books, commercial papers, packets,
and pattern-samples for delivery within the colony, and on letters, books, commercial
papers, packets, pattern-samples, and newspapers for transmission to the several places
beyond seas respectively mentioned in the Second Schedule hereto, shall be those
specified in such Schedule, and that such rates of postage shall in all cases be paid at
the time such letters, books, pattern-samples, and newspapers are delivered into the
post-office; and, with the like advice and consent as aforesaid, His Excellency doth
further order and declare that this Order in Council shall take effect on and after the
first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-one.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

Business Hours.

All post-offices are opened for delivery of letters, sale of stamps, receipt and delivery
of parcels, and registration of letters, &c., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on week-days only. Money-
order and savings-bank business is transacted at certain offices and hours named at
page 119 of the Postal Guide, on week-days only.

Certain post-offices specially authorized by the Postmaster-General may be closed
during the periods of sorting and despatching mails.

Telegraph.—The hours of attendance at offices where telegraph business is trans-
acted, and a list of these offices, will be found at pages 127–138 of the Postal Guide.

Post Office and Telegraph Holidays.—The statutory post-office and telegraph
holidays are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Queen's Birthday, Prince of Wales's Birthday,
and Christmas Day.

Delivery.

Deliveries from office counters, &c., are made from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on week-days, but
certain Post Offices specially authorized by the Postmaster-General may be closed during
the periods of sorting and despatching mails.

Letter-carriers and messengers are prohibited from distributing any letters, news-
papers, &c., except such as have passed through a Post Office. They are not allowed to
deliver in the street or elsewhere except at houses or places of business, even to addressees;
nor are they allowed to deliver under doors. They are not permitted to receive any payment
beyond the postage for the delivery or collection of any letter or newspaper, or to deviate
from the route laid down for them. The prohibition, however, from receiving payment in
addition to the postage does not extend to Christmas gratuities. For delivery of parcels
by parcel post, see regulations under "Inland Parcel Post," page 82 of the Postal Guide.

No person living within the town free delivery can claim to have his letters delivered
at the office if a delivery by letter-carrier is about to take place; but letters which arrive
by a mail, after which there is no immediate delivery by letter-carrier, may be obtained
by any person on application at the office, so long as it is open for delivery.

Receipts must be given for all registered articles upon delivery thereof.

Letters addressed to the Post Office, or to be kept till called for, may be obtained
at the office, except where it is ascertained that it is the practice of persons living
within the town delivery to have their letters so addressed, in which cases they will be sent
out by letter-carrier. Letters for persons residing beyond any official delivery will be
delivered on application at the office. It is not permitted to return any letter to the
writer or sender, or to any one else, or to delay forwarding it to its destination according
to the address, even though a request to such effect be written thereon (except under the
provisions for special request, see "Special Request Letters"), as every letter must be