JULY 7.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 991

Articles not allowed to be sent by Letter, Book, Sample, or Newspaper Post.

Any indecent or obscene print, painting, photograph, lithograph,*Prohibited engraving, book, or card, or any other indecent or obscene article, or any articles. letter, newspaper, publication, packet, or card having thereon any words, marks, or designs of an indecent, obscene, libellous, or grossly offensive character; also any explosive, dangerous or noxious substance, any living creature, excepting live bees and entomological specimens (live bees may also be sent to the Australian colonies), or anything likely to injure the contents of the mails or any officer of the Post Office.

(Under the Inland Parcel-post, however, fish, meat, game, eggs, &c., Certain other- razors, scissors, needles, knives, forks, or other sharp instruments, are per- wise pro- mitted to be forwarded if so packed as to prevent all risk of injury to other hibited articles may parcels or to the officers of the Post Office. Liquids, or semi-liquids, such as be sent by paint, &c., or glass in any form, are also received if so packed as to be secure parcel-post. from breakage.)

The transmission by post of gold, silver, precious stones, jewellery, &c., is Gold and silver prohibited in all countries mentioned at Table B, pages 981 to 984, which are articles not not marked (b). Such articles may, however, be sent to such of the countries allowed by not so marked as have parcel-post exchanges with New Zealand, except letter post. in cases where the Parcel-post Regulations specially exclude their admission.

In Luxemburg the registration of packets containing gold, silver, jewellery, In Luxemburg &c., is compulsory, and everything of value, except coin or bullion, is liable to registration of articles con- taining gold, &c., compul- sory. duty.

In the undermentioned colonies, viz.,—

Bermuda, Hongkong, Newfoundland,
Ceylon, Labuan, St. Vincent,
Falkland Islands, Lagos, Sierra Leone,
Gambia, Malta, and
Gibraltar, Montserrat, Straits Settlements,

articles of value are transmissible, and, with the exception of jewellery addressed to Ceylon, Newfoundland, and St. Vincent, are exempt from Customs duty. Their transmission is also permitted in

Cyprus, Grenada, and Jamaica;

but they are liable to Customs duty, with the exception of gold and specie in Cyprus, gold, silver, and diamonds in Grenada, and diamonds in Jamaica.

In the Dutch East Indies articles of value are admissible, except wrought gold and silver, but the packets containing them must be registered.

Special prohibitions in Italy and United States of America: Anything Anything relating to foreign lot- teries specially prohibited.

Letters for Italy or other countries sent forward on Italy, if containing gold or silver money, jewels or precious articles, registered or otherwise, are opened, the articles confiscated, and the letters sent on to destination.

In Spain and Victoria jewellery is dutiable, and liable to confiscation.

Russia.—Printed matter in the Russian language is prohibited; and even such trifling articles as photographs and Christmas cards are liable to duty, though a single photograph may be sent to Russia by post. All letters or packets containing prohibited or dutiable articles of any kind, however small the value, are confiscated in that country.

Articles of value may be sent to these places.

Letters for Italy enclosing gold, &c., are opened, and contents confiscated.

Printed matter in Russian language not to be sent to Russia.

Miscellaneous Regulations and Suggestions.

The Post Office is not, by law, responsible for any loss or inconvenience Post Office not which may arise from the non-delivery, mis-sending, or mis-delivery of any responsible for letter, book, or other postal packet (even if the packet be registered); nor loss of cor- response. is it responsible for any injury which a packet may sustain during its transmission.

To guard against such injury, all postal packets which are likely to Fragile articles suffer from stamping or from great pressure should be placed in strong should be covers; and it is recommended that such articles should be sent by parcel- sent by parcel- post. Fragile articles should not be sent by post.

No information can be given respecting letters which pass through Information a post office except to the persons to whom they are addressed; and in no as to articles other way is official information of a private character allowed to be made in course of transmission public. A Postmaster may, however, give an address if he has no reason to to be given to believe that the person whose address it is would disapprove of his doing so. addressee only.

Except in the case of “special request” letters, post-cards, or circulars, Postmasters Postmasters are not allowed to return any article to the writer or sender, or cannot return to any one else, or to delay forwarding it to its destination according to the articles to address. senders.

Postmasters are not bound to weigh letters, books, packets, or news- Postmasters papers for the public, but they may do so if their duty be not thereby need not weigh impeded. This rule does not apply to parcels, which are tested both as to for public any- thing except weight and size before being accepted. parcels.

Postmasters are not bound to give change; and when money is paid at Postmasters a post office, whether as change or otherwise, no question as to its right need not give amount, goodness, or weight can be entertained after it has been removed change. from the counter.

No postal officer is permitted to take money in prepayment of postage, Postage- or to affix postage-stamps on letters, &c., posted at any post office. Postage- stamps to be stamps should in all cases be affixed by the sender or person posting the affixed by the correspondence. public.