Jan. 9.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 21

Australia .. .. .. .. 2d. for each ½oz. or fraction thereof for
letters, and 1¼d. each for letter-cards.
All other places .. .. .. .. 2½d. for each ½oz. or fraction thereof.
2. Letters not fully prepaid or posted wholly unpaid are charged double the deficiency at the prepaid rate on delivery.
3. No letter should exceed 2ft. in length or 1ft. in width or depth.
4. Coin, bank-notes, or other paper-money, cheques, &c., can be sent by letter-post only. All letters containing these or other valuables must be registered.

Late-fee Letters, &c.

5. Late-fee letters must be paid 1d. in addition to the ordinary postage. Such letters may, as a general rule, be posted at the post-office up to twenty minutes of the time the mail leaves the office, and in the railway travelling post-offices, guards’ vans, and on board steamers up to the time of departure of train or steamer. Late-fee letters or commercial papers posted on board trains and steamers without the fee will be charged the late-fee on delivery. A concession is, however, made in respect to letters, &c., posted on trains while at a flag-station or railway-siding at a place where there is no post-office. On letters, &c., so posted, no late-fee is charged if the words “Posted at [Name of flag-station or siding]” are written or printed on the address side of the letter.

Consignees’ Letters and Loose Letters.

6. Consignees’ letters are letters in closed covers concerning goods, and sent at the same time as the goods. They must be marked “Consignee’s Letter.” They are not liable to the late-fee if for delivery within the colony. Loose letters are letters other than consignees’ letters which make part or the whole of their journey before being handed to the post-office.
7. Letters sent loose to the United Kingdom are treated on arrival as wholly unpaid letters. Loose letters for Australia must bear a late-fee or they will be surcharged on arrival.

POST-CARDS.
Rates of Postage.

1. The rates of postage are—
All places                 ..    ..    ..    .. { Each single post-card, 1d.
                                                { Each reply-paid post-card, 2d.

How treated.

2. The face is reserved for the postage-stamp, for inscriptions relating to the Postal Service—such as “Registered,” “Acknowledgment of Delivery,” &c.—and for the address, which may be written or shown on a gummed label not exceeding 2 in. in length by 1 in. in width.
3. Engravings or advertisements may be printed on the face as well as on the back of cards, provided sufficient space is left for a clear address and for date-stamping. The name and address of the sender may also be written, printed, or stamped on the face or back.
4. On the reverse side any letter or other matter may be written, printed, engraved, or designed. Excepting stamps for prepayment and the address-labels above mentioned, nothing whatever may be joined or attached to a post-card, unless it be addressed for delivery within the colony, in which case a receipt-stamp may be affixed to the back. Stamps cut from post-cards or newspaper-wrappers cannot be used for postage on letters, packets, or newspapers, or for payment of telegrams.

Reply Cards.

5. The reply-half of a reply-card must not merely be addressed to the country of origin, but must have been received attached to the corresponding half, otherwise double post-card rate will be charged. Each of the two halves must fulfil the conditions laid down for single post-cards. One-half must be doubled over the other, and the cards must not be closed up in any manner whatsoever. If the conditions applying to single post-cards are infringed, reply-cards are treated as letters. The sender of a post-card with a reply-half may indicate his name and address on the reply-half either in writing or by attaching a gummed label.

Irregular or Unpaid.

6. Any post-card exhibiting anything of an obscene, libellous, or obviously objectionable character will be detained and sent to the Dead Letter Office.
7. Post-cards infringing any of the above rules, except the last, are treated as unpaid letters.
8. Post-cards posted insufficiently prepaid or unpaid (such as private cards or post-cards not issued by New Zealand, or cards which have already been used for transmission) will be charged double deficiency at post-card rates.

Private Cards.

9. Private cards, including pictorial cards, bearing adhesive stamps may also be used as post-cards. They must be composed of ordinary cardboard not thicker than that used for post-cards of the post-cards pattern. The size must not be more than 5¾in. by 3½in., and not less than 3¾in. by 2¼in. For inland transmission the cards may be entirely plain; but for transmission to places beyond the colony single cards must bear the words, printed or written, “New Zealand Post-card,” and reply-cards the words “New Zealand Post-card Reply.” They are otherwise treated like officially issued post-cards. Private cards will be received from the public, and impressed with the penny postage-stamp, under conditions which may be ascertained upon application to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

BOOK-POST.

1. The book-post is divided into two classes: (a) Commercial Papers, and (b) Printed Papers. For transmission by book-post as a “commercial paper” or “printed paper” articles must be sent in covers entirely open at one or both ends, or in open envelopes with the flap turned inside.
NOTE.—Letters will not pass as commercial papers even if they are sent in open covers. The only way to send a letter is by letter-post, or by writing it on the back of a post-card or on a letter-card. Writing in commonly unknown characters such as Chinese, &c., will render the packet liable to letter rates of postage.

• Including Borgu, Idda, and Lakoja.
  † Including Akassa, Asaba, Benin, Bonny, Brass, Burutu, Calabas (New and Old), Onitsha, Opobo, and Warree or Forçados.