1444
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 54

Examination of Packets.

15. It is the duty of Postmasters, whenever they have ground for suspecting an infringement of any of the conditions relating to commercial papers, pattern and sample packets, newspapers, and printed papers generally, and occasionally even where there is no ground for suspicion, to open and examine packets posted at or passing through their offices.

Exceptional Detention of Postal Packets other than Letters.

16. To prevent obstacles to the regular transmission of letters, a Postmaster may, when necessary, delay forwarding any book-packets or newspapers, samples, and parcels until the following despatch.

Circulars.

17. Circulars should be tied in bundles, with all the addresses in one direction, and should be posted early in the day.

PROHIBITED ARTICLES.

1. Any indecent or obscene print, painting, photograph, lithograph, engraving, book, or card, or any other indecent or obscene article, or any letter, newspaper, publication, packet, or card having thereon any words, marks, or designs of an indecent, obscene, libellous, grossly offensive, or objectionable character (including in the term “objectionable character” the word “Debt,” or any other word or words indicating that the postal packet relates to a debt or liability for money, except the usual form of invoice or account); matches of any kind; also any explosive, dangerous or noxious substance, any living creature, excepting live bees and harmless entomological specimens for delivery in the colony, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (see section 17, “Patterns and Samples”), or anything likely to injure the contents of the mails or any officer of the Post Office, are detained and transmitted to the Dead Letter Office, to be there dealt with as undelivered.

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

Every person who posts fire, or a match, or light, or any explosive, dangerous, or destructive substance or fluid, or any matter or thing likely to injure any postal packet or any person, is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

2. The transmission by post of gold, silver, precious stones, jewellery, &c., is prohibited in all countries mentioned in the “List of British and Foreign Countries,” &c., following, which are not marked (b). Such articles may, however, be sent to such of the countries not so marked as have parcel-post exchanges with New Zealand, except in cases where the Parcel-post Regulations specially exclude their admission. Vine-cuttings, except such as are addressed to the care of the Agricultural Department, are not permitted to be imported into New Zealand; any received through the post, unless so addressed, will be delivered to the Customs.

3. Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, or snuff cannot be sent to the United Kingdom or New South Wales by letter or sample post. The United Kingdom, however, admits samples of unmanufactured tobacco not exceeding 4oz. at a Customs duty of 8d. per package. The introduction into New South Wales of opium by post is prohibited.

4. Pure spirit, articles containing spirit or into the manufacture of which spirit has entered, cannot be sent to the United Kingdom by sample-post.

5. In Luxemburg the registration of packets containing gold, silver, jewellery, &c., is compulsory, and everything of value, except coin or bullion, is liable to duty. The importation of meat in tins or similar packages, sausages, and other hashed meat is prohibited. The introduction by letter-post of advertisements, prospectuses, or tickets of lotteries is prohibited.

6. In the undermentioned colonies, viz.,—

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

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.

7. In France engravings, prints, drawings, and chromo-lithographs are liable to Customs duty, and cannot be sent by post to that country in quantities sufficiently large to have a saleable value, but small quantities can be sent as bonâ fide specimens.

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

9. Special prohibitions in Queensland, the Cape of Good Hope, Italy, Norway, Servia, Transvaal, Dutch East Indies, and United States of America: Anything relating to lotteries.

10. In Italy or other countries sent forward on Italy, letters, 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. Illustrated post-cards are subject to Customs duty, and cannot be forwarded in quantities by letter-post.

11. In Spain and Victoria jewellery is dutiable, and liable to confiscation. Samples of cloth, woven fabrics, felt, and paperhangings addressed to Spain by post must not exceed 40 centimetres in length or width, unless the latter be well defined by a border, when it may be the full width of the piece.

12. Roumania.—Stitched or bound books, being liable to Customs duty, cannot be sent at printed-paper rates. Printed articles drawn up in foreign countries, in Polish or in any mixed Polish language, are liable to Customs duty, and therefore prohibited from importation by letter-post. Articles containing such printed matter will be returned to the office of origin by the Russian authorities.

13. 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. Russian Government bonds cannot be enclosed in ordinary or registered letters to Russia, and if discovered in correspondence 25 per cent. will be deducted from their amount in Russia as a fine. Periodical editions of newspapers published in foreign countries in the Polish language are not liable to Customs duty.