2600
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 95

19

Envelopes supplied by private persons are embossed with postage at the following charges:—
For the first 1,000 or less ... ... ... 8s.
For any additional number: per 1,000 or fraction thereof 5s.
} Of one value.

Applications for embossing must be made to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

2. No person excepting a postal officer may, unless specially licensed by the Stamp Department, sell postage-stamps, post-cards, or newspaper-wrappers. The penalty for such illegal sale is ten pounds. Discount-stamps are not permitted to be used for postage, and are sold at money-order offices only.

3. To prevent the purloining of postage-stamps by the employés in large establishments, the stamps may be perforated with the initials of the firms, &c., so as to render the improper sale of such stamps a matter of difficulty. The perforation with initials of the stamps on post-cards and newspaper-wrappers is also allowed; but permission in all cases must first be obtained from the Postmaster-General.

4. Stamps should be placed on the front of the letter, and upon the right-hand corner of the upper side. On redirected letters care should be taken not to place fresh stamps over the stamps which have been previously used.

5. Stamps which have been torn, cut, or otherwise rendered imperfect, except by perforation, cannot be used.

6. Postage-due stamps, discount-stamps, or stamps cut from letter-cards, post-cards, newspaper-wrappers, registered-letter envelopes, embossed envelopes, or stamped paper cannot be used for prepayment of postage on letters, packets, or newspapers, or for payment for telegrams. Such stamps, when identified in the post-office, will not be postmarked. Stamps of Rarotonga, Niue, or Penrhyn Island may not be used outside those dependencies respectively for prepayment of postage.

7. English, Victorian, New South Wales, and Western Australian postage-stamps may be obtained by persons desirous of sending a stamp or stamped envelope to their relatives or friends in the United Kingdom, Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia, in order to relieve them of the cost of the postage when sending replies. These stamps cannot be purchased in quantities of more than sixpence worth at one time, nor are they permitted to be used for the purpose of making remittances.

REPURCHASE OF STAMPS.

1. Postmasters in charge of money-order offices are permitted, though not compelled, to purchase from the public New Zealand postage-stamps of not less value than 10s. (provided the stamps be not soiled or otherwise damaged), at a discount of 5 per centum.

2. Discount-stamps are purchased at money-order offices if mounted on the special card provided for the purpose and presented in quantities of the value of 1s. or its multiple. They are not permitted to be used for postage.

3. To prevent the temptation to steal stamps attached to letters, which might be afforded by facilities for selling them, single stamps cannot be purchased. The stamps must in all cases be presented in strips of not less than two.

PRIVATE BOXES AND BAGS.

1. Private letter-boxes are provided for merchants and others upon payment, in advance, of the following fees and on the terms named:—
   (a.) For a term exceeding six calendar months and not exceeding one year, one pound (£1).
   (b.) For a term not exceeding six calendar months, ten shillings (10s.). These fees cover the rent of boxes of the usual size.
   (c.) For a box where provided double the usual size, as at (a.) and (b.), two pounds (£2) and one pound (£1) respectively.
   (d.) For a box where provided treble the usual size, as at (a.) and (b.), three pounds (£3) and one pound ten shillings (£1 10s.) respectively.

2. Private boxes are let for periods ending on the 30th June or the 31st December, and for a term not less than six months, except in the case of first letting. A private box may be first let for a term less than six months, but not less than three months, to date from the day on which the same shall be let up to the 30th June or the 31st December next following. In cases in which the first period would be less than three months, the next period of six months must be added and paid for. Where there are two or more applicants for the same box at the same time, preference shall be given to the person desiring to have the same for the longest term.