2964
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 86

26

(a.) The fees payable for private mail-bags are—For a term exceeding six calendar months and not exceeding one year, two pounds (£2); for a term not exceeding six calendar months, one pound (£1). Provided that no private mail-bag shall be let for a term less than six months, to date from the 1st January or the 1st July, with the same qualification in respect of the first term as for private boxes set out in section 2. If the bag is taken delivery of at the office at which it is made up the fee is the same as for a private box.

(b.) The bag must be provided with a lock and two keys, and kept in repair at the cost of the person requiring it. When empty it must not exceed two pounds in weight. All private bags must be approved of by the Postmaster.

(c.) The Postmaster must securely lock the bag before despatching it, and it must be returned to the Postmaster in the same manner.

(d.) The bag must only contain correspondence for persons connected with the establishment of the owner of the bag, or who may be in his employment; and it must be distinctly understood that such owner is responsible for the postage of all unpaid letters, and for returning receipts for all those which may be registered.

8. Mail contractors are bound to convey and deliver, free of charge to the holders, all private bags given to them by Postmasters or under their instructions, but are not required to deviate from the prescribed mail-route, and are on no account to be delayed. Should a return bag not be ready at the appointed time and place, the contractor is not required to wait for it.

MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.

Non-liability of the Post Office.

1. The Post Office is not, by law, responsible for any loss or inconvenience which may arise from the non-delivery, mis-sending, or mis-delivery of any unregistered letter, book, or other postal packet; nor is it responsible for any injury which a packet may sustain during its transmission. See, however, regulations regarding insurance of parcels on pages 130 and 131, Post and Telegraph Guide.

Secure Packing recommended.

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

3. The main business of the Post Office being the transmission of letters, the forwarding of book-packets and newspapers (which no one is compelled to send through the Post Office), though an important, is only a secondary object, for which no arrangement can be made which would interfere with the quick and regular conveyance and delivery of letters. Books and packets, therefore, which would be injured by being thrust into a bag and hurriedly pressed down like a bundle of letters, should not be sent through the post.

4. In order that no failure may occur in the delivery of newspapers through the covers becoming detached, it is recommended that the addresses be written on exposed parts of the newspapers themselves, as well as on the covers.

Postmasters and the Public.

5. No information can be given respecting letters which pass through a post-office except to the persons to whom they are addressed; and in no other way is official information of a private character allowed to be made public. A Postmaster may, however, give an address if he has reason to believe that the person whose address it is would not disapprove of his doing so.

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

7. Postmasters are not bound to weigh letters, books, packets, or newspapers for the public, but they may do so if their duty be not thereby impeded. This regulation does not apply to parcels, which are tested both as to weight and size before being accepted.

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

9. No postal officer is permitted to take money in prepayment of postage (except in the case of inland circulars posted in quantities of not less than one thousand at one time), or to affix postage-stamps on letters, &c., posted at any post-office. Postage-stamps should in all cases be affixed by the sender or person posting the correspondence.