Jan. 18.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 187

39

At all other offices the hours are irregular, and vary from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.,
and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to local requirements and facilities. The lobbies are also
open on Sundays and holidays, but at irregular hours.

8. Call-boxes.—Each call-box is open to postal officers only. It is fitted with a fixed
   glass front, through which the holder may see the contents.

9. A call-box is placed within the post-office at which it is situated, and is therefore at
   the disposal of the holder during the hours only that the office is open to the public.

10. The holder of a call-box is entitled to claim at his convenience delivery of the
    contents of the box by the Postmaster or his officers.

11. A person living within the delivery known as a letter-carrier’s delivery may rent a
    call-box, and by that means may obtain mail-matter addressed to him arriving between
    two deliveries made and to be made by letter-carrier.

12. The fee for rent of a call-box is two shillings and sixpence (2s. 6d.) per annum.

13. The conditions of tenure and use of a call-box are the same as those prescribed in
    the forgoing regulations in respect of private boxes, so far as they apply.

14. Private Bags.—Persons residing upon mail-routes requiring the accommodation
    of private bags may obtain the same upon payment, in advance, of the undermentioned
    fees to the Chief Postmaster of the district, and subject to the following regulations:—

(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). A private bag may be held by several
persons, and will be charged for at the original fee of £2 or £1 as herein pre-
scribed for the first holder, and an additional fee for any term not exceeding one
year of 10s. for each additional holder. 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 4. 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 (with a corresponding
reduction, namely, to 5s. for additional holders). In cases in which a refund of
subscription is authorised by the General Post Office, the amount refunded will
be for an unbroken quarter or a multiple of such.

(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.) A bag held by a single holder must only contain correspondence for persons
connected with his establishment or persons who may be in his employment;
and it must be distinctly understood that such holder is responsible for the
postage of all unpaid letters, and for returning receipts for all those which may be
registered. The same restrictions and conditions apply in the case of a bag held
by several persons as prescribed in section 14, subsection (a) above.

15. 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 in the 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 infor-
   mation 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 is 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.