APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1153

for return to the senders unopened when the covers clearly indicate by whom they are sent. In forwarding such unclaimed registered letters to the Dead Letter Office particulars of office of origin and number of registration label are to be advised on lists or on the back of returned letter-bills. Such letters should be tied in bundles and arranged as directed in Rule 589. Otherwise the “special-request” rules are to operate as shown in the Guide.

592. Postmasters must cause frequent visits to be made to hotels, shipping companies’ offices, and other agencies, for the purpose of examining undelivered letters, telegrams, packets, and newspapers, and of returning such as have remained undelivered beyond the time prescribed by regulations for remaining at post-offices, or of forwarding any of them to specific addresses known to the officers. Of course, only such letters are to be recovered as may be agreed to be returned or given up by the hotel-proprietors, &c., except those that have lain the full time prescribed by the Act. Letters which cannot be delivered must be treated as unclaimed, and forwarded to the Dead Letter Office. A record is to be kept of the date of each visit. See Rule 562, and section 23 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, here reprinted as follows:—

“23. (1.) Every postal packet addressed to any person at any premises licensed under the Licensing Act, 1908, or at any shipping office, or public or private lodginghouse, and delivered to or received by the licensee of such premises, or the person apparently in charge of such office or lodginghouse, or any one acting as the agent or servant of any such licensee or person, shall be deemed to be under the control of the Postmaster-General until delivered to the person to whom the same is addressed.

“(2.) If the same is not so delivered within two months after the receipt thereof by or on behalf of such licensee or other person as aforesaid, and if instructions to the contrary are not received from the person to whom the same is addressed, the licensee or other person as aforesaid shall return the same to the nearest post-office, with the reasons therefor.

“(3.) Every such postal packet shall be transmitted to the Dead Letter Office, and shall be there dealt with as undelivered.

“(4.) If any such licensee or other person as aforesaid omits or fails to return any such postal packet as aforesaid, he is liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.

“(5.) This section shall extend and apply to telegrams transmitted by electric telegraph.”

593. All lists of articles received without addresses or in damaged covers are to be made out on form P.O. 69 in triplicate. One copy should be exhibited to the public, and the second copy forwarded to the Inspector of Post-offices by first mail. The third copy is to be retained at the local office for one clear month, when it should be sent to the Dead Letter Office with the relative articles. Any entries relating to articles which have been delivered during the month must be clearly struck out. If the sender of any such article can be identified, he is first to be communicated with. Newspapers, unless illustrated or bearing a special request, are to be kept at chief offices for reference and delivery, but if not applied for within one month in the case of newspapers posted in New Zealand, and in the case of those received from abroad for the same period as unclaimed letters, they are to be destroyed. Unclaimed illustrated and special-request papers and magazines must be sent to the Dead Letter Office at the expiration of three clear months, except unclaimed special-request newspapers received from places beyond New Zealand, which must be sent to the Dead Letter Office at the end of the prescribed period. This rule is to be read as applying to unclaimed newspapers, both addressed and unaddressed. (See Rule 466.)