APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1187

833. Surplus hampers and parcel-boxes from places outside New Zealand are to be returned to offices of origin by first parcel-mail after receipt, as many as necessary being used for enclosing parcels. Hampers and boxes must not be returned in any other way than through one of the offices making up direct parcel-mails for the country of origin.

834. All hampers and boxes from foreign countries sent from one New Zealand office to another for return to the country of origin must be advised on form C. & F. P.P. 20. The offices making up direct foreign parcel-mails will send the advices to the Inspector of Post-offices at the end of each month. A list of hampers so sent forward should be kept by the forwarding office.

835. Chief Postmasters at despatching offices will return parcel-receptacles by first mail to country of origin. Returned empties should be, as far as possible, packed one within another. The weight of empty receptacles should be included in the advice of gross weight and tare in parcel-bills to London. In returning empty boxes to London, not more than an average number is to be sent by any one steamer. Empty boxes need not be sealed.

836. At Wellington a number of boxes will be received by each parcel-mail from London marked “Not to be returned.” These boxes are to be forwarded as soon as possible to the Controller of Stores, with a memorandum giving full particulars of the mail by which they were received and also the number received.

ARRIVAL OF FOREIGN PARCEL-MAILS.

837. Parcel-mails must be subjected to the same scrutiny as ordinary mails.

838. Parcels must be carefully unpacked, one by one, and checked with the parcel-bill; and if any parcel be found open, or in a torn or injured condition, it must be refastened, sealed with the official seal or by means of one of the labels provided for securing open letters, and initialled by the officer affixing the seal or label. The circumstance should be reported.

839. Parcel-mails made up in London are divided as follows:—

Parcel-mail for Contains Parcels for Postal Districts of

Auckland .. Auckland, Thames.
Christchurch .. Christchurch, Timaru.
Dunedin .. Dunedin, Oamaru, Invercargill.
Wellington .. Wellington, Wanganui, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Blenheim, Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika.

840. Parcel-lists are furnished in duplicate by the London office, and one copy will frequently arrive in advance of the mail. When the mail has been disposed of one copy is to be sent to the Inspector of Post-offices, and the other, on which the Customs duty has been assessed, to the Chief Accountant, General Post Office.

841. When intercolonial or foreign parcel-mails are opened at other offices than those to which they are addressed, the original parcel-bills should be sent to the Chief Accountant, G.P.O., and duplicates to the office of address. Parcel-bills are in all cases to be checked, signed, and date-stamped at the offices where they are opened. Offices of address, after having noted receipt of the parcel-mail at the opening-office, should send the bills to the Inspector of Post-offices by first opportunity.

842. Receiving officers must weigh the parcel-mails received from London, and enter the gross and net weights on the parcel-bill. The weights of ordinary and supplementary mails are not