APRIL 3.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1191

parcel Record. Labels must be so placed that they cannot conceal injuries to the cover, and should not be folded over two sides of the cover so as to hide the edges.

875. A hand-to-hand check must be kept of all insured parcels. Those for delivery within New Zealand should be advised in the same manner as registered parcels on list P.P. P., sub-office letter-bills, and Registered-letter Delivery-books, but the initials “I.P.” should be written opposite the entry. Delivering officers must be particularly careful to obtain receipts from addressees in the same way as for registered letters, and to indorse the receipts “Insured for £ [amount].” Insured parcels received from abroad need not be listed as registered to offices of destination, as the transfer certificates accompanying them should afford the needful check in transmission.

876. Insured parcels for places abroad should be advised to terminal offices making up parcel-mails for foreign exchange offices (Invercargill, for Ceylon, India, and Straits Settlements; Wellington, Auckland, or Christchurch, for the United Kingdom and countries beyond) the same as inland registered parcels. Insured parcels if entered on a special sheet should be totalled and transferred to the final sheet of the ordinary parcel-bill and embodied with the totals of ordinary parcels.

877. The additional postage-rates to be credited to London, Ceylon, India, Straits Settlements, and Hong Kong on insured parcels outward will be found in the transit table.

878. Officers handling insured parcels are required to give special attention to their care and disposal. A careful examination of every parcel as to its condition should be made before delivery or despatch, and any appearance of damage or tampering brought under the notice of the Postmaster, who will report the case, through the Chief Postmaster, to the Inspector of Post-offices. In case of damage, a special note should also be made opposite the entry, and initialled by two officers.

879. Insured parcels should in all cases be packed with special care in suitable receptacles.

880. Should the contents of an insured parcel become lost or damaged owing to neglect or carelessness, the officer at fault may be required to bear the whole or a portion of the amount of compensation payable in respect thereof, as may be determined by the Postmaster-General.

881. Acknowledgments of delivery may be obtained or given for insured parcels despatched to or received from the United Kingdom, under the same conditions as for registered letters. The fee in respect of such acknowledgments of delivery will be 2½d., and will be payable whether the request for acknowledgment is made at the time of posting or subsequently. These acknowledgments are to be dealt with in the same way as acknowledgments of delivery of registered letters, and all inquiries relating to insured parcels must be accompanied by an A.R. form duly stamped.

PARCEL-FRANKING SYSTEM.

882. The payment of Customs and other charges on parcels addressed to the Australian States and Papua may be guaranteed by the sender, who must pay a fee of 6d. and a deposit of 1s. for every 4s. or fraction of 4s. of the declared value of the parcel, and sign an agreement (C. & F. P.P. 31) to pay the balance of any charges which may be levied on the parcel. A final settlement will take place when the amount due has been notified by Australia. An agreement to pay charges under this arrangement must not be accepted when the sender is only a