2034

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 60

and black obliterating-ink. Should a reply-coupon issued in another
country which has not been date-stamped by the issuing office, or
has been wrongly date-stamped in the space provided for the date-
stamp of the office of exchange, be presented, the coupon should
nevertheless be accepted, and, in the case where wrongly stamped,
date-stamped by the exchange office on the proper side, under or
above the proper space. But coupons issued in the Argentine
Republic and Italy which do not bear the date-stamp impression
of the issuing office must not be accepted. Coupons issued in the
Argentine Republic and Italy must, therefore, when presented, be
carefully examined; and if the date-stamp impression of the issuing
office is missing the coupon must be handed back to the person
presenting it, with the advice that he communicate with his corres-
pondent for rectification of the irregularity. Any coupon bearing
evidence of having been issued in a country other than that the
name of which is printed at the foot of the coupon must not be
accepted.

223. (a.) Discount-stamps are of one denomination only -
     namely, ¼d.-and are printed in sheets containing 240 stamps in
     each sheet. (See Rule 799 (b).) Discount-stamps will be redeemed
     at their face value as set out in Rule 800.

(b.) Discount-stamps are not permitted to be used in prepay-
ment of postage. No such stamps are to be cancelled if attached
to letters by the public. If through any oversight a discount-
stamp is obliterated, the stamp must be written across in red ink,
"Date-stamped in error; not a postage-stamp," and the ink allowed
to soak well into the stamp. The letter itself should be treated
as unpaid or short-paid if sufficient postage, irrespective of the value
of the discount-stamps, has not been affixed.

224. (a.) Under the Stamp Duties Act, 1908, every person who
     fraudulently removes or causes to be removed from any instrument
     (which includes any written document) any adhesive stamp, or
     affixes any adhesive stamp which has been so removed to any
     other instrument, with intent that such stamp may be used again,
     or sells or offers for sale or utters any adhesive stamp which has
     been so removed, or utters any instrument having thereon any
     adhesive stamp which has to his knowledge been so removed as
     aforesaid, is liable to a fine of £20. Officers are warned against
     accepting such stamps.

(b.) Stamps cut from letter-cards, post-cards, newspaper-wrappers,
registered-letter envelopes, or embossed envelopes may be used for
postage, but not for any purpose under the Stamp Duties Act,
1908. (See Guide.)

225. Defaced and undefaced postage-stamps, not the property
     of the Postmaster, found loose in a post-office must be attached to
     a sheet of paper and sent to the Dead Letter Office monthly,
     marked "Postage-stamps from _____."

226. (a.) The stamps on newly posted letters, &c., should be fre-
     quently examined for the purpose of ascertaining that they have
     not been previously used and are not forged or joined.

· (b.) If a letter for delivery within New Zealand is observed
bearing either a used postage-stamp or one joined—that is, in
separate pieces placed to look like one—the Postmaster should
report the circumstance to the Chief Postmaster, and at the same
time request the delivering Postmaster to arrange for the special
delivery of the letter, and to obtain the cover and the name and
address of the sender (see section 31, P. and T. Act, 1908).
The Chief Postmaster should then call upon the sender for an
explanation, reference being made to section 87 of the Post and
Telegraph Act, 1908. The explanation, when received, is to be
forwarded to the Secretary, together with the Chief Postmaster's