2086

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 60

459. Every article reposted which is not believed to be legitimately readdressed must be specially brought under notice. Postmasters should invariably endeavour to satisfy themselves as to the reasons for such reposting, make prompt inquiry in cases of apparent irregularity, make a suitable inscription on such articles, and report any case which appears to require special notice. Any letter which appears to have been opened before being redirected and reposted is to be charged with additional postage as an unpaid letter.

460. Articles prepaid in cash redirected to places beyond Australia and New Zealand may have the postage affixed in stamps by Chief Postmasters, who will claim the amount on form Acct. 99, altered to suit the case. As the agreement between Australia and New Zealand covers delivery of articles impressed with the “Paid” stamp, all that will be necessary in the case of such articles readdressed to places within the Commonwealth will be to impress the “Paid” stamp with the date of redirection.

UNCLAIMED AND RETURNED LETTERS, ETC.

461. (a.) At sub-offices at which postmen are employed a dead-letter mail for the chief office must be made up every Monday morning, and at other sub-offices at the beginning of each month. At Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington a mail for the Dead Letter Office must be made up on Mondays and Thursdays of each week, and at other chief offices every Monday morning. In each case the dead-letter mail is to include all letters, letter-cards, and packets that have remained unclaimed for the periods specified in Rules 465 and 469.

(b.) Unclaimed ordinary articles sent from sub-offices to chief offices are to be enclosed in the dead-letter envelope provided for the purpose, and unclaimed registered articles are to be sent as registered in the ordinary mail and entered on the letter-bill. The dead-letter mail is to be entered on the letter-bill in the space provided, and officers at chief offices are to report any failure at sub-offices to observe this requirement. Chief Postmasters will send to sub-offices the dead-letter envelopes at the end of each month. For dead-letter mails from chief post-offices to the Dead Letter Office the special bags provided for the purpose must be used, and the mails must be registered. The number of bags comprised in the dead-letter mail must be entered on the Returned Letter-bill.

(c.) In preparing a mail for the Dead Letter Office, letters originating beyond New Zealand are to be kept separate from those originating within New Zealand, and the letters must be arranged in alphabetical order of the surnames of the addressees. In the case of registered articles the surname of the addressee must be entered on the registered-letter list in addition to the serial number and office of origin.

462. When letters, &c., are returned from sub-offices they should be carefully examined by the Chief Postmaster, or other experienced officer whom he may depute for the duty, in order to see that they have been kept the prescribed period, and have been dealt with in every respect according to rule. Every irregularity observed should be brought under the notice of the Postmaster at fault.

463. The personal attention of Chief Postmasters is to be given to the return of “special-request articles” as described in the Guide. Such articles, if unclaimed, are to be returned at the expiration of the period specified on the covers. If a period for