Aug. 8.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2115

the acceptance of the parcel involves no risk or injury to any other
parcel or to any officer. In all such cases the officer who accepts
the parcel must attach the label, “Post Office accepts no risk.”
This label must also be attached to fragile parcels addressed to
places outside New Zealand, and in both cases the label should
be initialled by the sender or the person presenting the parcel.
(c.) The regulation requiring sharp instruments, liquids, and
semi-liquids, &c., to be securely packed so as to prevent all risk or
injury to other parcels or to officers of the Post Office must be strictly
enforced. A slight relaxation may be permitted, at the discretion
of officers, in the case of bottles of liquids for inland transmission.
(See Rule 605.)

604. (a.) Parcels containing perishable articles such as fish, fruit,
     flowers, &c., must have a special label, “Perishable,” affixed to the
     wrapper, and, except when paid for at express-transit rates, must
     also be labelled “Post Office accepts no risk.”
     (b.) Parcels with perishable contents may be destroyed on the
     authority of the Chief Postmaster immediately they become offensive ;
     but full particulars of the parcels should be furnished to the Secretary.
     The particulars of any parcel destroyed must also be entered in the
     Returned-parcel Record.

605. Parcels containing bottles of liquid, if very securely packed
     in corrugated straw-board, may be accepted for transmission by
     inland parcel-post on the distinct understanding that the sender
     is to accept not only the risk of the breakage of the parcel itself, but
     also the risk of being called upon to pay for any damage which
     might result through the liquid coming in contact with any other
     part of the mail or with any Postal officer. The sender of a parcel
     so packed must mark the parcel to show that it contains liquid,
     and must pay the “Fragile” fee. This authority is to be exercised
     at the discretion of officers. The regulations in regard to the packing
     of liquids are not altered, and the public are not to be informed of
     the discretion given to officers to accept parcels containing liquids
     not packed strictly in accordance with the regulations.

606. If a parcel, not fully prepaid, or exceeding the limit of
     weight or size, be left at a post-office without having been sub-
     mitted for proper examination, it is not to be forwarded, but should
     be entered in the Detained and Unclaimed Parcel Book, and a
     notice sent to the sender on form P.P. 15, or, if this be not practic-
     able, then to the addressee. If addressed to a place beyond New
     Zealand, except the Commonwealth of Australia, and if the sender
     be not known, the parcel should be forwarded to the Dead Letter
     Office for disposal. Such parcel, if within the limit of size and
     weight, may be forwarded on payment of the deficient postage, or
     returned on proper application being made. Parcels irregularly
     posted or insufficiently prepaid may be forwarded to any of the
     Australian States provided the senders are not known. Such parcels
     will be charged double the deficiency on delivery. An entry is to be
     made on the parcel-bill of so many rates as are fully prepaid, and the
     amount of tax shown in the “Remarks” column. Insufficiently
     prepaid parcels received from Australia are to be charged double
     deficiency on delivery, and entries should appear on parcel-bills in
     conformity with the above.

607. Parcels may be accepted from Government Departments
     subject to the usual conditions and rates of postage. The postage
     may be prepaid either with official or with ordinary postage-stamps.

608. Parcels not forwarded, or not delivered to the sender, or
     found without address, are to be sent to the Dead Letter Office for
     disposal.

609. Except as provided in Rules 442 and 473 (a), the rule for-
     bidding that a letter should be handed back to the sender applies
     equally to a parcel.