Aug. 8.]

729. Contingencies such as lighterage, handling mails, and harbour services generally should be prepared on form Acct. 129; and, if of an exceptional nature, sent to the Secretary for approval.

730. Gratuitities.--Gratuitities are payable to masters or owners of vessels for carriage of mails shipped by such vessels. Postmasters are enjoined to use every endeavour to prevent gratuity being paid on letters sent forward to an office for transmission beyond that office. For example, the gratuity on forward letters on the Wellington office should not be paid by the office of origin or despatch, but by Wellington.

731. When any service in the carriage of ocean mails is not completed by the master of the vessel to which such mails are delivered at the post-office of despatch, the gratuity for the conveyance of the mails must be equally divided between the masters of the vessels on which such mails are conveyed to the office of destination.

732. Particulars of mails are to be kept in the special book supplied to Chief Postmasters and all seaport Postmasters in order to facilitate the determination of the amount of gratuity earned by each steamer.

733. (a.) The following are the rates payable as gratuitities on ship mails per non-contract vessels:

(1.) On letters for delivery beyond New Zealand, per pound ... £ s. d. ... 0 2 0
(2.) On printed matter for delivery beyond New Zealand, per ton ... 1 10 0
(3.) On bags or packets containing mail-matter for delivery within New Zealand (except within harbour limits as hereinafter mentioned)--

(1.) For steamers running daily between Wellington and Lyttelton in accordance with a regular time-table in conjunction with express trains, per cubic ton ... 1 13 6
(2.) For all other steamers, each bag or package, for each shipment ... 0 1 4
(4.) On bags or packages for delivery within New Zealand within limits of harbour in which post-offices of despatch and receipt are situated, each bag or package, for each shipment ... 0 0 4

Returned empty mail-bags, for transmission by steamer within the Dominion, should be paid for at the gratuity rates applicable to bags containing mail-matter. The number of bags of empties should be kept at a minimum.

(b.) The following are the rates payable as gratuitities for the conveyance of parcels:

Within New Zealand, per pound ... 0 0½
Wellington-Lyttelton ferry service, per cubic ton ... 16 0
Empty hampers, per cubic ton ... 5 0
(c.) Official letters are to be included in the weight of printed matter.

734. Payment of gratuitities for parcels carried by steamers of the Union, Huddart-Parker, Northern, and Anchor steamship companies is arranged by the Controller of Accounts. Weight-dockets are not required.

735. Officers are particularly cautioned against paying any claims for carriage of parcels addressed to or received from places beyond the Dominion.

736. (a.) At the end of each month returns are to be prepared by Chief Postmasters, on form Acct. 107, and forwarded to the Controller of Accounts, showing the particulars of all mails conveyed from ports in their respective districts to port of destination by steamers on which they are first shipped of the Union Steam Ship Company. The correspondence carried by each steamer

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THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.