388
HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE
137.—When a Money Order is presented for payment at the office upon which it is drawn, the Postmaster will use all proper means to assure himself that the applicant is the person named and intended in the advice or is the endorsee of the letter, and upon payment of the order care must be taken to obtain the signature of the payee or of the person authorized by him to receive payment to the receipt on the face of the order.
138.--When a Money Order has been lost by either remitter or payee a duplicate thereof will be issued by the paying office on payment of a second commission; and when a remitter desires to correct any error in an order obtained by him such correc- tion may be made on payment of a second commission. Application for either of the above purposes should be made in writing to the Postmaster-General.
139.-The remitter of a local order may request at the time of issue or subsequently that the order be crossed like a cheque. thus, " & Co." in order that it may be paid only through a bank. In the case of crossed orders the remitter may at his pleasure give or withhold the payee's name or description.
140.-If the payce is unable to write he must sign the receipt by making his mark, to be witnessed in writing by some one known to the Postmaster but unconnected with the Post Office. The witness should sign his name with his address in the presence of the Postmaster, and the latter will then certify the payment by adding his own initials. In no case should the Postmaster act as witness himself. It is not necessary that the witness should be personally acquainted with the payee.
141. After once paying a Money Order, by whomsoever presented, provided the required information has been given by the party who presented it, the Department will not hold itself liable to any further claim.
142.--The Commission to be charged on the issue of Money Orders payable in Hongkong and the Agencies in China will be one cent per dollar or fraction of a dollar with a minimum charge of five cents.
143.- An order remaining unpaid after one year from date of issue-(i.e., issued in January, but unpaid at the end of the following January)--is considered as void and lapsed to Government and will not be paid unless satisfactory explanation as to the cause of delay in presenting it for payment can be furnished to the Postmaster-General, who alone can authorize such payment. A second commission will be payable on any such payment.
POSTAL NOTES.
144.- Local Postal Notes shall be for one of the following amounts, payable within six months, issued and paid at the General Post Office, Hongkong, and at the several British Postal Agencies, and in respect thereof the Commission payable shall be:--
Commission.
Amount.
25 cents
50
$1.00
2.00
Commission. 1 cent
1
""
2 4
""
Amount.
$3.00
4.00
5.00
10.00
6 cents 8
10
37
20
""
145. In addition to the above commission on Postal Orders issued at the General Post Office, Hongkong, Hoihow, Canton, Swatow, Amoy and Foochow payable at Shanghai, Ningpo, Hankow, Liu Kung Tau and Chefoo, a further charge at current rates is made to cover the difference between chopped and clean dollars.
146.-Broken amounts, but not less than two cents, may be made up by the use of Hongkong postage stamps not exceeding 10 cents in value affixed to the face of any one Postal Order. Perforated stamps cannot be accepted for this purpose.
147. The office issuing any Postal Note shall fill in the name of the port where it is payable. The purchaser may, before parting with the order, fill in the name of the Payee. 148.--Every person to whom a Postal Order is issued should keep a record of the number, date and name of office of issue, to facilitate enquiry if the Order should be lost, and should register the letter in which it is forwarded.
149.-If a Postal Note be lost or destroyed no duplicate thereof can be issued. This regulation cannot be departed from in any case whatever, for the reason that every Postal Note is payable to bearer and that no specified person can therefore satisfactorily establish the fact of his ownership in a lost Order which is not filled in, and which, if found at any time, would be payable to bearer.
150.--If a Postal Order be crossed
& Co. payment will only be made
through a Banker, and if the name of a Banker is added payment will only be made through that Banker.
151.-After a Postal Order has once been paid, to whomsoever it is paid, the Government will not be liable for any further claim.