HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE
489
Possessions and Foreign Countries, the Postmaster-General will endeavour to obtain compensation for the senders under similar regulations. But in the Parcel Post with France and some other countries the compensation payable in the case of parcels not weighing more than 7 b. is limited to 15 francs.
166.-No compensation is payable for the loss or damage of an uninsured parcel sent to or from any British possession or Foreign country other than those mentioned above.
Customs Declarations
167.-Parcels are subject to Customs regulations, and the sender of each parcel is required to make for Customs purposes-upon a special form or forms, which can be obtained at any Post Office-an accurate statement of the nature and value of the contents and other particulars. Undervaluing the contents or failure to describe them fully may result in seizure of the parcels. The net weight or quantity of the various articles contained in a parcel should, if possible, be stated, and any other particulars which would facilitate the assessment of Customs duty; such as, in the case of clothing, the material of which it is composed, and whether it is new or has been worn, In the case of articles returned to the country where they originated the fact should be stated. The forms for Foreign parcels should, when possible, be filled up in both English and French.
168.-All parcels are liable to be opened for Customs examination, and their con- tents are subject to Customs duty according to the laws of the country or colony of destination. Such duty cannot be prepaid, but is collected from the addressee on delivery, except in the case of parcels sent under the arrangements explained in Rule 170. In most Foreign countries and British colonies the articles which are not subject to Customs duty on importation are comparatively few. The Post Office can give no information as to the Customs tariff or procedure of particular countries, nor does it accept any responsibility for loss, delay, or charges arising from the Customs or sanitary regulations to which the contents of parcels are subject.
169. In addition to Customs duty, a charge of 6d. per parcel for stamp duty clearance, etc., is levied on all dutiable parcels entering Cape Colony and Natal. This charge is increased to 18. Gd. in the case of parcels for Rhodesia" and Orange River Colony. In most European countries and some others a fee not exceeding 24d. per parcel is leviable for delivery and Customs formalities. In Honduras and Salvador the fee is 1 centavo for each 4 oz., with a minimum of 5 centavos. As to the -charge on parcels for the Congo Free State, see footnote in Table of Postage, Appendix
III.
Prepayment of Duty
170.-Arrangements have been made whereby persons sending parcels to the under, mentioned countries and places can take upon themselves the payment of the Customs and other charges ordinarily payable by the addressees :---
Malta.
Antigua, Barbados.
Falkland Islands. Lagos.
Gambia.
Cyprus.
Grenada.
Dominica.
Algeria.
Dahomey.
Austria-Hungary. Denmark,
Belgium.
France.
Comoro Islands. Germany.
British Possessions
Sierra Leone. St. Kitts.
St. Vincent
(West Indies), Tobago Tortola
Natal,
Nevis.
Montserrat.
Seychelles.
St. Lucia.
Foreign Countries
Guadeloupe.
Luxemburg.
New Caledonia.
Sénégal.
Holland.
Madagascar.
Norway.
Sweden.
Martinique..
Obock.
Montenegro.
Ivory Coast. Italy.
Reunion.
Switzerland.
171.-The sender must pay a fee of 25 cents, must sign an undertaking to pay on demand the amount due, and must make a deposit on account of the charges at the rate of 25 per cent. of the value of the parcel. A final settlement will take place as soon as the amount of the charges due has been ascertained from the country of destination.
172.-As regards the United Kingdom customs charges are at the rate of 25 cents per lb. for tea and $4.00 per lb. for cigars (gross weight of parcels). On receipt of account from London any balance of deposit made by the sender will be refunded.
Parcels for U. S. 4,
173.-The following rules apply to the exchange of Parcel Post with the United States when Parcels are posted to be sent via London :—-
(a) The charges payable on parcels for the United States are partly postal and
partly non-postal.
(6) The non-postal charges which must be paid in advance are as follows:—(1) 60 cents on every parcel, due to the American Express Co. for Customs clearance and formalities, and (2) 60 cents in respect of the charges