HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE
REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE
Registration
413
128. The ordinary registration fee for each letter or other postal packet is 10 cents. 129.-Every description of paid correspondence may be registered except such as is addressed in pencil, or is addressed to initials or fictitious names, or is not properly fastened and secured.
130.--The sender of any registered article inay obtain any acknowledgment of its delivery to the addressee by paying in advance at the time of posting a fee of 10 cents in addition to the postage and registration fce. The sender must enter in the form provided for the purpose both his own name and address and the name and address of the person to whom the packet is sent, and he must also affix to the form a stamp or stamps of the value of 10 cents in payment of the fee.
131.-Letters are accepted for registration at the General Post Office and at the District Offices.
132. Every article to be registered must be given to an officer or agent of the Post Office and a receipt obtained for it. It should bear the name and address of the sender on the lower left-hand corner of the face of the cover.
133.-If an article bearing the word "Registered" or any other word, phrase, or mark to the like effect, or a Registration cnvelope intended by the sender to go forward as an ordinary letter, be dropped into a letter box it will, if directed to any place at which delivery can be made by Hongkong or its Agencies, be compulsorily registered and charged on delivery with a registration fee of 20 cents.
134.-Officers employed in the Registration Department are forbidden to address registered mail matter, to enclose it in the envelope, seal it, or affix the stamps.
135.-Letters, etc., bearing on the outside a declaration of the value of the contents cannot be transmitted by post to places abroad unless they are insured.
136.—All registered letters or packets on being redirected must be taken back to the Registration Department to be dealt with as registered, and must not be dropped into a letter-box as ordinary letters or packets. If brought later than the day (Sundays and public holidays not being counted) after delivery, a fresh registration fee as well as fresh postage will be required.
Compensation, etc.
137. The Postmaster-General is not legally responsible for the safe delivery of registered correspondence, but will be prepared to make good the value of such correspondence if lost while passing through the Post, to the extent of 50 francs in certain cases, provided :—
(a) That the sender duly observed all the conditions of registration.
(b) That the correspondence was secured in a reasonably strong envelope. (c) That application was made to the Postmaster-General immediately the loss.
was discovered, and within a year at the most from the date of posting such correspondence.
(d) That the Postmaster-General is satisfied the loss occurred whilst the corre- spondence was in the custody of the Hongkong Postal Administration that it was not caused by any fault on the part of the sender; by destruction by fire or shipwreck, nor by the dishonesty or negli- gence of any person not in the employment of the Hongkong Post Office.
138. No compensation can be paid for mere damage to fragile articles such as portraits, watches, handsomely-bound books, etc., which reach their destination, although in a broken or deteriorated condition; nor on account of alleged losses of the contents of registered covers which safely reached their destinations, nor on account of any article for which the addressee has signed a receipt.
139. The above two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis to registered articles which are lost whilst in the custody of other administrations which are parties to the Postal Union (see Appendix I).
140.-The Post Office declines all responsibility for unregistered letters containing bank notes, or jewellery, and where registration has been neglected will made no enquiries into alleged losses of such letters.