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HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE
Compensation
156.-The Postmaster-General may give compensation for the loss or damage of uninsured parcels sent by Parcels Post between Hongkong and the United Kingdo and the undermentioned British Possessions and Foreign Countries, when such loss or damage takes place while the parcels are in his custody, and does not arise from any fault or neglect of the senders or the nature of the contents:-
Ascension
Bahamas Barbados
British Guiana
British Honduras
Ceylon Cyprus
Argentine Republic Austria Azores
Egypt Falkland Is. Fed. Malay States Gambia
Gibraltar
Gold Coast Colony Grenada
Chile
British Possessions
India Jamaica
Leeward Islands Malta
Mauritius Newfoundland
Foreign Countries
France
French Possessions
of Germany Greece
Nigeria
North Borneo
St. Helena
St. Lucia St. Vincent Seychelles
Madeira Morrocco
(Br. Agencies)
Sierra Leone Somaliland
Protectorate
Straits Settlements
Tobago
Trinidad
Peru Roumania Salvador Spain Sweden Switzerland
ELTEL
Belgian Congo Belgium Bolivia Brazil
Cameroons
Cape Verd Islands
Cuba
Denmark
Dutch Possessions
Ecuador
Finland
Holland Italy Japan Liberia Libya
Nicaragua Norway Panama
Pers a
Portugal
Turkey Uruguay
Portuguese Possessions Venezuela
157.-The compensation payable for uninsured parcels will be in accordance with the regulations as regards insured parcels (Para. 188) so far as these are applic- able. The compensation paid will in no case exceed £1. In the case of parcels lost or damaged while under the control of the Post Office of the above-mentioned British 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 lbs. is limited to 15 francs.
158.-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
159. 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.
160.-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 162. 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.
161.---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 1s. 6d. 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.