20
HONG KONG POSTAL GUIDE
101.-Unpaid and underpaid correspondence is delivered to boxholders and the deficit charged monthly. As a rule no details of this account can be given and it is advised that the covers of all unpaid correspondence should be filed in order to check the amount claimed.
102.-Correspondence cannot be stamped at the Post Office and charged to a boxholder's account. Boxholder's accounts are sent out for settlement on the first day of the month. If not settled promptly the box is liable to be closed.
Certificates of Posting.
108.-The Post Office will give a certificate of posting for an ordinary letter, to assure the sender that his correspondence has not been stolen on the way to the Post. The conditions under which the certificate will be given are
as follows:~~
(1) The certificate of posting written in ink must be presented to an officer on duty at the Post Office together with the article to be posted during the hours which the Post Office is open to the public. (2) The certificate must contain an exact copy of the address on the article to which it relates and must have a postage stamp value one cent affixed thereto.
(3) The officer to whom the article and certificate are presented will compare the address on the article with the certificate, and if it be correct will obliterate the postage stamp and impress the date stamp on the certificate and return it to the person posting the article. (4) The granting of such certificate affords the public an assurance that letters and other articles entrusted to servants and messengers for posting have actually been posted, but implies no responsibility on the part of the Post Office if such articles be lost or damaged in transit.
104.-Certificates for the Reception of Mail Matter.
(a) Such certificates are issued to enable any person to have his mail
matter delivered to an accredited representative.
(b) The fee for each certificate is $2.00 for a year or part of a year. The certificate shall lapse on 31st December of the year in which it was issued unless renewed.
(c) On production of a certificate at the General Post Office the mail- matter covered thereby will be handed over, without the need of a chop, to the holder. All persons employing mail messengers are thus given extra security.
Miscellaneous.
105. The first duty of the Postmaster General is to deliver correspondence as addressed.
106.-Addresses on all classes of correspondence should be plainly written and complete. Chinese correspondence for Non-Chinese places should in all cases bear an English translation of the address.