52 Delivery
POSTE RESTANTE
All postal packets superscribed "To be kept till called for" "To await arrival", or in any other similar manner, and also those addressed "Post Office", without any other address are held to fall under the head "Poste Restante". The public are requested to note carefully the rules governing the Poste Restante.
The Poste Restante being intended solely for the accommodation of strangers and travellers who have no permanent abode in the Colony; postal packets for residents must not be addressed to the Post Office to be called for, nor will postal packets be kept in the Poste Restante longer than two weeks in the case of a postal packet posted in the Colony and two months in the case of a postal packet posted in any place outside the Colony; provided that the Postmaster General may extend either of these periods in any particular case.
Postal packets addressed to initials, or to fictitious names, or to a Christian name without a surname, are not accepted for Poste Restante, but are at once sent to the Returned Letter Office for disposal.
All persons applying for letters at the Poste Restante counters must furnish the particulars required to ensure proper delivery. If the addressee does not apply in person, his messenger must be furnished with the required information and must produce written authority to receive the correspondence. If a foreigner, the applicant must produce his passport or other credentials.
In the service to Belgium, France and Spain, parcels are delivered by the railway companies, and not by the Post Office, and parcels intended to be called for should be addressed to a railway station En Gare and not to be a Poste Restante.
The Post Office reserves the right to suspend delivery of correspondence to callers at post offices and the service for delivery at another address when postal deliveries are suspended generally.
PRIVATE POST OFFICE BOXES
Private post office boxes may be rented at the Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, and Wanchai Post Offices on the Island or at the Post Offices of Kowloon, Shamshuipo, Shatin, Taipo, Tsuen Wan, and Yuen Long. The rental charge for a large box is $36.00 a year (1st January to 31st December) and $24.00 for a small box. Rentals are payable in advance and any portion of a calendar quarter is considered as a full quarter.
When a box is let two keys are supplied, one of which is handed to the renter and for which a deposit charge of $5.00 is made; this deposit is returned when the box and the key are surrendered. Additional keys will be supplied by the Department at a cost of $2.00 each; if the renter loses his key a new lock key may be fitted to the box for which a charge of $3.00 will be made.
The transfer of a box from one person to another or the sharing of a box, is subject to the approval of the Postmaster General and will only be considered in case of bona fide changes of business or title or other sufficient reason.
A private box may not be rented in a fictitious name or for an improper purpose. The Postmaster General may refuse to let or re-let a box to any person without assigning any reason for such refusal.
The hours of access to private boxes may be varied at any time by the Postmaster General.
Correspondence for renters of boxes must show the number of the box as part of the address otherwise it will fall into the normal delivery. Delivery into a private box is in all respects equivalent to personal delivery to the addressee.
PRIVATE POST OFFICE BAGS
Each private bag must be provided by and at the cost of the person desiring the facility, and is subject to the approval of the Department. It may be used for delivery, posting or both purposes. The fee for a private bag service is $24.00 a year (1st