THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 26TH APRIL, 1884.
11. The Postmaster General may, subject to such Treaty as aforesaid, from time to time, make, alter, und repcal, in relation to correspondence sent by post, such regulations us he thinks fit for regulating times and modes of posting and delivery, prepayment, late fees, fines on unpaid correspondence, the registry of correspondence, money orders, the sale and affixing of postage stamps, the dimensions, weight, and contents of packets, and other such similar regulations as the Postmaster General from time to time thinks accessary for the better execution of this Ordinance.
All such regulations as affect the public shall be approved by the Governor in Council and published in the Gazette, or in the Postal Guide published by the Postmaster General, and shall have no effect until so published..
12. If a question arises whether any article or cor- respondence is a letter, or whether any publication is a newspaper or a supplement, or whether any packet is a book packet or pattern or sample packet, within the meaning of this Ordinance, or of any order in Council, or regulations made thereunder, the decision thereon of the Postmaster General shall be final, provided that the Governor may, if he thinks fit, on the application of any person interested, reverse or modify such decision, and order accordingly.
13. All correspondence which arrives in this Colony fully paid according to the rates in force for the time being shall be delivered or transmitted from the Post Office without further charge.
14. All letters received or sent by sailors or soldiers of Her Majesty's sea or land forces shall be charged with such reduction in the rates of postage as is allowed to them by any Act of the Imperial Parliament.
15. The Governor may, from time to time, provide proper postage stamps and proper dies and other imple- ments for denoting, by adhesive stamps or otherwise, the rates of postage payable under this Ordinance, or any regulation thereunder.
16. The Postmaster General may if necessary open and if possible return to the sender:-
(1) Any correspondence upon which the prepayment of postage is compulsory, and which cannot be sent unpaid by any other route, and upon which the proper postage has not been paid.
(2) Any correspondence which is returned to the General Post Office for want of a proper address, or from inability to find the person to whom it is addressed, and which remains unclaimed for ten days after being advertised in the Gazette. 17. When any packet is delivered to the Post Office and has thereby become liable to postage, and evidence is adduced to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General that such packet has been delivered to the Post Office by mis- tako, the Postmaster General may cause such packet to be opened in the presence of an officer of the Post Office, and may return the same without charge to the person interested; unless such packet is found to contain any letter or manu- script liable to postage; in which case the Postmaster General shall retain the packet until he is paid the full rate of postage chargeable upon such letter or manuscript.
18. After any correspondence has been delivered to the Post Office, no person employed by or under the Post Office shall, except in the cases above mentioned, open the same, or return the same to any person, or procure or suffer the same to be opened or returned, unless he is authorised by express warrant in writing under the hand of the Governor, or the British Consul at the port.
The Governor, or the British Consul at the port, may, at his discretion, grant such warrants for opening or returning any specified letter or other article of correspondence,
Despatch and Receipt of Mails,
19. Every master of a vessel, shall, immediately on arrival, and before reporting at the Harbour Office, deliver to the Post Office all letter bags and correspondence on board, except such as are exempt by law, and shall make the declaration contained in the sebedule C' hereto annexed before an officer of the Post Office,
The PostmRS- ter General my make regulations.
Decision as to newspapers, packets, &c.
Paid corres- pondence to be delivered ar transmitted without further charge
Seamen's and Soldiers' letters.
Dies, &c. for postage stamps.
Opening let.
ters.
Unpaid letters,
Dead letters.
Postage may be remitted on packers not contalning letters if sent in mistake.
Warrants for opening or returning cor- respondence.
Delivery of mails.
335