JU
TAXES HONUNNUGVUL
No. 11.
(MEN1 GAZETTE, 14TH JANUARY, 1879. -
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Copy of a Postal Convention between the Governments of the Colonies of Queensland and Hongkong, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 13th January, 1880.
W. H. MARSH,
Colonial Secretary.
POSTAL CONVENTION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE COLONIES OF QUEENSLAND AND HONGKONG.
The Government of the Colony of Queensland and the Government of the Colony of Hongkong being desirous of establishing and maintaining an exchange of mails between Brisbane on the one hand, and Hongkong on the other hand, the undersigned, being thereunto duly authorised by their respective Governinents, have agreed upon the following articles.
ARTICLE I.
There shall be a direct exchange of mails between the Post Office of Queensland on the one part,. and the Post Office of Hongkong on the other part, comprising letters, newspapers, prices current, book packets, and packets of samples originating in the Australian Colonies, Tasmania and New Zea land, and addressed to Hongkong or to the Treaty Ports of China or Japan, or originating in Hong- kong or in the aforesaid Ports of China or Japan, and addressed to the Australian Colonies, Tasmania and New Zealand.
These Mails shall be conveyed, unless otherwise arranged between the Governinents of the said Colonies, by the Eastern and Australian Line of steamers, or by the Line of Mail Packets for the time being plying between Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville, Thursday Island, and such other Queens- land Ports as may be mutually agreed upon and Singapore, and by such line of steamers between Singapore and Hongkong as shall be approved of by the respective Post Departments of the countries
concerned.
The term Hongkong wheresoever used in this Convention shall, unless the context should limit its meaning, be taken to include all places at which the Post Office of Hongkong maintains Offices or Agencies.
ARTICLE II.
The postage to be collected in Queensland on paid correspondence addressed to Hongkong shall be, on letters, six pence (6d.) per oz.; on newspapers and prices current, one penny each; on book packets and packets of samples, two pence per 2 ozs.
The postage to be collected in Hongkong upon paid correspondence addressed to the Australian Colonics, Tasmania and New Zealand shall be the same as that collected in Queensland, viz.: on letters sixpence (6d.) per oz.; on newspapers and prices current, one penny each; cn book packets and packets of samples twopence per 2 ozs.
The correspondence thus paid, and forwarded from Queensland to Hongkong, and from Hongkong to Queensland, shall be delivered in Hongkong and Queensland respectively free of all charge what- soever, and correspondence received in Queensland from Hongkong, addressed to the other Colonies of Australia, Tasmania or New Zealand, will be forwarded to destination subject to the same conditions as are applicable to correspondence originating in Queensland and addressed to those countries.
Letters or packets posted in either Colony insufficiently paid shall, if bearing at least a single rate of postage, be for varded, and shall be charged at the place of destination with the postage deficient and a single rate of postage as a fine.
ARTICLE III.
Every letter, newspaper, price current, book packet or packet of samples addressed to Hongkong from Queensland or the other Australian Colonies, Tasmania or New Zealand, viâ Queensland, shall be delivered free of charge without any claim on the part of the General Post Office of Hongkong against the General Post Office of Queensland; but on all letters despatched from Hongkong to Queensland, or the other Australian Colonies, Tasmania or New Zealand, viâ Queensland, the General Post Office of Queensland shall be credited 8 cents or four pence the oz. and 4 cents or twopence per 4 ozs. on book packets or packets of samples despatched to Queensland and the other Australian Colonies, Tasmania and New Zealand, viâ Queensland.
The postage and fine charged on insufficiently paid letters and packets shall be retained by the office delivering them. The fee for registering any letter shall be retained by the Registering Office.
ARTICLE IV.
Every insufficiently paid letter or packet shall be plainly marked with the words Insufficiently paid, and every letter or packet, whether fully paid or not, shall bear the Date Stamp of the Office at which it was posted.
ARTICLE V.
Dead letters which cannot be delivered from whatever cause shall be mutually returned without charge, monthly, or as frequently as the Regulations of the respective Offices will permit.