THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 16TH DECEMBER, 1876.
(3.) On correspondence the gratuity on which is certified by
the despatching office to have been paid.
XXII. The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any Gratuities to master of a vessel leaving Hongkong on every article of corres- masters of ves- pondence delivered to such master from the Post Office, or certified sels outwards. by the Post Office of destination to have been duly received from
him.
XXIII. The
of the Governor in Council as defined and Rates of
regulated by send X and XI of this Ordinance, shall equally gratuity. apply to the rates of gratuity to be paid to ship masters for the delivery of malls, ether generally or in particular cases: Provided always, that the gratuities fed by any Order in Council under this section, shall not be on the average than the sums otherwise required by thisance, to be paid.
of mail.
XXIV. Every master of vessel who receives such gratuities, Damages for shall be held to have made a contract with the Postmaster General non-delivery that in consideration of the gratuities so paid, he will duly deliver all letter bags and correspondence received from the Post Office unto the persons to whom the same are addressed immediately on his arrival in port, without wilful or avoidable delay after his arrival, and that if he fail in any respect to perform his said con- tract, he will pay to the Postmaster General the sum of five hun- dred dollars as liquidated damages for the breach of his said con-
tract.
XXV. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to any Persons pro- port or place out of this Colony, excepting vessels plying daily or posing to des-
patch vessels on fixed days to Macao or to places on the Canton River, shall, so
to give notice soon as he has arranged the time for the departure of such vessel, to the Post- give the first intimation of such proposed departure to the Post-master Gene- master-General, and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Post-ral. master General any alteration in the day or hour of departure of [Ibid, sec. 16.] the said vessel, and the Postmaster General shall, on receiving such intimations, give notice to the public of the day and hour for closing the mails, if any are to be made up by such vessel.
Any person or firm failing to give such intimation to the Post- master General shall, for every such offence, on conviction thereof, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars.
Every alteration of the hour of departure of any vessel plying daily or on fxed days to Macao or to places on the Canton River, shall, in like manner, be intimated to the Postmaster General by the person despatching such vessel, who shall, for any default, be liable, on conviction thereof, to a penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars.
XXVI. The Postmaster General, or any officer of the Post Office Making up authorised by him, may attend on board any vessel, after the time mails on board. [Ibid, sec. 17.] for closing the mail by such vessel, and may receive all fully pre- paid correspondence which is brought on board up to the time of departure to be transmitted by such vessel.
The master of every such vessel shall give all proper facilities to such officer of the Post Office to enable him to discharge his duties and to make up such late mails, and to leave the vessel on her departure, and any mester of a vessel failing to give any such facilities shall be liable on conviction thereof, to a penalty not ex- ceeding five hundred dollars.
If there be no officer of the Post Office in attendance on board. any vessel, the master of such vessel may receive all correspond- ence which is brought on board to him prepaid by stamps; and shall deliver the same at the Post Office on arrival at his destina- tion.
Offences.
XXVII. Every master of a vessel, which is not a contract packet, Penalties on who commits any of the following offences, shall, on conviction masters of thereof, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars,
that is to say-
Refusal to take a letter bag delivered or tendered to him by
an officer of the Post Office for conveyance.
Refusal to sign a receipt for a letter bag delivered to him by
an officer of the Post Office for conveyance.
vessels.
Neglect without reasonable excuse to deliver all correspond- [Ibid, sec. 14.]
ence to the Post Office on his arrival in the Colony.
Refusal or wilful neglect to make, or making any untrue state- [Ibid.]
ment in, the declaration hereby required of his having de- livered his letters to the Post Office.
Refusal or wilful neglect, if in quarantine, to deliver all [Ibid.]
correspondence in his possession to the person appointed to receive it.
XXVIII. Every person, employed by or under the Post Office, Stealing letter who steals, embezzles, secretes, or destroys any correspondence shall be guilty of felony.
Every person who steals from or out of any correspondence, any chattel, money, or valuable security, shall be guilty of felony.
bags, forging stamps, and
other felonies.
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