Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 501

HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE

TRANSMISSION OF LIQUIDS, GLASS, &c.

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178.-Packets containing liquids, glass, greasy substances, colouring powders and live bees can be sent by sample post from Hongkong and the British Post Agencies in China to countries in the Postal Union.

MODE OF PACKING AND ADDRESSING

179.-Patterns or samples must be sent in such a manner as to be easy of examina- tion, and, when practicable, must be sent in covers open at the end. But samples of seeds, drugs and such like articles, which cannot be sent in covers of this kind, may be posted enclosed in boxes, or in bags of linen, or other material, fastened in such a manner that they may be readily opened. Packets containing liquids, glass, greasy substances, colouring powders and live bees, must conform to the conditions as to packing, &c., applicable to those articles when intended for local transmission (see paras. 68-71) but they must also be made up so that they can be easily opened for pur- poses of inspection, with the exception of packets containing live bees, which must be enclosed in boxes só constructed as to allow the contents to be ascertained without open- ing. In order to secure the return of packets which cannot be delivered, the names and addresses of the senders should be printed or written outside; thus, "From--of▬▬▬▬▬▬

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180.-There must be no writing or printing upon or in any sample packet for non- Union countries except the address of the person for whom it is intended, the address of the sender, a trade mark or number, the price of the articles, the weight or size, and the quantity to be disposed of, or such as may be necessary to indicate the place of origin or the nature of the merchandize. A sample packet for a country in the Postal Union may contain, besides these particulars, any Printed Papers and, if the rate applicable to Commercial Papers be paid, it may also contain Commercial Papers.

MUST NOT BE OF SALEABLE VALUE

181-Samples of saleable value must not be sent to the United Kingdom or any foreign country, or to any of the British Possessions which are comprised in the Postal Union. Packets of samples of either down, raw or thread silk, woollen or goats' hair thread, vanilla, or isinglass, are considered to fall under this rule if they weigh_more than three ounces, and packets of tea if they weigh more than eight ounces. When addressed to France sample packets of tea must not contain more than twenty grammes (a little less than three-quarters of an ounce) of that article.

DANGEROUS AND PROHIBITED ARTICLES

182.-Such articles as scissors, knives, razors, forks, steel pens, nails, keys, watch machinery, metal tubing, pieces of metal or ore, provided that they are bona fide samples and are packed and guarded in so secure a manner as to afford complete protection to the contents of the mail bag and to the officers of the Post Office, while at the same time they may be easily examined, may be sent by the Sample Post to places abroad. Explosives are absolutely prohibited.

No article liable to Customs duty can be sent as a pattern or sample.

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PROHIBITED ARTICLES

183. The transmission by Letter Post of coin, gold, silver, precious stones, jewellery, dc., is prohibited in these countries of the Postal Union marked thus * in Rule 154. Such articles may, however, be sent by Parcel Post except in cases in which they are specially prohibited (see Rule 239).

The following restrictions and requirements apply to the undermentioned countries to the Postal Union, viz. :-

(a.) In Luxemburg the registration of such packets is compulsory, and every-

thing of value, except coin or bullion, is liable to duty.

(6.) In the undermentioned Colonies, viz. Falkland Islands, Gambia, Gibraltar, Hongkong, Labuan, Lagos, Malta, Montserrat, Newfoundland, St Vincent, Sierra Leone, and Straits Settlements, articles of value are transmissible, and, with the exception of jewellery addressed to Newfoundland and St. Vincent are exempt from Customs duty. Their