the-ordinances-of-the-legislative-counci-1890v2 — Page 311

POST OFFICE . [ 1 of 1887.] 901

( 4. ) The gratuity payable on letters transmitted between
Hongkong, Canton, and Macao, in either direction ,
shall be one cent only.
20. The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any masters
Gratuit'esof to
master of a vessel leaving Hongkong on every article of cor vessels
respondence delivered to suchmaster from the Post Office , or outwards.
certified by the Post Office of destination to have been duly
received from him .
21. The powers of the Governor in Council as defined and Rates of
regulated by sections 8 and 9 of this ordinance, shall equally gratuity.
apply to the rates of gratuity to be paid to ship masters for the
delivery of mails , either generally or in particular cases.
The gratuities fixed by any order in ('ouncil under this section
shall not be less on the average than the sums otherwise re
quired by this ordinance to be paid.
22. Every master of a vessel who receives such gratuities Damages for
or to whom such gratuities have been credited in the accounts ofnonmuil.
-delivery
of the Postmaster General shall be held to have made aa contract
with the Postmaster General that, in consideration of the gra
tuities so paid , he will duly deliver all letter bags and corre
spondence received from the Post Office to the persons to whom
the same are addressed immediately on his arrival in port,
without wilful or avoidable delay, and that if he fail in any re
spect to perform his said contract he will pay to the Postmaster
General the sum of five hundred dollars as liquidated damages
for the breach of his said contract.
23. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to Persons
any port or place out of this Colony, excepting vessels plying proposing to
daily or on fised days to Macao or to places on the Canton River, vessels to give
shall, so soon as he bas arranged the time for the departure of notice to the
such vessel, give the first intimation of such proposed departure Gencral.
to the Postmaster General, and shall, in like manner, intimate
to the Postmaster General any alteration in the day or hour of
departure of the said vessel , and the Postmaster General shall,
on receiving such intimation, give notice to the public of the
day and hour for closing the mails, if any are to be made up
for transmission by the vessel.
Every alteration of the hour of departure of any vessel plying
daily or on fixed days to Macao or to places on the Canton
River, shall, in like inanner, be intimated to the Postmaster
General by the person despatching such vessel.
24. The Postmaster General, or any officer of the Post mail
Making
s on
up
Office authorised by him , may attend on board any vessel, and board ,

may receive all fully prepaid correspoudence which is brought
on board up to the time of departure to be transmitted by such
vessel .