the-ordinances-of-the-legislative-counci-1890v3 — Page 155

1438 ORDINANCE No. 10 OF 1876 .


Post Office.


Gratuities to 21. The Postmaster General shall pay to every master of a vessel , not being a
inasters of
vessels inwards. contract packet, a gratuity of two cents for every letter, and one cent for every other
[Ibid, sec. 12.)
article of correspondence delivered by him to the Post Office : Provided always that no
gratuity shall be payable,

(1.) For a second transmission of any correspondence ;

(2.) On correspondence delivered to any Post Office to be thence transmitted
by contract packet ;

(3.) On correspondence the gratuity on which is certified by the despatching
office to have been paid.

Gratuities to
masters of 22. The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any master of a vessel
vessels outwards. leaving Hongkong on every article of correspondence delivered to such master from
the Post Office, or certified by the Post Office of destination to have deen duly received
from him.

Rates ofgratuity. 23. The powers of the Governor in Council as defined and regulated by sections.
10 and 11 of this Ordinance, shall equally apply to the rates of gratuity to be paid to
ship masters for the delivery of mails , either generally or in particular cases : Provided
always, that the gratuities fixed by any Order in Council uuder this section , shall not
be less on the average than the sums otherwise required by this Ordinance to be paid.

Damages for 24. Every master of a vessel who receives such gratuities , shall be held to have
non-delivery of
mail. made a contract with the Postmaster General 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 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.

Persons propos 25. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to any port or place out
ing to despatch
vessels to give of this Colony, excepting vessels plying daily or on fixed days to Macao or to places
notice to the
Postmaster
General. on the Canton River, shall, so soon as he has arranged the time for the departure of
LIbid, sec. 16.]
such vessel, give the first intimation of such proposed departure 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 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 Postmaster 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 fixed
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 de
fault, be liable, on conviction thereof, to a penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars.