the-ordinances-of-the-legislative-counci-1890v3 — Page 515

1798 ORDINANCE No. 12 OF 1884.


Post Office.


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

(4. ) The gratuity payable on such letters transmitted between Hongkong,
Canton, and Macao, in either direction, shall be one cent only.

Gratuities to 21. The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any master of a vessel
inasters ofvessels
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 been duly received
from him.

Rates of 22. The powers of the Governor in Council as defined and regulated by sections 9
gratuity.
and 10 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 under this section shall not
be less on the average than the sums otherwise required by this Ordinance to be paid.

Damages for 23. Every master of a vessel who receives such gratuities or to whom such
non-delivery of
mail. gratuities have been credited in the accounts of the Postmaster General shall be held
to have 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 respect 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 pro
posing to 24. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to any port or place out
despatch vessels
to give notice to of this Colony, excepting vessels plying daily or on fixed days to Macao or to places on
the Postmaster
General. the Canton River, shall , so soon as he has arranged the time for the departure of such
vessel, give the first intimation of such proposed departure to the Postmaster General,
and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Postinaster 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 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
default, be liable on conviction thereof to a penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars.

Making up mails 25. The Postmaster General, or any officer of the Post Office authorised by him,
on board.
may attend on board any vessel , after the time for closing the mail by such vessel , and
may receive all fully prepaid correspondence which is brought on board up to the time
of departure to be transmitted by such vessel.