Postal_Guide_1939 — Page 43

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INLAND POST

In the event of a postman being unable to deliver a registered article at its address the second time of calling, because there is no one present who can sign the receipt for it, he will return the letter to the Post Office and report accordingly. The registered article will then be kept at the Post Office for delivery there to the addressee, who will be notified to this effect.

The Postmaster General may require any person whose premises are situated at a considerable distance from the street or road, along which the postman travels on his walk, to provide a letter-box at the side of such street or

or road, into which correspondence can be delivered.

Postmen are forbidden to deliver any article on which any sum of money is due to the Post Office, whether on account of postage or any other account, without receiving immediate payment of the amount due, or to deliver any registered letter without obtain- ing the signature of the addressee or his representative on the receipt and acknowledgment, if any. Postmen are also forbidden to deviate from their prescribed walks, and cannot therefore, be required to call again to receive payment of sums due. They are not bound to give change.

The addressee of an article is not bound to pay the amount due on it to the Post Office, if he forthwith returns it to the postman unopened. In this case, he should write the word "refused" across the cover, and add his signature.

When a person takes delivery of an article on which any sum is due to the Post Office, he must pay the amount marked upon it. Any complaint of over- charge should be made to the officer in charge of the office of delivery, to whom the article should be taken before being opened.

If a person, after taking delivery of an article on which any postage or other sum is due, refuses to pay the amount marked as due, it will be recovered from him by legal process and the Post Office has further the power of withholding from him until such charge be paid, or recovered, any article addressed to him not being on Government service.

If the Postmaster General is satisfied that any article has been maliciously sent for the purpose of annoying the person to whom it is addressed, he may remit the amount of postage charged upon it.