Postal_Guide_July_1957 — Page 44

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PACKING AND MAKE-UP

GENERAL INFORMATION

Letters and postal packets of every kind, especially parcels, must be so made up as not only to preserve the contents from loss or damage in the post, but also not to injure other packets, or any officer of the Post Office. If insecurely packed they are liable to be stopped. The public are warned that packets insecurely packed which are likely to injure other postal packets in course of conveyance or any officer of the Post Office must not be sent by post and that the senders are liable to penalties.

All articles for abroad should be securely packed, particularly if addressed to a distant country. Envelopes should not in any case be less than 4 inches in length and 23 inches in width (minimum size for postcards). For special conditions applicable to the make-up of letter packets, small packets, printed papers, commercial papers, samples and insured articles, see under the respective headings.

Special regulations exist in many countries whereby the use of hay or straw, as packing is either prohibited or restricted.

PACKING REGULATIONS FOR CERTAIN ARTICLES

Any fragile article whether sent by parcel post, or registered letter post must be packed in a container of sufficient strength and surrounded in that container with sufficient and suitable soft material or wadding to protect the article from the effects of concussion, pressure and knocks to which postal packets are ordinarily exposed in transmission, and the packet must bear the words Fragile With Care written conspicuously on the face of the cover above the address.

Butane Gas lighters & refills. In general the transmission by post of substances with flashpoints below 90° F is totally prohibited. An exception is however made in the case of lighters containing butane gas and refills for such lighters. These items are accepted for transmission by letter and parcel post (including air mail) provided the special packing regulations are adhered to. See Packing & Make-up, Parcels.

Celluloid. Seasoned raw celluloid and any article of celluloid must be enclosed in a tin box either placed in a strong outer wooden box or wrapped in some stout material which is not a good conductor of heat, for example, cardboard or brown paper strengthened by linen thread. A wrapping of ordinary brown paper, being apt to tear, is not sufficient.

Cinematograph and photographic films. These must be packed in accordance with the regulations printed in the section below headed PACKING AND MAKE-UP: PARCELS.

ARTICLES SENT FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION OR ANALYSIS Deleterious liquids or substances, though otherwise prohibited from transmission by post, may be sent for medical examination or analysis to a recognized medical laboratory or institute, whether or not belonging to a public health authority, or to a qualified medical practitioner or veterinary surgeon by letter post, but on no account by parcel post, under the following conditions:

1. Any such liquid or substance must be enclosed in a receptacle, hermetically sealed or otherwise securely closed, and this receptacle must itself be placed in a strong wooden or metal case (or other case which has been approved by the Post Office) in such a way that it cannot shift about, and with a sufficient quantity of some absorbent material (such as sawdust or cotton-wool) so packed about the receptacle as absolutely to prevent any possible leakage from the package in the event of damage to the receptacle. The packet so made up must be conspicuously marked Fragile With Care and bear the words Pathological Specimen.

2. Any packet of the kind found in the parcel post, or found in the letter post not packed and marked as directed, will be at once stopped and destroyed with all its wrappings and enclosures. Further, any person who sends by post a deleterious liquid or substance for medical examination or analysis otherwise than as provided by these regulations is liable to prosecution.