11

F.—B

Postal officials may refuse to receive any packet exceeding 16oz. in weight. No packet to exceed 2ft. in length, lit. in depth or breadth, or to be of inconvenient form. Bules regarding dimensions of packets not to apply to packets " On Her Majesty's Service." Books may have on the title-page complimentary or such like remarks, as per regulation in the case oi Christmas, Easter, and New Year cards, and passages in a book to which it is desired to call attention may be marked with a single stroke. When, owing to a great influx of books and packets, the transmission or delivery of letters would be delayed if the whole mail were dealt with without distinction, books and packets may be kept back till the next despatch or delivery. Prints, maps, &c, may be either printed, written, engraved, lithographed, or plain, or a mixture of them. All legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of a book, &c, or of a portion thereof, is allowed, whether such binding, &c, be loose or attached, as also rollers in case of prints or maps. Markers, whether of paper or otherwise, in the case of books, or whatever is necessary for the safe transmission of such articles, or usually appertains thereto. Articles liable to injury by stamping or being pressed in mail-bags should not be sent through the post unless securely packed. Articles not allowed to be sent as Packets. Gold or silver money, jewels, or precious articles, or anything liable to Customs duty, addressed to any country in the Postal Union, except the United Kingdom, unless specially permitted by the regulations of such country, in which case they may be forwarded if paid letter rate and registered. Glass, and perishable substances such as game, fish, flesh, fruit, vegetables, &c. Anything liable to injure the person of any officer of the Post Office or the contents of a mail. Photographs on glass when not in strong cases. * Anything sealed or fastened against inspection. Type-written letters, or anything in the nature of a letter, unless wholly printed or lithographed, &c. Packets bearing on the outside or containing any profane, obscene, or libellous address, signature, picture, or thing. Packets posted in fraud or violation of the postal or Customs laws. Unpaid Packets. Packets wholly unpaid to be forwarded to the Dead Letter Office, to be returned to the senders. Insufficiently-paid Packets. Insufficiently-paid packets, except as mentioned below, to be returned to the senders through the Dead-letter Office. If addressed to United Kingdom.—Forwarded to destination, charged with double the deficient postage. If to Australasian Colonies (if one rate be paid).—Forwarded to destination, charged with double the deficient postage. Transmission of Queen Bees, So., by Post. Queen bees and live but harmless entomological specimens will be transmitted by post (in bags sufficiently perforated to allow of ventilation) to any place in the colony to which mails are conveyed by railway or coach, or both. Conditions. —All live specimens must be secured in strong, safe, and properly-ventilated boxes, or cages of wood or metal. Specimens enclosed in cardboard or other fragile material will not be forwarded. Size of box or cage not to exceed 12in. by 6in. by 4in. Each box or cage to bear a label, securely attached, giving name and address of sender and particulars of contents. Boxes, &c, posted in violation of these conditions, or addressed beyond the colonies, or containing poisonous or dangerous live specimens, or improperly or insecurely packed, will not be transmitted. Rate of postage. —Every 2oz. or under, Id. Notice to Postmasters. —Supplies of bags referred to above will, when required, be sent upon application being made for " bee-bags." Bee-bags having contents must not be enclosed in other bags, but must be sent separately, and care must be exercised in handling them; also to keep them from being covered by any other mailbags. Article 12. —The despatching colony shall pay to the forwarding colony whatever sums may be payable to masters of vessels under the regulations of the forwarding colony on any correspondence to be sent on to another colony or country by sea, it being understood that these rates shall not apply to correspondence conveyed by mail-vessels under contract with any Australasian colony or colonies. Article 13. —Each mail despatched from one colony to another shall be accompanied by a letterbill, on which shall be stated the contents of the mail, and, if registered correspondence be enclosed, the same shall bo plainly stated. If correspondence to be forwarded on to destination by sea be sent in closed transit mails the total number of letters and packets for each office of destination shall be stated in black ink on the labels of the bags. Article 14. —The receipt of a mail at the office of exchange in one colony from that of another shall be acknowledged by return mail on the prescribed form, in which shall be pointed out any discrepancies which may occur.