POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 20, 2 September 1843, Page 1

POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.

General Post Office, Auckland, Ist September, 1843. NOTICE is hereby given, that from and after the 10th instant, the several regulations now in force for the transmission of Letters and Newspapers, and levying rates of Postage in New Zealand, will cease and determine, and in accordance with the direc tions of Her Majesty's Post Master General under the authority of a warrant of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, dated 31st August, 1841, and pursuant to the provisions of an Act of the Imperial Parliament, 3 & 4 Victoria, cap. 96, the following Rules and Regulations for the conveyance of Letters and Newspapers, and fixing rates of Postage thereon, will take effect, of which all persons concerned are required to take notice. 1. The Colonial Postage due on letters intended to be sent out of the island, must be paid when the letter is posted, as it cannot be collected either in the United Kingdom, or in other British Colonies. 2. The rate of Sea Postage to be taken at the port of departure in " New Zealand," on all letters dispatched by ship, not intended to pass through the United Kingdom, is four pence for a letter not exceeding half an ounce ; and the* following is the scale of rates to be charged on letters exceeding half an ounce, viz. : — Abovo half an ounce and not exceeding 1 ounce, 2 rates ; above 1 ounce and not exceeding 2 ounces, 4 rates ; above 2 ounces and not exceeding 3 ounces, 6 rates ; above 3 ounces and not exceeding 4 ounces, 8 rates ; and for every ounce above four ounces, two additional rates are to be charged, and every fraction of an Ounce to be charged as one additional ounce. Each rate to be estimated and charged at.4d. 3. In addition to the charges for Sea Postage, a further sum of four pence per half ounce, and so on in proportion, according to the scale already laid down, must be charged for any, Inland conveyance of letters that have arrived, or which are intended to be dispatched by private ships. — Should any inland posts be established in " Now Zealand," this rate of four pence having been fixed by the Treasury for the conveyance of all letters within the Colony, whether by sea or by land. 4. When letters or newspapers are redi- 1 rected from one part of the Colony to another, they will be chargeable with a new and distinct rate of postage for the redirection, according to the scale herein laid down over and above the postage previously due upon them. 5. A gratuity of two pence per letter and Id. for every newspaper is payable to the Commander of any privcite vessel conveying letters on account of the Post Office, but on letters or newspapers dispatched to the United Kingdom, or to any of the British Colo- : nies named below, this gratuity is not to be paid, as the Captains will receive it on the delivery of the letters at their Port of destination, and the Postmasters in those Colonies will be so informed. Quebeck, Halifax, Bermuda, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Jamaica, Barbados, Dominica, Antigua, Nevis, St. Kitts, Tor tola, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tobago, Grenada, Trinidad, Berbice, Demcrara, Bahamas, Carriacou, Montserrat, Malta, Gibraltar. G. With respect to letters or newspapers inwards by private ships, no gratuity Mill bo payable on thoso in a sealed mail from tho United Kingdom, as it will havo boon already paid, but on all other lot tors arriving by ships at " Now Zealand," a gratuity of two pence per lcttor will bo paid.

7. Letters and newspaper arriving from the United Kingdom, or from any of the British Colonies before named, in a sealed Post Office bag, must be delivered free of all sea postage, as it will have been prcviousjly paid when the letters or newspapers are posted. Letters however • from any other parts, or loose letters brought" in any ship's bag, not having been forwarded through the Post Office at the place of departure, will be subject on arrival in " New Zealand" to the sea postage of 4cl. the half ounce, and so on in proportion according to the scale already laid down, and in those cases also the Gratuities to the Commander will be> paid in New Zealand. 8. All newspapers, whether British, Foreign or Colonial, conveyed by the post between places in " New Zealand" will be chargeable with an internal rate of Postage of one penny each. 9. All newspapers received at New Zealand, whether by Packet-Boat or private ship, from a Foreign country, will be liable to a Sea Postage of 2d, each, and the samo rate must be taken on newspapers dispatched from " New Zealand" to a Foreign country either by Packet Boat or private ship. 10. Newspapers conveyed by Packet between one British Colony and another, will be delivered free of Sea Postage. If conveyed by private ship, one penny must betaken. The Sea Postage in this and tho preceding article, will be in addition to the Internal rate of one penny, where the newspapers are not addressed to the port of arrival, or posted at the port of departure. 11. All newspapers however, to pass at the reduced rates of Postage herein set forth, must be sent without a cover, or in a cover open at the sides, and there must be no word or communication printed on the paper after its publication, nor upon the cover, nor any writing or marks upon it, or upon the cover of it, except the name and address of the person to whom sent ; nor must any paper or thing bo enclosed in or with any such newspaper. 12. No letter exceeding sixteen ounces in weight, can be forwarded by the Pest between places within the Colony of " New Zealand," except Deeds, Law Proceedings, and Law Papers, posted at sucli places, within such hours, and under all such regulations as the Post Master General shall appoint, and also except letters to and from places beyond the Sea, and letters to and from the Governor, or any of the Government Offices or Departments. Extracts from tho Act 3 & 4, Tic. c. 96, intitled an Act for the Regulation of tha Duties on Postage. Sec. 43. And be it enacted that although newspapers may be sent by the Post, and thereupon are subject to the rate of Postage set forth in the above table, (vide sect. 42") it shall not bo compulsory to send them by Post. Sec. 56. And be it enacted, that except in the cases herein specified (as respects Soldiers' and Sailors' letters vide Sect. 53) all Privileges whatsoever of sending letters by tho Post free of Postage, or at a reduced rate of Postage, shall wholly cease and determine. GEO. COOPER, Deputy Post Master General.