THE NEW RATES OF POSTAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 311, 18 December 1862, Page 3

THE NEW RATES OF POSTAGE.

"We publish for general information, the New Rate of Postage in force from anl after April 1,1862 :—

NEW ZEAL AN D.

ATES OF POSTAGE CHARGEABLE ON LETTERS, NEWSPAPERS, AND BOOKPACKETS POSTED IN THE COLONY. LETTERS. —Inland Letters ot exceeding £ 0z... , ... .. <## 2d. Exceeding J oz., and not exceeding 1 oz. ." 4d* ~ loz., „ „ 2 oz. ." Bd. And so on, increasing fourpence for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. 2.—To the United Kingdom. By Southampton or by direct shipNot exceeding £ 0z... .. s .. .. 6d Exceeding h oz?. and not exceeding 1 oz. ... Is. „ loz., „ „ 2oz. ... 2s. And so on, increasing one shilling for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. By Marseilles — Not exceeding oz ... .. .. „. 9J. Exceeding \ oz., and not exceeding £ oz. ... Is*. » | oz -j » „ i oz. Is. 9d. » f oz -> „ „ loz. ... 2s. And so on, being an addition to the ordinary postage at the rate of threepence per quarter ounce. 3. -To British Colonies and Foreign Countries Not exceeding £oz .. .. .. .. 6d. xceeding £ oz., and no exceeding 1 oz. .. Is. » loz., „ ~ 2oz. .. 2s. And so on, increasing one shilling for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. <S?v" Except in the following cases, where special ates are payable. 4.—To the Continent of Europe via Trieste. Not exceeding | oz .. ~ .. Is. 6d Exceeding £ oz., and not exceeding 1 oz. .. 3s. ~ loz-> „ „ 2oz. .. 6s. And so on, increasing three shillings for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. s.—To Syria and Turket. Letters will be forwarded via Alexandria and Jaffa unless marked for transmission via the United Kingdom), and will be charged as follows :— Not exceeding £ oz. ... lid Exceeding \ oz.. and not exceeding 1 oz. Is. lOd. And so on, increasing one shilling and ten pence for ! every additional ounce or fraction o an ounce. 6 —To China and the Eastern Archipelago. | Letters addressed to Hongkong, Penang, Singapore, or any part of China or Japan, the Phiilipine Islands. fava, Sumetra, Borneo, Labuan, the Moluccas, and Siam, are chargeable as follows :— Not exceeding & oz. ... .. .. ..1 Exceeding $ oz. and not exceeding 1 oz. .. 2s And so on, increasing two shilling for every addiional ounce or fraction of an ounce. 7. —To Naval Officers on Foreign Stations. Letters addressed to Officers serving on board any Her Majesty's ships on a foreign station, when sent through the United Kingdom are cliargeable as follows:— No exceedin 0z.... ... ... ... is Exceeding oz., and not exceeding 1 oz. ... 2s. ,>» oz., „ ~ 2oz. ... 4s. And so on, increasing two shillings for every additional ounce or fraction of aa ounce. B.—To Naval Seamen and Soldibbs. Letters sent to or by Seamen and Soldiers in Her Majesty's service will be transmitted within the Colony, and between the Colony and any Post Office in the British dominions, at a charge of One Penny, provided that the following regulations are observed :— 1. Each letter must not exceed half an ounce in weight. 2. It must be superscribed with the name of the writer, his description or class in the vessel or regiment, and signed by the officer at the me in command 3. The postage must be pre-paicl. Every letter of this description, posted or received^ in this Colony not in accordance with the foregoing regulation, will be treated as an ordinary etter . 9.—Free Letters. Letters on the public service of Her Majesty's Naval and Military Forces, are exempted from the payment of postage, if bearing the words "On Her Majesty's Service,' Y and the signature of tbeofficer in command of the force on the service of which the letter is despatched. But such letters cannot be transmitted by any irregular route, or one entailing idditional expense on the Colonial Government. Letters on the public service of the General Government of the Colony are transmitted free by post, if bearing the words, "On the Public Service only,' and the signature of some officer of the General Go vernment authorised to frank official letters; 1 10.—Registered Letters.-. .-"■■■ Legestration Fee ... ... .. ... Is in addition to the ordinary postage chargeable on any other. Except in special cases, as xhibited in table subjoined.

NEWSPAPERS. To any part of the Colony, if published v in. the Colony, and posted within seven days from publication .. . ; Free If not published inthe Colony, or not - posted within seven days from publication, each .. .. .. ~ id 2. To the United Kingdon, via Southampton! * or by direct ship .. .. .. p- roe • lo the United kingdom, via, Marseilles. | 3. To the Continent of Europe, via Trieste! ®^~" •.. ... 9] 4. To Syria and Turkey* (not through the United Kingdom), not exceeding two ounces ... ... to ld , AfaK lout? erat fO-P-y for ever' addf Note.- For the Postage chargeable on Newspapers, forwarded to oilier countries, through the finit2 Kingdom, see table (A) subjoined. BOOK PACKETS. 1. To any part of the Colony, or to the United Kingdom, via Southampton Nofc exceeding 4oz ... ... Exceeding 4 oz., and not exceeding 8 oz"! Bd. t, ,Boz. f- - „ „ 16oz.'"ls.4dJ And so on, increasing eight pence for every addilanal half-pound, or fraction of iiaif-a-pound. 2. To the following British ColoniesAscension loniau Islands Bermuda Natal British West Indies New Brunswick Canada Newfoundland tape of Good Hope* No va ricotia balkland Islands Prince Edward Island Gambia st. Helena (toM Coast Sierra Leone Heligoland Vancouver's Island Wot exceeding 4 oz. ... ... 7^. Exceeding 4 oz., and not'exceeding B*oz. ."'is 2d 8 oz.. _~ „ 16 oz. ... 2s.*4d. and so on, increasing one shilling and two pence for every naif-pound, or fraction of halfa-pound. PREPAYMENT BY STAMPS. All letters, packets, and newspapers posted in JNew Zealand, must be prepaid by affixing postage abels the colony of sufficient value. ° LOOSE LETTERS. All letters received from beyond seasjat any Post Omce in this Colony, which have not been regularly posted at the place of despatch (loose letters) are chargeable with full postage, according to the rates established by the foregoing tables, unless they are letters which it is not compulsory by law to send by post, in which case they are chargeable with the inland rate of postage only. INSUFFICIENT PAYMENT. Letters and packets liable to more than one rate of postage, and addressed to places within the Colony or to the United Kingdom, it bearing at least a single rate, wdl be forwarded and charged with the postage deficient, and another single rate as a fine. Letters and packets so addressed, and bearing less than a single rate of postage, and all letters aud packets otherwise addressed, not bearing the full postage chargeable, will be detained and returned to the sender in all cases where practicable. Newspapers if posted without prepayment of the full amount 0' postage chargeable, can neither be forwarded to their destination nor returned to the sender ; but will be delivered or forwarded to the person addressed, on application, within-six months, at the office where same were posted, and payment of the deficient postage in stamps. REGISTRATION. Any person can have a letter registered by affixing on it by means of the proper labels the amount of the cgistration fee, in addition to the proper postage, and presenting it at a Post Office during office' hours, and at least one hour before the closing of the mail by which it is desired to be transmitted. Every precaution will be adopted to ensure the safe delivery 01 a registered letter, by entering it on the letter bi'ls, and obtaining arcceipt for the same on delivery. As the Post Office, however is not responsible for tile loss >t any letter, whether registered or otherwise, persons sending bank notes or drafts are advised to take the numbers and particulars, and to cut the notes or drafts in halves, and to send them by different post RE-DIRECTION. Letters, newspapers, aud packets wil be re-directed from one Post Office to another on the written instructions of the person addressed, but on re-direction are chargeable with a new and distinct rate of post age, to be paid on delivery. OVERLAND "CARRIAGE. No Postmaster will be required to receive any book-packet for transmission by an overland mail ii from its weight or any other cause the packet appear calculated to retard the carrier. PENALTIES. Any person sending as exempt from postage letters not liable to xemption, or enclosing a communication in the nature of a letter in any newspaper or book-packet areliable to a penalty of £20. SIZE AND WEIGHT. No book-paokct or packet of newspapers Will l)c received, nor will any Postmaster be required to receive any letter if it exceed two feet in length, one foot in width or depth, or three pounds iu weight. BOOK-PACKETS TO BE OPEN VOR INSPECTION.' Every book-packet shall be sent open at the ends or sides, and there shall be no enclosure sealed or otherwise closed against inspection sent in or with such packet, nor any thing printed or written in the nature of a letter. CONTENTS. With the above limitations, a packet-book may contain any number of separate books, maps, prints, or photographs, and any quantity of paper, vellum, or parchment, either printed, written on, or plain, (exclusive of anything in the nature of a letter whether sealed or open,) with the binding, covering, or mounting attached or belonging to such book, print, map, or photograph, and all things legiti mately appertaining to or necessary for the transmission of any enclosed literary or artistic matter, but exclusive of glass in any form. The names and address of the sender may appear on the cover. CROSBIB WARD. Postmaster-Gneral

Hurricane.—On Friday last, the 14th instant one of those fearful gusts of wind so peculiar to some of the West India Islands swept over Port Albert and other portions of Gipps Land. During the morning the weather was sultry and rathor oppressive, but the downward tendency of the barometer gave significant signs that a change was at hand. The water in the bay and river uxganwhile was perfectly smooth, until about half-pasftgne p.m. when a distant rumbling noise was distinctly heard from the neighborhood of Wilson's Promontory, and in a very fc\v minutes the wind reached the port with a power which threatened to sweep all before it. It greatest force lasted for about twenty minutes. The destruction of property in this short time (?ave ampla proof what must have followed had the^ hurricane continued for a longer period. The water in the river and harbour was suddenly lashed into a perfect foam. At the heads it might be seen distinctly rising ten or twelve feet above the horizon. Mr Formatter, the harbour master, was outside the entrance exchanging some of the buoys, when warned by the impending storm, his first thought was to get out of the way to secure anchorage, and for tbis purpose I e was attempting to reach the light-house when the near approach of the storm rendered it impossible. All Kail was quickly taken in, and the anchor let go, but it was of no avail against the fury of the wind. The schooner roJe for about t?n minutes, when she parted from her anchor and payed off broidside to the wind, and nearly capsised. In such a dillemma there was nothing left but but to run over the banks, and this time nothing could be s»en, everything, land and ail, was obscured by the dim spray, which rose mast high, and sorely perplexed the boat's crew by the force with which it struck the face. The whaleboat attached to the schooner was swamped whilst crossing the banks, and to save it if possible the schooner was brought to, and the second anchor was let go, but shared the same fate as the other ; the chain immediately parted, and the vessel careened over the boat, completely breaking *it up. Ev«ry effort was now made to steer for the port, and though it was impossible to keep the channel, the schooner, after a great deil of thumping upon the banks, reached her usual anchorage safe. A small wooden structure used as an office on the Government Wharf was removed bodily into the sea. The Preshyterian Church was partially unroofed, and in such a mauner as makes one raarvei the entire building did not become a ruin. Not the least wonderful cbaracterisic of this eventful occurrence was, that its path should be marked at regular distances *part. Between this and the Ridge Statin fifty miles to the north, belts of country every tea or twelve miles bear testimony where the tempest swept. In one plaea tree3 are thrown down one upon another, each tora up by the rcots. In another plfce, the tops of trees only have suffered, they are broken ofFshort and scattered about upon the ground. At the home station of Mr John King, a Targe substantial store, sixty feet long, was completely levelled to the ground, whilst portions of the roof were carried to a considerable distance. Amongst all the old residents we have not heard of one who has witnessed so violent a hurricane before in this district. ■'Gipps Land Guardian., Nov. 21. The Silver Mine.—The reports from the silver mine continue satisfactory. The miners lately arrived here have set to work, and the long-promised hopea of something definitive being arrived at as to the richness of the mine will now shortly be realised. The returns to certain quantities of ore hare been received by Mr Heed, and the result fully justifies the expectations that have from the outset been entertained. To a small parcel taken to Sydney by Mr Wainwrigufc, twenty seven ounces of silver and two ounces ten pennyweights of gold to the ton were shown; and it is reported that much larger quantitk" of both metals have been produced from ore sent fit testing. We are waiting for the confirmation by the receipt of the official notification. The sluicing Is 170 feet, and the introduction of machinery, which will shortly be on the ground, will do away with the inconveniences aDd drawbacks which exist to the profitable working of tbe nwne.-^-iforM^d $few?«srer t