POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1900

POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1900

No. 6 of 1900.

An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the laws relating
to the Post Office.

[20th October, 1900.]

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Post Office Ordi-
nance, 1900.

2.-(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), in this
Ordinance,

(a) Consignees' letter means any letter forwarded by
any vessel on the same voyage as and relating to goods and
merchandise on board of such vessel.

(b) Contract vessel means any vessel under contract
for the conveyance of letter bags and correspondence.

(c) Correspondence means any letter, newspaper, book,
pamphlet, document, or package, or other article whatsoever
transmitted by post, whether in a closed mail or having
been placed loose on board any vessel for transmission; and
a letter or other article shall be deemed to be correspondence
from the time of its arrival within the limits of the Colony,
if brought to the Colony by post, or from the time of its
delivery to the Post Office, if not so brought, and in either
case shall continue to be deemed correspondence to the time
of its delivery from the Post Office; and delivery to or by
any person authorised to receive or deliver letter bags or
correspondence on behalf of the Postmaster General shall be
a delivery to or from the Post Office.

(d) Letter bag means any bag, basket, box, or package,
or other envelope or covering, in which correspondence is
conveyed, whether it does or does not contain correspondence.

(e) Master of a vessel means any person in charge of a
vessel, whether commander, mate, or other person.

(f) Officer of the Post Office includes the Postmaster
General, the Assistant Postmaster General, and every post-
master, assistant postmaster, agent, officer, clerk, letter-
carrier, or any other person employed in any business of the


* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924. Revenue officers may arrest without
warrant in respect of offences against the provisions of this Ordinance. See
No. 2 of 1917.
+ As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.
++ As amended by No. 17 of 1915 and Law Rev. Ord., 1924.


Post Office, whether employed by the Postmaster General, or
by any person under him, or on behalf of the Post Office.

(g) Person employed by or under the Post Office means
any person employed in any business of the Post Office
according to the interpretation given to officer of the Post
Office.

(h) Postage stamp means any label or stamp for denot-
ing any rate of postage, or any envelope, wrapper, card,
form, or paper, words, letters, or marks purporting to
indicate the payment of a rate of postage, whether such
postage stamp is issued under this Ordinance, or by the
Imperial Postmaster General, or by the Government of any
colony or foreign country.

(i) The Postmaster General rneans, tinless the Imperial
Postmaster General is indicated, the Postmaster General of
the Colony.

(j) Post Office means any house, building, room, or
place where correspondence is received or delivered, or on
which it is sorted, made up, or despatched.

(2) In this sub-section and in sections 20 A and 34:-

(a) Letter means every postal article other than a
newspaper or parcel.

(6) Postal article means every article or thing which is
capable of being transmitted by post.

Administration.

3.-(1) There shall be one General Post Office where
correspondence may be received from all places and whence
correspondence may be despatched to all places.

(2) The Governor may establish such District Post Offices
as he thinks fit.

[s. 4, rep. No. 1 of 1912.]

5. The Governor may appoint a Postmaster General of the
Colony, and all necessary Assistant Postmasters General,
postmasters, assistant postmasters, agents, clerks, or servants
for conducting the business of the Post Office.

Management.
6.-(1) The Postmaster General shall, by himself or his
deputies, have the entire charge of the General Post Office
and of all postal matters, with sole, power of receiving from
all persons authorised to deliver the same all letter bags and





correspondence arriving in the Colony, and of collecting,
receiving, and delivering to all persons authorised to receive
the same all correspondence for transmission by or through
the General Post Office to places out of the Colony.

(2) The Postmaster General shall also have the exclusive
privilge of performing all the the incidental services of receiv-
ing from all persons who arrive in the Colony with letters,
and of collecting, despatching and delivering, all correspond-
ence arriving from or intended to be despatched to any,
place out of the Colony; and no letters from out of the Colony,
unless exempt by law, shall be conveyed in the Colony other-
wise than by the post or shall be delivered in or transmitted
from the Colony otherwise than by or through the General
Post Office.

7.-(1) All correspondence which, by any Act of Parlia-
ment, is excepted frorn the exclusive privilege of the Imperial
Post Office shall be exempt from the exclusive privilege of
the Postmaster General,

(2) Subject to the provisions of section 34, consignees'
letters shall be so excepted, but, if taken to the Post Office
they shall be subject to the same rates of postage and
regulations as apply to other correspondence.

8.-(1) the Postmaster General shall receive all postage
payable in the Colony and shall keep accounts of all cor-
respondence received an despatched by him, with the
in Council may direct that this section shall apply, shall he
conveyed in the Colony othenvise than by the post or shall
be delivered in or transmitted from the Colony otherwise
than by or through the General Post Office.

8.-(1) The Postmaster General shall recelve all postage
payable in the Colony and shall keep accounts of all cor-
respondence received and despatched by him, with the
particulars of the thereof, in such manner and form
as the Governor may direct.

(2) The accounts of moneys payable to the Imperial
Postmaster General shall be kept distinct from the accounts
of moneys payable to the Colonial Treasury. They shall be
kept in such form, and the moneys shall be transmitted in
such manner, as the Imperial Postmaster General may direct.

As amended No. 17 of 1915 and Law Rev. Ord., 1924.


9.-(1) Tho Governor in Council may, by notification,
determine, the rates of postage to be charged upon all corres-
pondence sent by post from the General Post Office or
received therein from places outside the Colony: Provided
that no such notification shall be inconsisetent with any
instructions transimtted frm the Secretary of State or from
the Imperial Postmaster General.

(2) All duties of postage and other sums in respect of postal
packets palyable in pursuance of this Ordinalice shall be
chargeable as stamp duties, and all enactments relating to
stamp duties shall apply accordingly.

[s. 10, rep. No. 1 of 1912.]

11. The Govenor may, subject to such instructions as
aforesaid, make, in relation to correspondence sent by post,
regulations as to the times and modes of posting and delivery,
prepayment, late fees, rates on unpaid correspondence, the
registration of correspondence, money orders, the sale and
affixing of postage stamps, the dimensions, weights, and con-
tents of packets, and other such similar regulations as the
Governor thinks necessary for the better execution of this
Ordinance.

12. The Governor may subject to such instructions as
aforesaid, make, in relation to correspondence sent by post,
regulations prohibiting the conveyance of such articles as he
may think fit ; for preventing the sending or delivery by post
of seditious, indecent or obscene prints, paintings, photo-
graphs, lithographs, engravings, books or cards or of other
indecent or articles, or of letters, newspapers, supple-
ments, publications, packets or post cards having thereon or
on the covers thereof any words, marks or designs of an
indecent, obscene, libellous or grossly offensive character; and
for prohibiting the receiving in and delivery by the Post Office
of correspondence containing or believed to contain any
lottery ticket or any advertisement of prizes or any other
announcement relating to any public, lottery, sweepstakes, or
other gambling transaction.

12A. If the Postmaster General shall have reason to
believe that any postal article received from beyond the
limits of the Colony contains goods, the importation of which
is forbidden or restricted, or anything liable to duty, or if
he, be so informed, he shall require by notice in writing the




attendance at the Post Office, at a specified time, of the
address see of such postal article or of some agent deputed in
writing by such addressee, and such postal article shall then
be opened by the addressee or his agent in the presence of
the Postmaster General or of an officer of the Post Office.
If the addressee or his agent fails to attend in pursuance of
the notification, the article shall be opened by the Postmaster
General and may be delivered to the addressee or confiscated
or otherwise dealt with as may be required by law.

13.-(1) Any question whether an article of correspondence
is a letter, or whether publication is a newspaper or a
supplement, or whether any packet is a book-packet or
pattern or sample packet within the meaning of this
Ordinance, shall be decided by the Postmaster General.

(2) The Governor may, on the application of any person
interested, reverse or modify such decision, and order.
accordingly.

14. All correspondence which arrives fully paid, according
to the rates in force, shall be delivered or transmitted from
the Post Office without further charge.

15. All letters received or sent by sailors or soldiers of
His Majesty's naval or military forces shall be charged with
the same reduction in the rates of postage is is allowed to
them by Act of Parliament.

16. The Governor may provide proper postage stamps, and
proper dies and other implements for denoting, by adhesive
stamps or otherwise, the rates of postage payable.

17. The Postmaster General may, if necessary, open
and, if possible, return to the sender-

(1) any correspondence upon which the prepayment of
postage is compulsory, and which cannot be sent unpaid by
another route, and upon which the proper postage has not
been paid; and

(2) any correspondence which is returned to the General
Post Office for want of a proper address or from inability to
find the person to whom it is addressed.



18. When any package is delivered to the Post Office and
has thereby become liable to postage, and evidence is adduced,
to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General, that such
package has been delivered to the Post Office by mistake, the
Postmaster General may cause such package to be opened
in the Post Office in the presence of an officer of the Post
Office, and may return the same without charge to the person
interested, unless such package is found to contain any
correspondence liable to postage, in which case the Post-
master General shall retain the package until the full rate of
postage chargeable npon such correspondence is paid.

19.-(1) After any correspondence has been delivered to
the Post Office, no person employed by or under the Post
Office shall, except in the cases above mentioned, open the
same, or delay its transmission, or return it to any person, or
procure or suffer it to be opened, delayed, or returned, unless
he is authorised by express warrant in writing under the
hand of the Governor.

(2) The Governor may, in bis discretion, grant any such
warrant for opening or returning any specified letter or other
article of correspondence.

20. Notwithstanding anything in this Ordinance, any
correspondence tendered for coveyance by post or posted
which contains or bears any facsimile or imitation or any
representation of any postage stamp or any fictitious postage
stamp, or which purports to be pre-paid with any postage
stamp which has been used to pre-pay or appears to have
been used to pre-pay any other correspondence, may be
detained by any officer of the Post Office or person employed
by or under the Post Office, and may be returned or given
up to the sender or otherwise dealt with or disposed of in
such manner as the Postmaster General may direct.

20A.-(1) It shall be lawful for any public officer who
may, either generally or in a particular case, be authorised
in writing by the Postmaster General in that behalf, to search
for, seize, remove, and detain any postal articles in respect
of which such public officer may have reason to believe that
any offence whatsoever has been or is about to be committed.



As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.
As amended by No. 17 of 1915 and Law Rev. Ord., 1924.



(2) Such officer may, with or without asistance, if
necessary-

(a) break open any outer or inner door of any house,
building or place, and enter thereinto;

(b) forcibly board and enter any vessel and every part
thereof;

(c) search any person found in such house, building or
place, or on board such ship : Provided that no female person
shall be searched except by a female : Provided also that
no person shall be searched in public place if he objects
to be so searched. ;

(d) remove by force any pesonal or material obstruction
to any stich entry, search, seizure, removal, and detention, as
he is empowered to effect; and

(c) break open and examine any postal article found in
such house, building or place, or on bord such ship.

(3) It shall be for any public officer who in the
execution of his duty shall discover any postal article in
respect of which he may have reason to believe that any offence
whatsoever has been or is about to be committed to seize and
detain any such postal article.

Discipline.

21. The Postmaster General may punish any officer of the
Post Office, except the Assistant Postmaster General, for
misconduct, or for neglect or breach of duty, by a fine not
exceeding ten dollars, which shall be deducted from the pay
of such officer.

22. The imposition of every such punishment shall be
reported without delay to the Governor, who shall have power
to remit such fine, either wholly or partially.

23. A record of every such shall punishment shall be entered
in a book kept for that purpose, which shall be called the
Officers Misconduct Book.

24. Such fines shall be applied to the general good of the
officers of the Post Office in such manner as may be directed
by the Governor.





Despatelt and of mails.

25.-(1) Every master of a vessel shall, immediately on
arrival and before reporting at the Harbour Office, deliver to
any person authorised by the Postmaster General to receive
them all letter bags and corresspondencce on board, except
such as are exempt by law.

(22) If sitch vessel is put in quarantine, the master may
deliver all such letter bags and correspondence, to the Health
Officer or any person anthorised by him.

26. The Postmaster General shall pay to every master of
a vessel, not being a contract vessel, a gratuity of one cent
for every letter and other article, other than a parcel, and five,
cents for every parcel delivered to him by the Post Office:
Provided that the gratuity payable on ocrrespondence trans-
mitted to Canton and Macao shall be one cent only on each
description of correspondence. The Postmaster General may
before paying any gratuity require a receipt accounting for
the due delivery at its destination of such correspondence,
and may also require proof to his satisfaction that there has
been no unreasonable delay on the part of the master. No
grauity shall in any case be paid on mails in transit.

[27, rep. No. 32 of 1911.]

28.-(1) The powers of the Governor in Conneil, as
defined by section 9, shall apply to the rates of gratutity to be
paid to masters of vessels for the delivery of mails, either
generally or in particular cases.

(2) The gratuities fixed by any order of the Governor in
Council under this section shall not be less on the average
than the sums otherwise required by this Ordinance to be
paid.

29. Every master of a vessel shall be held to contract with
the Postmaster General that, in consideration of such gratui-
ties, he will duly deliver all letter bags and correspondence
received from the Post Office to the person to whom the same
are addressed immediatley on his arrival in port, without
wilful or avoidable delay, and that, if he fails in any respect
to perform, such contract, he will pay to the Postmaster
General the sum of five hundred dollars as liquidated damages
for the breach thereof.


30.-(1) Every person proposing to despatch a vessel to
any port or place out of the, Colony, excepting vessels plying
daily or on fixed days to Macao or to places on the Ganton
River, shall, so soon as the time for the departure of such
vessel has been arranged, give the first intimation thereof to
the Postmaster General, and also of any alteration in the day
or hour of departure of the said vessel, and the Postmaster
General shall give notice to the public of the da and hour
for closing the mails, if any are to be made up for transmis-
sion by such vessel.

(2) Every alteration of the hour of departure of any vessel
plying daily or on fixed days to Macao or to places on the
Canton River shall, in like manner, be intimated to the
Postmaster General by the person despatching such vessel.

[s. 31, rep. Law Revision Ordinance, 1924.]

32.-(1) The master of every vessel shall receive on board
all mail bags and correspondence tendered to him by the
Postmaster General for trasmission and shall sign a receipt
for the same.

(2) The owner or agent of any vessel who refuses to allow
any mail to be put on board of or transmitted by such vessel
shall be guilty of an offence.

33.-(1) The following shall be deemed offences:-

(a) any infringement of the exclusive privilege of the Post-
master General;

(b) any refusal, neglect, or omission to do any act required
by this Ordinance to be done;

(c) any refusal to permit or obstruction of any such act;

(d) the doing of any act forbidden by this Ordinance; and

(e) any infringement of regulations made by the Governor
under section 1.2.

* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.
* As amended by No. 17 of 1915 and Law Rev. Ord., 1924.


(2) Every person who contravenes any of the provisions
of sections 6, 7 (2) or 34, and every person who obstructs
any search, seizure, removal or detention authorised by this
Ordinance, shall be, deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanor
and shall be liable upon conviction either summarily or on
indictment to imprisonment for any term not exceeding
twelve months, and to a fine not exceeding five hundred
dollars.

(3) For every offence against thils Ordinance for which no
specilic penalty is provided the offender shall upon summary
conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred
dollars.

34.-(1) No person shall send any letter out of the Colony
except through the post.

(2) No person shall convey any letter out of the Colony
except under the authority of the Postmaster General.

(13) This section shall not apply to any bona^ fide consignees'
letter which relates solely to goods or merchandise on board
the vessel by which such consignees' letter is forwarded:
Provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of section 71 (2),
it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council to order that
this section shall apply to such letters and thereupon it shall
so apply accordingly.

35.-(1) No person shall send or attempt to send a postal
packet which either-
(a) incloses any explosive, any dangerous, substance, any
filth, any noxious or deleterious substance, any sharp instru
ment not properly protected, any living creature which is
either noxious or likely to injure other postal packets in
course of conveyance or an officer of the Post Office, or any
article or thing whatsoever which is likely to injure are either
other postal packets in course of conveyance or an officer of
the Post Office; or

(b) incloses any indecent or obscene print, painting, photo-
graph, lithograph, engraving, book or card, or any indecent
or obscone article whether similar to the above or not; or

As amended by No. 17 of 1915 and Law Rev. Ord., 1924.
As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.



(c) has on the packet, or on the cover thereof any words,
marks or designs of an indecent, obscene or offensive character.

(2) Every person who acts in contravention of this section,
shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) The detention in the Post Office of any postal packet
on the ground of its being in contravention of this section
shall not exempt the sender thereof from any proceedings
which might have been taken if the packet had been delivered
in due course of post.

36.-(1) No person shall without lawful authority-

(a) make, issue, or send by post or otherwise any envelope,
wrapper, form, or paper in imitation of one issued by or
under the authority of the Postmaster General, or of any
British or foreign postal authority, or having thereon any
words, letters or marks which signify or imply or may
reasonably lead the recipient to believe that a postal packet
bearing them is sent on His Majesty's service; or

(b) make on any envelope, wrapper, card, form, or paper
for the purpose of being issued or sent by post or otherwise,
or otherwise used, any mark in imitation of or similar to or
purporting to be any stamp or mark of any post office under
the Postmaster General, ol. under any British or foreign
postal authority, or any words, letters, or marks which signify
or imply, or may reasonably lead the recipient thereof to
believe, that a postal packet bearing them is sent on His
Majesty's service; or

(c) issue or send by post or otherwise any envelope, wrapper,
card, form, or paper so marked.

(2) Every person who acts in contravention of this section
shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine not ex-
ceeding twenty dollars.

37. Every person who-

(1) places or attempts to place in or against any post office
letter-box any fire, match, light, filth or fluid, or any explosive,
dangerous, noxious or deleterious substance; or

(2) commits a nuisance in or against any post office, letter-
box; or

As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.


(3) does or attempts to do anything likely to injure the
box, appurtenance or contents,

shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceed-
ing one hundred dollars, and upon conviction on indictment
to imprisonment for any term not exceeding twelve months.

38. the following acts shall be deemed misdemeanors:-

(1) opeining, or suffering or procuring to be opened, or
detaining or delaying, or procuring or suffering to b e detained
or delayed, any correspondence without lawful authority or
excuse;

(2) wilfully delivering any correspondence to any person
other than the person to whom the same ought to be
delivered;

(3) fraudulently obtaining from any person employed by
or under the Post Office, or fraudeulently detaining, or wilfully
secreting, keeping or detaining, any lette abg, or any
correspondence which ought to have been delivered to any
person; and

(4) fraudulently removing any postage stamp from any
correspondecne;

and every person who is convicted thereof shall be liable to
imprisonment for any term not exceeding two years.

39.-(1) Every person, not being employed by or under
the Post Office, who wilfully and maliciously, with intent
to injure any other person, either opens or causes to be
opened any letter which ought to have been delivered to such
other person, or does any act or thing whereby the due
delivery of such letter to such other person is prevented or
impeded, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall upon
summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five
hundred dollars, or to imprisonment for any term not exceed-
ing six months.

(2) Nothing in this section shall apply to a person who
does any act to which this section appplies where he is a
parent or in the position of a parent or guardian of the person
to whom the letter is addressed.

* As amended by Law Rec. Ord., 1924.









































(3) A prosecution shall not be instititted in pursuance of
this section except by dircetion of the Postmaster General.

(4) In this section, letter means any letter, newspaper,
book, pamphlet, document, package, or other article whatso-
ever which has been delivered by post.

40. The following acts shall be deemed felones:-

(1) stealing, embezzling, secreting, or destroying any
correspondence by a person employed by or under the Post
Office;

(2) stealing from or out of any correspondence any chattel,
money, or valuable security;

(3) stealing or unlawfully taking away a letter bag, or
stealing or unlawfully taking any correspondence from or
out of a letter bag, or unlawfully opening a letter bag;

(4) stealing any correspondence from a letter bag, or from
a post office, or from an officer of the Post Office;
and every person who is convicted thereof shall be liable to
imprisonment for any term not exceeding seven years.

41.-(1) If any person whilst in any post office, or within
any premises belonging to any post office or used therewith,
obstructs the course of business thereof, he shall upon sum-
mary conviction be liable to a file not exceeding twenty
dollars.

(2) Any officer of the Post Office may require any person
guilty of any offence under this section to leave a post office,
or any such premises as aforesaid and, if the person so re-
quired refuses or fails to comply with the requirement, he
shall upon summary conviction be liable to a further fine not
exceeding fifts dollars, and may be removed by any officer of
the Post Office, and all constables are required on demand
to remove or assist in removing every such person.

42. The sections of the Larceny Ordinance, 1865, relating
to receiving stolen goods, that is to say, sections 79 and 81
to 87, shall apply to felonies and misdemeanors committed
under this Ordinance ; and for that purose the expression
this Ordinance, when used in the said sections, shall be
taken to include the present Ordinance.

* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1921,





43. In any proceedings against any person for any offence
committed against tbis Ordinance in respect of any letter
bag or correspondence, it shall be sufficient to allege such
letter bag or correspondence to be the property of the Post-
master General without mentioning his name ; and in any
such proceedings against any person employed by or under
the Post Office, it shall be, sufficient to allege that such
person was employed by or under the Post Office, without
stating further the natnre or particulars of his employment.

44. Any pecuniary penalty for an offence against this
Ordinance may be recovered summarily, but proceedings for
the recovery thereof shall be commenced within one year
after the offence was committed.

45.-(1) In any case where either no postage or in-
sufficient postage on correspondence has been paid by the
sender, double such postage or double the deficiency in such
postage shall be paid by the person to whom the correspond-
ence is addressed on the delivery thereof to him ; but if
the correspondence is refused, or the person to whom it is
addressed is dead or cannot be found, the writer or sender
shall pay donble such postage or double the deficiency of
postage.
(2) Any money payable under this section may be recover-
ed at the suit of the Postmaster General.

(3) In such proceedings-

(a) the production of any postal packet in respect of
which any money is sought to bc recovered having therenpon
a Post Office stamp or any writing denoting that the packet
has been refused or rejected, or that the addressee was dead
or could not be found, shall be prima facie evidence of the
fact denoted; and

(1)) the person from whom any postal packet in respect of
which any money is sought to be recovered purports to have
come shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed to be the
sender of the packet.

No. 7 of 1900, repealed by No. 23 of 1914.

No. 8 of 1900, repealed by No. 134 of 1910.


* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.
[Originally No. 24 of 1900. No. 17 of 1915. Law Rev. Ord., 1924.] Short title. Interpretation. 47 & 48 Vict, c. 76, s. 19. [cf. S. 39 (4)]. General Post Office and District Post Offices. Appointment of officers. Creation of exclusive privilege of Postmaster General to receive and deliver correspondence. Corresponence excepted from exclusive privilege. Exclusive privilege of Postmaster General to extend to newspapers in certain cases. Receipt of postage and keeping of accounts of correspondence. Fixing of rates of postage. [cf, s. 28.] Provision for stamps. Regulations. Regulations as to correspondence. Powers to deal with postal articles containing contraband goods. Postmaster General to decide what is a letter, etc. Paid correspondence to be delivered without charge. Sailors' and soldiers' letters. Provision of postage stamps, dies, etc. Correspondence which may be opened. Mode of dealing with package sent to Post Office by mistake. Warrant for opening, delaying, or returning correspondence. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, s. 25. Power to detain, etc., correspondence bearing fictitious stamps, etc. Power of search and seizure. Postmaster General may fine officer. Report to Governor. Record of fines. Application of lines. Delivery of mails. Gratuities to ship masters. Rates of gratuity. Damages for non-delivery of mail. Person proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to Postmaster general. Master of ship to receive and carry mails. Offences. prohibition of sending or conveying letters out of the Colony except through post or under authority of Postmaster General. Consignees' letters excepted. Prohibition of sending by post explosive, dangerous substance, or indecent prints, words, etc. Prohibition of imitation of postage stamps, envelopes, forms, marks, etc. Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter-boxes. Misdemeanors. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, ss. 25, 31. Punishment for opening or delaying letters. [cf, s. 2(2).] Felonies. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, ss. 26-29. Obstruction of officers of the Post Office. Receiving stolen correspondence. Ordinance No. 5 of 1865. Allegations to be used in proceedings for offence. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, s. 40. Recovery of pecuniary penalty, and limitation of time. Liability for unpaid or insufficient postage. Post Office mark evidence of refusal, etc.

[Originally No. 24 of 1900. No. 17 of 1915. Law Rev. Ord., 1924.] Short title. Interpretation. 47 & 48 Vict, c. 76, s. 19. [cf. S. 39 (4)]. General Post Office and District Post Offices. Appointment of officers. Creation of exclusive privilege of Postmaster General to receive and deliver correspondence. Corresponence excepted from exclusive privilege. Exclusive privilege of Postmaster General to extend to newspapers in certain cases. Receipt of postage and keeping of accounts of correspondence. Fixing of rates of postage. [cf, s. 28.] Provision for stamps. Regulations. Regulations as to correspondence. Powers to deal with postal articles containing contraband goods. Postmaster General to decide what is a letter, etc. Paid correspondence to be delivered without charge. Sailors' and soldiers' letters. Provision of postage stamps, dies, etc. Correspondence which may be opened. Mode of dealing with package sent to Post Office by mistake. Warrant for opening, delaying, or returning correspondence. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, s. 25. Power to detain, etc., correspondence bearing fictitious stamps, etc. Power of search and seizure. Postmaster General may fine officer. Report to Governor. Record of fines. Application of lines. Delivery of mails. Gratuities to ship masters. Rates of gratuity. Damages for non-delivery of mail. Person proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to Postmaster general. Master of ship to receive and carry mails. Offences. prohibition of sending or conveying letters out of the Colony except through post or under authority of Postmaster General. Consignees' letters excepted. Prohibition of sending by post explosive, dangerous substance, or indecent prints, words, etc. Prohibition of imitation of postage stamps, envelopes, forms, marks, etc. Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter-boxes. Misdemeanors. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, ss. 25, 31. Punishment for opening or delaying letters. [cf, s. 2(2).] Felonies. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, ss. 26-29. Obstruction of officers of the Post Office. Receiving stolen correspondence. Ordinance No. 5 of 1865. Allegations to be used in proceedings for offence. 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict, c. 36, s. 40. Recovery of pecuniary penalty, and limitation of time. Liability for unpaid or insufficient postage. Post Office mark evidence of refusal, etc.

https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1186

1923

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