POST OFFICE ORDINANCE
Title
POST OFFICE ORDINANCE
Description
ORDINANC.E No. ,8 0t 1862.
Post Offlce.
No. 8 of 182.
An Ordinance to provide for the Management and Control of a Post mtle.
Office for the Colony of Hongkong.
[3rd May, 1862.
WHEREAS it has become necessary to provide for the establishment and
regula- Preamble.
tion of a Post Office within the Colony of Hongkong:-Be it enacted by His
Excellency the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the legislative
Council
thereof, as follows:-
1. It shall be lawful for His Excellency the (governor o constitute one
General General Poet
Post Office in the City of Victoria and to appoiubso many Post Offices in
the said City Office In
and in other districts of the said Colony as to His Excellency shall seem
proper, and
the present Post Office shall be such General Post Office until the site
thereof shall be
changed by ills Excellency:
2. A fit and,'
pioper. person shall be appointed to be Postmaster General in and
fur the said Colony',~,.
,
3. The Po£if`i4ter` General shall, by himself or his deputy or deputies,
have the
entire charge of tie (lerieral Post. Office and of all the postal duties
within the said
Colony, and he shall have sole power, within this Colony, of receiving
frond Her
Majesty's Naval and Post Office Agents and from all ship masters and
other persona
authorised to deliver the same, all correspondence arriving in this
Colony, by, from, or'
through Her Majesty's GeneraX Post Office, or any Colonial or Foreign
Post Office, or
arriving in any ship or vessel other than vessels carrying by contract
Her Majesty's
mails; and the said Postmaster General shall, by himself or his deputy or
deputies,
have the sole and exclusive power, within this Colony, of collecting,
receiving, and
delivering to all persona within this Colony and also to Her Majesty's
Naval and Post
Office Agents, and to all ship masters and to all other persona
authorized to receive the
same, all correspondence for transmission from this Colony by or through
Her Ma-
jesty's said General Post Office to parts out of this Colony; and the
said Postmaster
General shall also have the exclusive privilege within this Colony of
performing all the
incidental services of receiving, collecting, despatching and delivering
all letters
arriving within this Colony from any part out of this Colony or
transmitted from this
Colony to any part out of this Colony; and no correspondence shall be
delivered or
transmitted from this Colony, otherwise than by or through the said
General Post
Office: Provided always that nothing herein contained shall be construed
to render
necessary the delivery to the Postmaster General by a captain of a ship
or vessel other
than those carrying Her Majesty's Mails, of any letters, or papers which
shall arrive
addressed to persons in this Colony which, before the passing of this
Ordinance, were
not xerluixed by the law then in force, to be so delivered: Provided also
that nothing Proviso as to
Imperial Acts of
in.thia Ordinance contained shall, in any way be construed to affect or
interfere with Parliament
the exclusive rights .and privileges of Her Majesty's Postmaster General
or with the
Appointment of
Postmaster
General.
Postmaster
General solely
authorized to
receive and
deliver all corres-
pondence.
Proviso as to
letters arriving
by ship.
Letters excepted
under Acts of
Imperial I'ar11a-
ment.
No person to act
under Post-
master General
unto after
declaration.
Postmaster (a-.
noralto have
powers of Post.
inaster acting
when Ordinance
pasae4:~_
;,
Taut subject to
the rules, Sce.,
then existing.
Postmaster c7e-
neral to keep
-accounts.
r or Imperial
Post l)flic_.
For Colonial
TI'U' 14111'1'.
Local col'e~tinn
How to be paid.
ORDINAZCE ` No. S -oF 1862.
Post Office.
provisions of the Imperial Acts of Parliament relating to the Imperial
Post Office:
Provided also that such exclusive privilege as aforesaid shall not apply
to the trans-
mission o£ correspondence to and front places on the Canton River or to
and from
Macao.
4. All correspondence which in and by the Statutes of the Imperial
Parliament,
is excepted from and out of the exclusive privilege of the Imperial Post
Office, shall
within this Colony be and the same are hereby declared to be excepted
from and out of
the exclusive privilege of the Postmaster General.
5. Fit and proper ,persons shall be appointed to be Postmasters or Deputy
Post-
masters, clerks, agents, or servants in the managing, receiving, sorting,
marking, or
delivering of correspondence, and every Postmaster General and every such
person so
appointed shall, before he shall enter upon the duties of his office,
take and subsvribe
the declaration contained in the schedule marked A hereto annexed, before
a Justice of
the Peace for this Colony, who shall administer such declaration
accordingly. '
g, The Postmaster General to be appointed under the provisions of this
Ordinance
shall, within the limits of this Colony, and subject also to the
provisions of this Ordi-
nance and to the rules to be established under the authority of the same,
and so long
as he shall be in the execution of leis office, have and exercise and be
invested with and
enjoy, all and every such and the same powers and authorities, privileges
and exemp-
tions, and be liable to the same duties and liabilities as the
Postmaster, appointed for
this Colony by Her Majesty's Postmaster General and acting at the time of
the passing
,of this Ordinance, had, or was invested with, or was entitled to, or
enjoyed, or was
liable to, whether by Statute or otherwise.
7. The Postmaster General shall keep accounts of all letters and other
papers
received and dispatched by him, by virtue of his office, with the
particulars of the
hostage thereof, in like manner and form as the Postmaster kept such
accounts
heretofore and at the time of the passing of this Ordinance, or in such
other form as
His Excellency the Governor shall hereafter and from time to time direct
or require.;
and shall keep a separate account of movies which, under the regulations
in that behalf
for the time being in force, and his instructions in reference thereto,
shall be payable
to the Imperial Postmaster General or to the said Postmaster General, in
respect of
the postage of letters or papers received at, or transmitted from this
Colony, and a
separate account of all movies which shall be payable to the Treasury of
this Colony in
respect thereof; and the accounts so to be kept in relation to the movies
payable to
Her Majesty's Postmaster General, shall be Inept and governed in all
respects according
to the instructions to be issued from time to time from Her Majesty's
Postmaster
General, in relation thereto; and the accounts so to be kept in reference
to the movies
payable to the Colonial Treasury shall be kept and governed in all
respects according to
the' instructions to be given by His Excellency the Governor, and
duplicate copies of
all such accounts respectively, shall be forwarded within seven days next
after the last
day o£ every mouth to the Auditor General of this Colony, and payments,
shall be made
ORDINI~ANCE No. 8 of 1862.
Bost Office.
of the revenue of the said Post Office in manner provided for payment of
revenue and
fees by public officers. The amount payable in respect of such accounts
to the Colonial 11ow monies
collected for
Treasury, shall be paid by the Postmaster General into the Treasury, and
the amount C«honlltl'IYrll-
sAlu to be pllld._
payable in respect of such accounts to Her Majesty's Postmaster General,
in respect of
postage, shall be payable and paid in such manner as Her Majesty's
Postmaster General
shall from time to time appoint.
8. The Postmaster General, his deputies and servants, and the Post Office
cenelral el,4t
otlife regulll-
establisbment of this Colony shall be guided by and subject to such rules
and regula- tinlw.
tions as shall be made in that behalf by His Excellency tho Governor, and
a copy of all
such rules and regulations shall be furnished to the Postmaster General,
and such of
the sarnc as relate to the public shall be at all times exhibited openly
at the General
Post Office for the information of the public; Provided that no such
rules or regula-
tions as shall relate to the public shall be in force until the same
shall have been published
in the Hongkong Government Gazette.
9. No correspondence coming from, or through or sent to the United
Kingdom,
or carried elsewhere, or brought here by any contract packet, shall be
liable to any
other rate of postage, than that charged by the Imperial Government, and
the Post-
master General shall collect and receive as well all postage payable in
this Colony, to
Her Majesty, for the Imperial Postmaster General as for the Colonial
Treasury.
10. The postage on all correspondence, posted in this Colony for
transmission to
any place out of the same, shall be paid by the sender on delivering the
same at the
Post Office in money until stamps shall be provided under the provisions
of this Or.
dinance. Provided always that correspondence enclosed in stamped covers,
or having
a stamp affixed thereto (the stamp in every such case being of the value
or amount in
this Ordinance expressed, and specially provided for the purpose under
the authority of
this Ordinance) shall, if witbin the limitation of weight fixed by or
under the authority
of any Statute of the Imperial Parliament'in that behalf and if the
stamps have not
been used before, pass by the post free, except as to such postage as the
same shall or
may be liable to on arrival at their places of destination, when other
,than the United
Kingdom, under the laws of such places respectively.
11. On every letter arriving in this Colony by private ship or in a ship
letter mail ship iatelr5.
from any place beyond the limits of this Colony, and on every letter
posted in this
Colony for transmission to any place beyond the limits of the same, there
shall be
charged and paid to the Postmaster General for the use of this Colony,
postage by
weight according to the following scale, that is to say:-
Not exceeding half an ounce one rate of four pence.
Exceeding half an ounce, but. not exceeding one ounce, two rates, or eight
pence.
Exceeding one ounce; but not exceeding two ounces, four rates or one
shilling
and four pence.
- Exceeding two ounces, but not exceeding three ounces, six rates or two
shillings.
Corrucpondonf e
;I Y contract
ick et to local,
inlpcri«I llosttyo~
Postage prepay-
«131e ill Illllle)'
until stamps pro-.
ridcll.
Stmnps m«y he
n9ed when pro.
1iaeLi.
ORDINANCE No. 8 0F 1862.
Post Office.
And so on in progression an additional two rates being charged for every
additional ounce or fraction of an ounce.
And for every newspaper or prise current the sum of one penny. `
Masters of ships
to receive two.
pence on each
letter brought.
Postage to cases
not provided for,
and of seamens'
and soldiers'
letters.
1laater of vessels
to deliver mails
without delay.
12. The Postmaster General is hereby authorized to receive from masters of
vessels not being Government vessels, or Post Office packets, all
correspondence and
shall allow and pay to masters of such vessels a sum of two pence for
each letter or
pamphlet or such like packet and one-half penny for each
newspaper-broughtto or
delivered at the General Post Office from any place beyond the limits of
the Colony;
upon and when and as soon as such master shall have made the declaration
in schedule
B hereto annexed, which every such master shall make before the
Postmaster General,
and no master of a vessel or other person shall be allowed to deliver any
letter brought
to the said Colony, except to the Postmaster General or his deputy at
the.General
Post Office, save and except correspondence as under the provisions
hereinbefore con-
tained may be otherwise delivered. The sums so paid by the Postmaster
General or
his deputy shall be charged in his account against this Colony.
13. The postage of all correspondence not provided for by this Ordinance
shall
be fixed from time to time by an order under the hand of His Excellency
the Governor
and published in the Hongkong Government Gazette. Provided that all
single letters
received or sent by seamen or soldiers shall subject to the same
provisions as here-
tofore, be charged with such reduced rates of postage as they have
hitherto been
charged in this Colony.
14. In case of the arrival of any vessel in the harbour of
Yictoria.having any mail
on, board of which the delivery shall not have been demanded, the master
shall forth-
with without unnecessary delay deliver to the Postmaster General or to
his deputy at
the Post Office all mail bags, boxes and packages brought by such vessel;
and every
master of a vessel offending against this provision shall for every such
offence forfeit a
sum not exceeding five hundred,dollars, recoverable before a. Police
Magistrate.
Persons propoa. 15, Every person or firm proposing to dispatch a vessel to
any port- or place out
.Ing to despatch
notice to of this Colony, excepting the ports or places on the Canton
River and Macao, shall, so
nerahaster ce- soon as any day or hour is named for t'he departure of such
vessel, give the first, inti_
niation of such proposed departure to the Postmaster General by
forwarding to him a
copy of any circular or advertisement by which it is intended to apprise
the public of
' such, departure, and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Postmaster
General any al-
teration in the hour of departure o£ the said vessel, and the Postmaster
General shah
on receiving such intimations, give notice to the public of the day
and.hour when mails
will be made, up by such vessel ; and any. person or firm failing to give
the information
above provided for to the Postmaster General shall, for every such
offence, forfeit a
sum riot exceeding five hundred dollars recoverable. before a Police
Magistrate, unless.
the Postmaster General on a representation made to him of the
circumstances, of the
case consent, with the sanction of His Excellency the Governor, to waive
the enforce-
ment of such penalty.
ORDINANCE No. 8: 4--1=862.
Past Office.
16. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to demand and receive
the extra
sums hereinafter expressed which are respectively hereby declared payable
for the use
of this Colony, that is to say, on all correspondence brought- to and
received at the
General Post Office, for transmission to any place out of the limits of
this Colony by,
contract packets carrying the mails for England, after the time fixed for
closing offide
for the general receipt of letters for such mail, and up to four hours
before the actual
despatch of the same mail, a fee of six pence on each letter, and of one
penny on each
newspaper; and from the said four hours before the said actual despatch
and up to the
actual closing of the mail at the said office, the fee of one shilling on
each letter, and
of two pence on each newspaper; and after the closing of the said mail at
the said office
the Postmaster General shall be authorized to receive on board the pocket
steamer
then about to sail a fee of one shilling and six pence on each letter,
and a fee of three-
pence on each newspaper; and if any correspondence shall be posted or
sent after such
respective times as aforesaid without payment of such fees respectively,
it shall be the
,duty of the Postmaster General to refuse and not to forward the same by
such mail.
17. The Postmaster General shall by himself or his deputy attend on board
every
steamer other than those for Eugland then about to leave the harbour with
a mail, and
shall there receive all correspondence which up to the time of departure
shall be
brought on board to be dispatched, and shall receive the rates of postage
payable on
;Such correspondence, or otherwise ascertain that such correspondence has
affixed
thereon stamps to the amount payable for transmission, and he shall also
receive m
late fee of six-pence on each letter, and of one penny on each newspaper
which he shall
so.:receive. - And every master of such steamer shall give all proper
facilities to such
Post Office officer for the discharge of his duties and to enable him to
make up such
late mails, and to leave the steamer on her starting, under a penalty for
every offence
.of a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars: Provided always, that in
case after the
closing of the mails for any such steamer as aforesaid at the Post
Office, no such Post
Office officer shall be in attendance on board such steamer, then it
shall be lawful to
;send correspondence and for the master of such steamer to take and carry
all corres-
pondence brought on board to him free from the provisions of Ihis
Ordinance. , .
18. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to register in this
Colony cor. leRegistration of
respondence posted for transmission to any place out of the limits of
this Colony in
like manner and form as the same wore registered by the Postmaster before
the pass-
iAg of this Ordinance and to demand and receive in respect of every such
letter or book
packet so registered in this Colony the sum of six-pence for the use of
this Colony, in
=addition to the fee required for such registration by the Imperial
Postmaster General;
and all registered correspondence, and the registration thereof shall be
subject to all
xsuch and the same rules and regulations as were in force- respecting the
same at the'
tine of -the passing. of this Ordinance or as shall from time to time be
hereafter enacted
orTrovided in respect thereof by any Statute of the Imperial Parliament
or by Her
Majesty's Postmaster General or by His Excellency the Governor. [Repealed
by 0~--
.dinance.No 2 of 1868:] . . .
Peas payable on
late eorrespond-
once by English
steamers.
Late fees pncnLln
on late letters per
All ether stemn-
ere.
ORDINANCE NO. 8 UE 1862.
-Post Offlee.
Power to open
dead letters.
Letters not to be
opened or delay-
ed, with certain
exceptions.
19. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to open any
correspondence
addressed to guy person residing in any place where the prepayment of
postage is com-;
pulsory and upon which correspondence the proper postage shall not have
been paid,,
and as soon as conveniently may be to return the same to the writer, if
he be able so
to do, and also after any correspondence shall have been returned to the
Post Office.
of this Colony for want of true directions, and in any case where the
person or persons.
to whom any correspondence shall have been directed cannot be found, and
after the
same respectively shall have been advertised in the Hongkong Government
Gazette, at
any time after three days thereafter to open every such correspondence
and to return
the: same to the writer of such correspondence respectively or to his
authorized agent,
or representative, upon payment of the postage due upon such
correspondence; and:
in case any such returned correspondence shall be again returned, the
Postmaster
General shall have liberty forthwith to open the said correspondence so
returned to
him, and to destroy the same.
20. No person shall wittingly, willingly, or knowingly open, detain or
delay, or-
cause, procure, or suffer any correspondence to be opened, detained, or
delayed after
delivery into the Post Office, or into the hands of any person employed
for the receiv-
ing or carrying post letters, and before delivery to the person to whom
the same shall
be directed, or for his use; except by express warrant 111 writing under
the hand of His.
Excellency the Governor, or except where the person to whom directed or
who is.,
chargeable with the payment of the postage shall refuse to pay the same.
iesrnge ras be 21. When any packet containing patterns or other articles
being not properly,
remitted on
pockets not letters shall be brought to the General Post Office and shall
have become liable to-,
Containing
letters, ersent m postage, and evidence shall have been adduced to the
satisfaction of the Postmaster
General that such packets have been actually seat through the post in
mistake and
contrary to the intention of the parties interested, it shall be lawful
for the Postmaster
General to reduce the postage provided any such packet be opened in the
presence of
au officer of the Post Office, and is not found to contain any letter or
manuscript liable
to a charge or rate of postage, equivalent to the cost for freight on
such packet, together,
with a fine of not less than one shilling nor exceeding five shillings.
Governor to 22. It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to
cause to be provided
provide postage
tttew and strnnp. at the, public expense proper and sufficient postage
stamps and dies or other implements.
for expressing and denoting the rates or, duties of postage for this
Colony, and such
dies, stamps, and implements shall be kept in such custody, and such
stumps shall be~
made or impressed from such dies or other implements and sold in such
manner as His.
Excellency the Governor shall from time to time direct.
rrav4 and 23, All Statutes or parts of Statutes of the Imperial
Parliament. which have
pnnislnncnt as
to tm iect otnee relation to the commission and punishment of offences
against the Post Office or the-
Continued.
revenue thereof shall be deemed and taken to be incorporated herein, so
far its they can
be made applicable to the local circumstances of this Colony and to the
Post Office-
establish mcut authorized by this Ordinance to be established; and all
offenders shall on
conviction be liable to the punishments or penalties set forth in such
Statutes. And a11.
ORDINANCE No. 8 of 1862.
Post Ofee.
penalties imposed by such Statutes respectively or by this Ordinance
shall, unless
otherwise directed, be recoverable before a Police Magistrate in the
manner proavided
by Ordinance No. 10 of 1844.
24. In case in any respect the due management of the affairs of the Post
Office
Department of this Colony shall not be found to have been adequately
provided for by
this Ordinance, or in case of any convention or arrangement being entered
into with the
authorities of any British Colony or Foreign State or Colony for the
better transmission
of correspondence, which shall render any alteration in the management of
or the
charges for correspondence necessary: it shall be lawful for His
Excellency the
-Governor to make such order as shall he necessary for such purpose, and
such order
shall be published in the Hongkong Gov ernxnent,Gazette.
25. Wherever the word correspondence occurs in this Ordinance it shall
mean tr,tr,ri>retattorr,
clan: e.
and include letters, newspapers, books, pamphlets and other parcels and
papers and
-documents being in or passing through the Post Office of this Colony.
5C.'IIFDULH A.
I do aolenmly and sincerely declare that I will not wittingly
-or willingly open or delay or cause or nuitcr to be opened or delayed
contrary to my duty any letter err
any thing sent by the post, which shall come into my~hantls or custody by
reason of my entlVoyment
relating to the Post Office, except by talc consent of the pcnou or
pennons to whom the ,rnmc shall be
directed or by an express warrant in writing ;under the hand of the
Governor for that purpose, or
;excepting such cases where the party or partios to whom such letter or
any thing sent by the pest shall
be directed, and who is or are chargeable with the payment of the postage
thereof shall refuse or neglect
to pay the same, and except such letters or any thing seat by the post as
shall be returned to the Post
Office of this Colony for want of true directions or when tire party or
parties to whom the same shall
be directed, cannot be found, and that I will not in any way emlrczzle
any such letter or any thing sent
by the post as aforesaid or any money which shall come to my hands by
virtue of my said employment
as or for postage ox otherwise and I make this solemn declaration by
virtue of the provisions of an Act
made and passed in the 5th and 6th years of the reign of Ills late
Majesty King William the 4th
intitulcd °' An Act to repeal nn Act of the present Session of Parliament
intituled, an Act for the snore
effectual abolition of Oaths and affirmations taken and made in various
Deparments of the State to
substitute Declarations in lieu thereof and for the more entire
suppression of voluntary and cal.ra
Judicial Oaths and Affidavits and to make other provisions for the
abolition of unnecessary Oaths.'
Declared before me this
SCHEDULE B.
day of
Commander of tale
arrived from
010, as required by law, solemnly declare, that I have, to the best of my
knowledge arid belief, delivered
or caused to be delivered, at the Post Office at
every letter, bag, I,aekage, or parcel of letters that were on board the
said
.such letters us are exempted by law.
Signed by
Dated the 186
d('itrzess 1'ostmastex General of
All repealed by Ordinance Yo, 10 of 1876.]
III cnw., not
1»oviQed for,
(;Uvtrtwr to
make order.
escort
Cn»z »ranrlcw.
Title.
Preamble.
General Pst Office to be in Victoria.
Appointment of Postmaster General.
Postmaster General solely authorized to receive and deliver all correspondence.
Proviso as to letters arriving by ship.
Proviso as to Imperial Acts of Parliament.
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
No person to act under Postmaster General until after declaration.
Postmaster General to have powers of Postmaster acting when Oridinance passed.
But subject to the rules, &c., then existing.
Postmaster General to keep accounts.
For Imperial Post Office.
For Colonial Treasury.
Local collection how to be paid.
How monies collected for Colonial Treasury to be paid.
General Post Office regulation.
Correspondence by contract packet to hear Imperial postage only.
Postage prepayable in money until stamps provided.
Stamps may be used when provided.
Ship letters.
Masters of ships to receive twopence on each letter brought.
Postage in cases not provided for, and of seamens' and soldiers' letters.
Master of vessels to deliver mails without delay.
Penalty.
Persons proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to the Postmaster General.
Fees payable on late correspondence by English steamers.
Late fees payable on late letters per all other steams.
Registration of letters.
Power to open dead letters.
Letters not to be opened or delayed, with certain exceptions.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
Governor to provide postage dies and stamps.
Crimes and punishment as to the Post Office continued.
In case not provided for, Governor to make order.
Interpretation.
Post Offlce.
No. 8 of 182.
An Ordinance to provide for the Management and Control of a Post mtle.
Office for the Colony of Hongkong.
[3rd May, 1862.
WHEREAS it has become necessary to provide for the establishment and
regula- Preamble.
tion of a Post Office within the Colony of Hongkong:-Be it enacted by His
Excellency the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the legislative
Council
thereof, as follows:-
1. It shall be lawful for His Excellency the (governor o constitute one
General General Poet
Post Office in the City of Victoria and to appoiubso many Post Offices in
the said City Office In
and in other districts of the said Colony as to His Excellency shall seem
proper, and
the present Post Office shall be such General Post Office until the site
thereof shall be
changed by ills Excellency:
2. A fit and,'
pioper. person shall be appointed to be Postmaster General in and
fur the said Colony',~,.
,
3. The Po£if`i4ter` General shall, by himself or his deputy or deputies,
have the
entire charge of tie (lerieral Post. Office and of all the postal duties
within the said
Colony, and he shall have sole power, within this Colony, of receiving
frond Her
Majesty's Naval and Post Office Agents and from all ship masters and
other persona
authorised to deliver the same, all correspondence arriving in this
Colony, by, from, or'
through Her Majesty's GeneraX Post Office, or any Colonial or Foreign
Post Office, or
arriving in any ship or vessel other than vessels carrying by contract
Her Majesty's
mails; and the said Postmaster General shall, by himself or his deputy or
deputies,
have the sole and exclusive power, within this Colony, of collecting,
receiving, and
delivering to all persona within this Colony and also to Her Majesty's
Naval and Post
Office Agents, and to all ship masters and to all other persona
authorized to receive the
same, all correspondence for transmission from this Colony by or through
Her Ma-
jesty's said General Post Office to parts out of this Colony; and the
said Postmaster
General shall also have the exclusive privilege within this Colony of
performing all the
incidental services of receiving, collecting, despatching and delivering
all letters
arriving within this Colony from any part out of this Colony or
transmitted from this
Colony to any part out of this Colony; and no correspondence shall be
delivered or
transmitted from this Colony, otherwise than by or through the said
General Post
Office: Provided always that nothing herein contained shall be construed
to render
necessary the delivery to the Postmaster General by a captain of a ship
or vessel other
than those carrying Her Majesty's Mails, of any letters, or papers which
shall arrive
addressed to persons in this Colony which, before the passing of this
Ordinance, were
not xerluixed by the law then in force, to be so delivered: Provided also
that nothing Proviso as to
Imperial Acts of
in.thia Ordinance contained shall, in any way be construed to affect or
interfere with Parliament
the exclusive rights .and privileges of Her Majesty's Postmaster General
or with the
Appointment of
Postmaster
General.
Postmaster
General solely
authorized to
receive and
deliver all corres-
pondence.
Proviso as to
letters arriving
by ship.
Letters excepted
under Acts of
Imperial I'ar11a-
ment.
No person to act
under Post-
master General
unto after
declaration.
Postmaster (a-.
noralto have
powers of Post.
inaster acting
when Ordinance
pasae4:~_
;,
Taut subject to
the rules, Sce.,
then existing.
Postmaster c7e-
neral to keep
-accounts.
r or Imperial
Post l)flic_.
For Colonial
TI'U' 14111'1'.
Local col'e~tinn
How to be paid.
ORDINAZCE ` No. S -oF 1862.
Post Office.
provisions of the Imperial Acts of Parliament relating to the Imperial
Post Office:
Provided also that such exclusive privilege as aforesaid shall not apply
to the trans-
mission o£ correspondence to and front places on the Canton River or to
and from
Macao.
4. All correspondence which in and by the Statutes of the Imperial
Parliament,
is excepted from and out of the exclusive privilege of the Imperial Post
Office, shall
within this Colony be and the same are hereby declared to be excepted
from and out of
the exclusive privilege of the Postmaster General.
5. Fit and proper ,persons shall be appointed to be Postmasters or Deputy
Post-
masters, clerks, agents, or servants in the managing, receiving, sorting,
marking, or
delivering of correspondence, and every Postmaster General and every such
person so
appointed shall, before he shall enter upon the duties of his office,
take and subsvribe
the declaration contained in the schedule marked A hereto annexed, before
a Justice of
the Peace for this Colony, who shall administer such declaration
accordingly. '
g, The Postmaster General to be appointed under the provisions of this
Ordinance
shall, within the limits of this Colony, and subject also to the
provisions of this Ordi-
nance and to the rules to be established under the authority of the same,
and so long
as he shall be in the execution of leis office, have and exercise and be
invested with and
enjoy, all and every such and the same powers and authorities, privileges
and exemp-
tions, and be liable to the same duties and liabilities as the
Postmaster, appointed for
this Colony by Her Majesty's Postmaster General and acting at the time of
the passing
,of this Ordinance, had, or was invested with, or was entitled to, or
enjoyed, or was
liable to, whether by Statute or otherwise.
7. The Postmaster General shall keep accounts of all letters and other
papers
received and dispatched by him, by virtue of his office, with the
particulars of the
hostage thereof, in like manner and form as the Postmaster kept such
accounts
heretofore and at the time of the passing of this Ordinance, or in such
other form as
His Excellency the Governor shall hereafter and from time to time direct
or require.;
and shall keep a separate account of movies which, under the regulations
in that behalf
for the time being in force, and his instructions in reference thereto,
shall be payable
to the Imperial Postmaster General or to the said Postmaster General, in
respect of
the postage of letters or papers received at, or transmitted from this
Colony, and a
separate account of all movies which shall be payable to the Treasury of
this Colony in
respect thereof; and the accounts so to be kept in relation to the movies
payable to
Her Majesty's Postmaster General, shall be Inept and governed in all
respects according
to the instructions to be issued from time to time from Her Majesty's
Postmaster
General, in relation thereto; and the accounts so to be kept in reference
to the movies
payable to the Colonial Treasury shall be kept and governed in all
respects according to
the' instructions to be given by His Excellency the Governor, and
duplicate copies of
all such accounts respectively, shall be forwarded within seven days next
after the last
day o£ every mouth to the Auditor General of this Colony, and payments,
shall be made
ORDINI~ANCE No. 8 of 1862.
Bost Office.
of the revenue of the said Post Office in manner provided for payment of
revenue and
fees by public officers. The amount payable in respect of such accounts
to the Colonial 11ow monies
collected for
Treasury, shall be paid by the Postmaster General into the Treasury, and
the amount C«honlltl'IYrll-
sAlu to be pllld._
payable in respect of such accounts to Her Majesty's Postmaster General,
in respect of
postage, shall be payable and paid in such manner as Her Majesty's
Postmaster General
shall from time to time appoint.
8. The Postmaster General, his deputies and servants, and the Post Office
cenelral el,4t
otlife regulll-
establisbment of this Colony shall be guided by and subject to such rules
and regula- tinlw.
tions as shall be made in that behalf by His Excellency tho Governor, and
a copy of all
such rules and regulations shall be furnished to the Postmaster General,
and such of
the sarnc as relate to the public shall be at all times exhibited openly
at the General
Post Office for the information of the public; Provided that no such
rules or regula-
tions as shall relate to the public shall be in force until the same
shall have been published
in the Hongkong Government Gazette.
9. No correspondence coming from, or through or sent to the United
Kingdom,
or carried elsewhere, or brought here by any contract packet, shall be
liable to any
other rate of postage, than that charged by the Imperial Government, and
the Post-
master General shall collect and receive as well all postage payable in
this Colony, to
Her Majesty, for the Imperial Postmaster General as for the Colonial
Treasury.
10. The postage on all correspondence, posted in this Colony for
transmission to
any place out of the same, shall be paid by the sender on delivering the
same at the
Post Office in money until stamps shall be provided under the provisions
of this Or.
dinance. Provided always that correspondence enclosed in stamped covers,
or having
a stamp affixed thereto (the stamp in every such case being of the value
or amount in
this Ordinance expressed, and specially provided for the purpose under
the authority of
this Ordinance) shall, if witbin the limitation of weight fixed by or
under the authority
of any Statute of the Imperial Parliament'in that behalf and if the
stamps have not
been used before, pass by the post free, except as to such postage as the
same shall or
may be liable to on arrival at their places of destination, when other
,than the United
Kingdom, under the laws of such places respectively.
11. On every letter arriving in this Colony by private ship or in a ship
letter mail ship iatelr5.
from any place beyond the limits of this Colony, and on every letter
posted in this
Colony for transmission to any place beyond the limits of the same, there
shall be
charged and paid to the Postmaster General for the use of this Colony,
postage by
weight according to the following scale, that is to say:-
Not exceeding half an ounce one rate of four pence.
Exceeding half an ounce, but. not exceeding one ounce, two rates, or eight
pence.
Exceeding one ounce; but not exceeding two ounces, four rates or one
shilling
and four pence.
- Exceeding two ounces, but not exceeding three ounces, six rates or two
shillings.
Corrucpondonf e
;I Y contract
ick et to local,
inlpcri«I llosttyo~
Postage prepay-
«131e ill Illllle)'
until stamps pro-.
ridcll.
Stmnps m«y he
n9ed when pro.
1iaeLi.
ORDINANCE No. 8 0F 1862.
Post Office.
And so on in progression an additional two rates being charged for every
additional ounce or fraction of an ounce.
And for every newspaper or prise current the sum of one penny. `
Masters of ships
to receive two.
pence on each
letter brought.
Postage to cases
not provided for,
and of seamens'
and soldiers'
letters.
1laater of vessels
to deliver mails
without delay.
12. The Postmaster General is hereby authorized to receive from masters of
vessels not being Government vessels, or Post Office packets, all
correspondence and
shall allow and pay to masters of such vessels a sum of two pence for
each letter or
pamphlet or such like packet and one-half penny for each
newspaper-broughtto or
delivered at the General Post Office from any place beyond the limits of
the Colony;
upon and when and as soon as such master shall have made the declaration
in schedule
B hereto annexed, which every such master shall make before the
Postmaster General,
and no master of a vessel or other person shall be allowed to deliver any
letter brought
to the said Colony, except to the Postmaster General or his deputy at
the.General
Post Office, save and except correspondence as under the provisions
hereinbefore con-
tained may be otherwise delivered. The sums so paid by the Postmaster
General or
his deputy shall be charged in his account against this Colony.
13. The postage of all correspondence not provided for by this Ordinance
shall
be fixed from time to time by an order under the hand of His Excellency
the Governor
and published in the Hongkong Government Gazette. Provided that all
single letters
received or sent by seamen or soldiers shall subject to the same
provisions as here-
tofore, be charged with such reduced rates of postage as they have
hitherto been
charged in this Colony.
14. In case of the arrival of any vessel in the harbour of
Yictoria.having any mail
on, board of which the delivery shall not have been demanded, the master
shall forth-
with without unnecessary delay deliver to the Postmaster General or to
his deputy at
the Post Office all mail bags, boxes and packages brought by such vessel;
and every
master of a vessel offending against this provision shall for every such
offence forfeit a
sum not exceeding five hundred,dollars, recoverable before a. Police
Magistrate.
Persons propoa. 15, Every person or firm proposing to dispatch a vessel to
any port- or place out
.Ing to despatch
notice to of this Colony, excepting the ports or places on the Canton
River and Macao, shall, so
nerahaster ce- soon as any day or hour is named for t'he departure of such
vessel, give the first, inti_
niation of such proposed departure to the Postmaster General by
forwarding to him a
copy of any circular or advertisement by which it is intended to apprise
the public of
' such, departure, and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Postmaster
General any al-
teration in the hour of departure o£ the said vessel, and the Postmaster
General shah
on receiving such intimations, give notice to the public of the day
and.hour when mails
will be made, up by such vessel ; and any. person or firm failing to give
the information
above provided for to the Postmaster General shall, for every such
offence, forfeit a
sum riot exceeding five hundred dollars recoverable. before a Police
Magistrate, unless.
the Postmaster General on a representation made to him of the
circumstances, of the
case consent, with the sanction of His Excellency the Governor, to waive
the enforce-
ment of such penalty.
ORDINANCE No. 8: 4--1=862.
Past Office.
16. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to demand and receive
the extra
sums hereinafter expressed which are respectively hereby declared payable
for the use
of this Colony, that is to say, on all correspondence brought- to and
received at the
General Post Office, for transmission to any place out of the limits of
this Colony by,
contract packets carrying the mails for England, after the time fixed for
closing offide
for the general receipt of letters for such mail, and up to four hours
before the actual
despatch of the same mail, a fee of six pence on each letter, and of one
penny on each
newspaper; and from the said four hours before the said actual despatch
and up to the
actual closing of the mail at the said office, the fee of one shilling on
each letter, and
of two pence on each newspaper; and after the closing of the said mail at
the said office
the Postmaster General shall be authorized to receive on board the pocket
steamer
then about to sail a fee of one shilling and six pence on each letter,
and a fee of three-
pence on each newspaper; and if any correspondence shall be posted or
sent after such
respective times as aforesaid without payment of such fees respectively,
it shall be the
,duty of the Postmaster General to refuse and not to forward the same by
such mail.
17. The Postmaster General shall by himself or his deputy attend on board
every
steamer other than those for Eugland then about to leave the harbour with
a mail, and
shall there receive all correspondence which up to the time of departure
shall be
brought on board to be dispatched, and shall receive the rates of postage
payable on
;Such correspondence, or otherwise ascertain that such correspondence has
affixed
thereon stamps to the amount payable for transmission, and he shall also
receive m
late fee of six-pence on each letter, and of one penny on each newspaper
which he shall
so.:receive. - And every master of such steamer shall give all proper
facilities to such
Post Office officer for the discharge of his duties and to enable him to
make up such
late mails, and to leave the steamer on her starting, under a penalty for
every offence
.of a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars: Provided always, that in
case after the
closing of the mails for any such steamer as aforesaid at the Post
Office, no such Post
Office officer shall be in attendance on board such steamer, then it
shall be lawful to
;send correspondence and for the master of such steamer to take and carry
all corres-
pondence brought on board to him free from the provisions of Ihis
Ordinance. , .
18. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to register in this
Colony cor. leRegistration of
respondence posted for transmission to any place out of the limits of
this Colony in
like manner and form as the same wore registered by the Postmaster before
the pass-
iAg of this Ordinance and to demand and receive in respect of every such
letter or book
packet so registered in this Colony the sum of six-pence for the use of
this Colony, in
=addition to the fee required for such registration by the Imperial
Postmaster General;
and all registered correspondence, and the registration thereof shall be
subject to all
xsuch and the same rules and regulations as were in force- respecting the
same at the'
tine of -the passing. of this Ordinance or as shall from time to time be
hereafter enacted
orTrovided in respect thereof by any Statute of the Imperial Parliament
or by Her
Majesty's Postmaster General or by His Excellency the Governor. [Repealed
by 0~--
.dinance.No 2 of 1868:] . . .
Peas payable on
late eorrespond-
once by English
steamers.
Late fees pncnLln
on late letters per
All ether stemn-
ere.
ORDINANCE NO. 8 UE 1862.
-Post Offlee.
Power to open
dead letters.
Letters not to be
opened or delay-
ed, with certain
exceptions.
19. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to open any
correspondence
addressed to guy person residing in any place where the prepayment of
postage is com-;
pulsory and upon which correspondence the proper postage shall not have
been paid,,
and as soon as conveniently may be to return the same to the writer, if
he be able so
to do, and also after any correspondence shall have been returned to the
Post Office.
of this Colony for want of true directions, and in any case where the
person or persons.
to whom any correspondence shall have been directed cannot be found, and
after the
same respectively shall have been advertised in the Hongkong Government
Gazette, at
any time after three days thereafter to open every such correspondence
and to return
the: same to the writer of such correspondence respectively or to his
authorized agent,
or representative, upon payment of the postage due upon such
correspondence; and:
in case any such returned correspondence shall be again returned, the
Postmaster
General shall have liberty forthwith to open the said correspondence so
returned to
him, and to destroy the same.
20. No person shall wittingly, willingly, or knowingly open, detain or
delay, or-
cause, procure, or suffer any correspondence to be opened, detained, or
delayed after
delivery into the Post Office, or into the hands of any person employed
for the receiv-
ing or carrying post letters, and before delivery to the person to whom
the same shall
be directed, or for his use; except by express warrant 111 writing under
the hand of His.
Excellency the Governor, or except where the person to whom directed or
who is.,
chargeable with the payment of the postage shall refuse to pay the same.
iesrnge ras be 21. When any packet containing patterns or other articles
being not properly,
remitted on
pockets not letters shall be brought to the General Post Office and shall
have become liable to-,
Containing
letters, ersent m postage, and evidence shall have been adduced to the
satisfaction of the Postmaster
General that such packets have been actually seat through the post in
mistake and
contrary to the intention of the parties interested, it shall be lawful
for the Postmaster
General to reduce the postage provided any such packet be opened in the
presence of
au officer of the Post Office, and is not found to contain any letter or
manuscript liable
to a charge or rate of postage, equivalent to the cost for freight on
such packet, together,
with a fine of not less than one shilling nor exceeding five shillings.
Governor to 22. It shall be lawful for His Excellency the Governor to
cause to be provided
provide postage
tttew and strnnp. at the, public expense proper and sufficient postage
stamps and dies or other implements.
for expressing and denoting the rates or, duties of postage for this
Colony, and such
dies, stamps, and implements shall be kept in such custody, and such
stumps shall be~
made or impressed from such dies or other implements and sold in such
manner as His.
Excellency the Governor shall from time to time direct.
rrav4 and 23, All Statutes or parts of Statutes of the Imperial
Parliament. which have
pnnislnncnt as
to tm iect otnee relation to the commission and punishment of offences
against the Post Office or the-
Continued.
revenue thereof shall be deemed and taken to be incorporated herein, so
far its they can
be made applicable to the local circumstances of this Colony and to the
Post Office-
establish mcut authorized by this Ordinance to be established; and all
offenders shall on
conviction be liable to the punishments or penalties set forth in such
Statutes. And a11.
ORDINANCE No. 8 of 1862.
Post Ofee.
penalties imposed by such Statutes respectively or by this Ordinance
shall, unless
otherwise directed, be recoverable before a Police Magistrate in the
manner proavided
by Ordinance No. 10 of 1844.
24. In case in any respect the due management of the affairs of the Post
Office
Department of this Colony shall not be found to have been adequately
provided for by
this Ordinance, or in case of any convention or arrangement being entered
into with the
authorities of any British Colony or Foreign State or Colony for the
better transmission
of correspondence, which shall render any alteration in the management of
or the
charges for correspondence necessary: it shall be lawful for His
Excellency the
-Governor to make such order as shall he necessary for such purpose, and
such order
shall be published in the Hongkong Gov ernxnent,Gazette.
25. Wherever the word correspondence occurs in this Ordinance it shall
mean tr,tr,ri>retattorr,
clan: e.
and include letters, newspapers, books, pamphlets and other parcels and
papers and
-documents being in or passing through the Post Office of this Colony.
5C.'IIFDULH A.
I do aolenmly and sincerely declare that I will not wittingly
-or willingly open or delay or cause or nuitcr to be opened or delayed
contrary to my duty any letter err
any thing sent by the post, which shall come into my~hantls or custody by
reason of my entlVoyment
relating to the Post Office, except by talc consent of the pcnou or
pennons to whom the ,rnmc shall be
directed or by an express warrant in writing ;under the hand of the
Governor for that purpose, or
;excepting such cases where the party or partios to whom such letter or
any thing sent by the pest shall
be directed, and who is or are chargeable with the payment of the postage
thereof shall refuse or neglect
to pay the same, and except such letters or any thing seat by the post as
shall be returned to the Post
Office of this Colony for want of true directions or when tire party or
parties to whom the same shall
be directed, cannot be found, and that I will not in any way emlrczzle
any such letter or any thing sent
by the post as aforesaid or any money which shall come to my hands by
virtue of my said employment
as or for postage ox otherwise and I make this solemn declaration by
virtue of the provisions of an Act
made and passed in the 5th and 6th years of the reign of Ills late
Majesty King William the 4th
intitulcd °' An Act to repeal nn Act of the present Session of Parliament
intituled, an Act for the snore
effectual abolition of Oaths and affirmations taken and made in various
Deparments of the State to
substitute Declarations in lieu thereof and for the more entire
suppression of voluntary and cal.ra
Judicial Oaths and Affidavits and to make other provisions for the
abolition of unnecessary Oaths.'
Declared before me this
SCHEDULE B.
day of
Commander of tale
arrived from
010, as required by law, solemnly declare, that I have, to the best of my
knowledge arid belief, delivered
or caused to be delivered, at the Post Office at
every letter, bag, I,aekage, or parcel of letters that were on board the
said
.such letters us are exempted by law.
Signed by
Dated the 186
d('itrzess 1'ostmastex General of
All repealed by Ordinance Yo, 10 of 1876.]
III cnw., not
1»oviQed for,
(;Uvtrtwr to
make order.
escort
Cn»z »ranrlcw.
Title.
Preamble.
General Pst Office to be in Victoria.
Appointment of Postmaster General.
Postmaster General solely authorized to receive and deliver all correspondence.
Proviso as to letters arriving by ship.
Proviso as to Imperial Acts of Parliament.
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
No person to act under Postmaster General until after declaration.
Postmaster General to have powers of Postmaster acting when Oridinance passed.
But subject to the rules, &c., then existing.
Postmaster General to keep accounts.
For Imperial Post Office.
For Colonial Treasury.
Local collection how to be paid.
How monies collected for Colonial Treasury to be paid.
General Post Office regulation.
Correspondence by contract packet to hear Imperial postage only.
Postage prepayable in money until stamps provided.
Stamps may be used when provided.
Ship letters.
Masters of ships to receive twopence on each letter brought.
Postage in cases not provided for, and of seamens' and soldiers' letters.
Master of vessels to deliver mails without delay.
Penalty.
Persons proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to the Postmaster General.
Fees payable on late correspondence by English steamers.
Late fees payable on late letters per all other steams.
Registration of letters.
Power to open dead letters.
Letters not to be opened or delayed, with certain exceptions.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
Governor to provide postage dies and stamps.
Crimes and punishment as to the Post Office continued.
In case not provided for, Governor to make order.
Interpretation.
Abstract
Title.
Preamble.
General Pst Office to be in Victoria.
Appointment of Postmaster General.
Postmaster General solely authorized to receive and deliver all correspondence.
Proviso as to letters arriving by ship.
Proviso as to Imperial Acts of Parliament.
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
No person to act under Postmaster General until after declaration.
Postmaster General to have powers of Postmaster acting when Oridinance passed.
But subject to the rules, &c., then existing.
Postmaster General to keep accounts.
For Imperial Post Office.
For Colonial Treasury.
Local collection how to be paid.
How monies collected for Colonial Treasury to be paid.
General Post Office regulation.
Correspondence by contract packet to hear Imperial postage only.
Postage prepayable in money until stamps provided.
Stamps may be used when provided.
Ship letters.
Masters of ships to receive twopence on each letter brought.
Postage in cases not provided for, and of seamens' and soldiers' letters.
Master of vessels to deliver mails without delay.
Penalty.
Persons proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to the Postmaster General.
Fees payable on late correspondence by English steamers.
Late fees payable on late letters per all other steams.
Registration of letters.
Power to open dead letters.
Letters not to be opened or delayed, with certain exceptions.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
Governor to provide postage dies and stamps.
Crimes and punishment as to the Post Office continued.
In case not provided for, Governor to make order.
Interpretation.
Preamble.
General Pst Office to be in Victoria.
Appointment of Postmaster General.
Postmaster General solely authorized to receive and deliver all correspondence.
Proviso as to letters arriving by ship.
Proviso as to Imperial Acts of Parliament.
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
No person to act under Postmaster General until after declaration.
Postmaster General to have powers of Postmaster acting when Oridinance passed.
But subject to the rules, &c., then existing.
Postmaster General to keep accounts.
For Imperial Post Office.
For Colonial Treasury.
Local collection how to be paid.
How monies collected for Colonial Treasury to be paid.
General Post Office regulation.
Correspondence by contract packet to hear Imperial postage only.
Postage prepayable in money until stamps provided.
Stamps may be used when provided.
Ship letters.
Masters of ships to receive twopence on each letter brought.
Postage in cases not provided for, and of seamens' and soldiers' letters.
Master of vessels to deliver mails without delay.
Penalty.
Persons proposing to despatch vessel to give notice to the Postmaster General.
Fees payable on late correspondence by English steamers.
Late fees payable on late letters per all other steams.
Registration of letters.
Power to open dead letters.
Letters not to be opened or delayed, with certain exceptions.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
Governor to provide postage dies and stamps.
Crimes and punishment as to the Post Office continued.
In case not provided for, Governor to make order.
Interpretation.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/172
Edition
1890
Volume
v1
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 8 of 1862
Number of Pages
7
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“POST OFFICE ORDINANCE,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed March 1, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/172.
