POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1876
Title
POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1876
Description
Post Office.
No. 10 of 1876.
An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to the Postal Matters of the
Colony.
[11th December, 1876.]
BE it enacted by the Governor o£ Hongkong, with the advice of the
Legislative
Council thereof, as follows :-
$1xmttxtn. 1. This Ordinance map be cited as 'The Post Office Ordinance,
1876.'
2, In this Ordinance, and in any Order in Council or regulation made
thereunder,
unless the context indicates the contrary, the following expressions
shall have the
meanings set against them-respectively, that is to say :-
'Postmaster General' shall mean the Postmaster General of the Colony.
'Correspondence' shall meau any letter, newspaper, book, pamphlet,
document,
parcel, or package, or other article whatsoever transmitted by post,
whether in a closed-
mail or having been placed loose on board any contract packet or vessel
for trans-
mission; and a letter or other article shall be deemed to be
correspondence from the
time o£ 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 *rouglit, and
in either cass--
sliall 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.
'Postage Stamp' shall mean any label or stamp for denoting any rate o£
postage:
'Letter Bab' shall mean any bag, or boa, or packet, or parcel, or other
envelope
or covering in which correspondence is conveyed, whether it does or does
not contain
correspondence.
Post Office' shall mean any house, building, room, or place where
correspondence
is received or delivered, or in which it is sorted, made ujj, or
despatched.
'Officer of the Post Office' shall inean the Postmaster General, and
every Post=-
master, Assistant Postmaster, agent, officer, clerk, letter carrier, or
any other person
employed, in guy business of the Post Ogee, whether employed by the
Postmaster-
General, or by any person under him, or on behalf of the Post Office.
ORDINANL'CE No. 10 OF 1876.
Post Office.
11 Persons employed by or under the Post Office' shall mean every, person
employed
in any business of the Post Office according to the interpretation given
to officer of the
Post Office. .
'Contract Packet' shall mean any vessel for the conveyance of letter bags
and
correspondence under contract.
'Master of a Vessel' shall mean any, person in charge of a vessel,
whether com-
mander, nate, or other person.
' Vessel' shall mean any ship or other vessel not being a contract packet.
3. There shall, as heretofore, be one General Post Office of the Colony,
where General Post
Office. '
correspondence may be received from all places, and whence correspondence
may be Craw) see. 1.3
despatched to all places, and the present Post Office shall be such
General Post Office
until the site th changed by the Governor.
The Governor may establish such other District Post Offices is the Colony
as he
thinks fit.
143&
Management.
4. The present Postmaster General and all other ',officers of the Post
Office are Postmaster .
General and
hereby continued in their offices, and shall have all the powers and
privileges hereby ~ he reottcened
conferred upon the holders of their respective offices.
5. The Governor may hereafter, as occasionequires, appoint, front time to
time, Appointment of
officers in future.
a -Postmaster General of the Colony, and all necessary Assistant
Postmasters General, [Ibid, sec. a s: ~. .
Postmasters, agents, clerks, or servants for conducting thbrbusiness of
the Post Office.
6. No person hereafter appointed shall be capable of holding the office
of Post-
master General, or Assistant Postmaster General, or Postmaster, or agent,
unless he
shall have first made and subscribed before a Justice of the Peace or one
of Her
Britanic Majesty's Consuls, the declaration contained in the schedule A
hereto annexed,
and no person hereafter appointed shall be capable of being a clerk,
servant, or officer
of the. Post Office, unless he shall have first made and subscribed in
like manner, the
declaration contained in the schedule B hereto annexed.
The Postmaster General shall, by himself or his deputies, have the entire
charge of the General Post Office and of all postal matters within the
Colony, with sole
power, within the Colony, of receiving from all persons authorised to
deliver the same,
all letter bags and correspondence arriving in the Colony; and with sole
power; within
the Colony, 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.
The said Postmaster General shall also have the exclusive privilege,
within the
Colony, of performing all the iilcidental services of receiving,
collecting, despatching
and delivering all correspondence arrivingirom, or transmitted to any
place out of the
Colony; and no letters (except Chinese letters), unless exempt by law,
shall be delivered
in, or transmitted from the Colony, otherwise than by or through the
General Post
Office:
Declarations.
LIbid, sec. 5.l
Postmaster
General solely
authorised to
receive and
deliver all cor-
respondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3,1
ORDINANCE No. 10 OF ISM!
.Post Office.
Utters excepted
under Acts of
Imperial Parlsa-
mentr
1: Ilia , sec. 4, and
$ee 1 Vie. e. 33)
see. 2.1
$, 9,11 correspondence which, by- any Act of the Imperial Parliament, is
excepted
from the exclusive privilege of the Imperial Post Office, shall within
this Colony be,
and the same is hereby declared to be, excepted from the exclusive
privilege of the
Postmaster General of the Colony.
Receipt ofpost- 9. The Postmaster General shall receive all postage
paSal',)le in the Colony and
ale and accounts.
csee Ord. s or shall keep accounts of all correspondence received and
despatched by.him, with the
1862) sec. 7.J ,
particulars of the postage thereof, in such manner and form as the
Governor may,
from time to time, direct; but so that the accounts of monies payable to
the Imperial
Postmaster General be kept distinct from the accounts of movies payable
to the Colonial
Treasury.
The Postmaster General shall keep the accounts of movies payable to the
Imperial
Postmaster General in such form and shall txtdusmit.such monies in such
manner, as,
the said Imperial Postmaster General may, from time to time, direct.
Governor In 10. The Governor in Council may, from time to time, by order
under his hand
Council racy fix
rates of posts determine the rates of postage to be charged
11bi,4 sees. 24 9* upon all correspondence sent by0
Pst .
vifa$a~e~$i.3 from the General Post Office of °the Colony, or received
therein'froxn places outside the' Colony, and the scale of weights
according to which such rates 'are to be charged, and
may revoke, alter, or add to any such- order, so however, that n> order
be inconsistent:
with ,any instructions on the subject transmitted from the Secretary of
State or the
Imperial Postmaster General.
Orders to be 11. The Governor shall publish every such order by
proclamation in, the Gazette; .
~baal.3 _
published by
and every order, when, so published, shall have the same effect a~ if it
bad been inserted
in- this Ordinance.
12. The Governor may, subject to such instructions as aforesaid, from
time to
time, make, alter, and repeal, in relation to correspondence send by
post, such regula-
tions as he thinks fit for regulating the times and modes of potting and
delivery, pre-
payment, late fees, fines on unpaid correspondence, the registry of
correspondence
money orders, the sale and affixing of postage stamps, the dimensions,
weight, and
contents of packets, and other such similar regulations as the Governor,
from time- to
fide, thinks necessary for the better execution of this Ordinance.
All such regulations, as affect the public shall , be, published in the
Ga. zett;e~:~:~td;
*hall have no effect until so published.
3.3. -If a question arises whether any, article of~ correspondence' is
a-l6tter; -or .-
whether any publication is a newspaper or a supplement, or whether any
pacKet m a
book packet or pattern or sample packet, within the m9aning of, this
Ordinance, or of
any order in Council, ox regulations mad` thereunder, the decision
thereon. of the
Postmaster General shall be final, save that the Governor may,';if ho
thinks fit, on the
application of any person interested, reverse or modify the decision,
and-order accord-
accord-
ingly.
ORIJIIN,A~'ChJ No. IU of 187G:
Post U,~'cce.
14. All correspondence which arrives in this Colony f~ paid according to
the
rates in force for the time being shall be delivered or transmitted from
the Pout Office
without delay and without further charge.
All correspondence which is delivered to the Post Office with the proper
postage
paid thereon, shall be transmitted from the, Post Office without delay.
15. All letters received or sent by sailors or soldiers of Her Majesty's
sea or land' seamen's and
soldiers' letters.
forces shall be charged with such reduction in the hates of postage, as
is allowed to Ubid, sec. 13.1
them by any .Act of the Imperial Parliament.
16. The Governor may, from time time, provide proper postage stamps
and Dies, &c. for-
postage stamps.
proper dies and other implements for denoting, by adhesive stamps or
otherwise, the ilbitl, see. aaa
rates of postage payable under this Ordinance, or any regulation
thereunder. '
. 1'7. The Postmaster General may, i5 necessary,, open and, if possible,
return to Opening letters.
` (Ibitf, see. 19.1
the sender:----
Paid corres-
pondence to be
delivered or
transmitted, -
without delay.
ilbid, see. 9.1
(i.) Any correspondence upon which the prepayment of postage is compul-
Unpaid letters.
sore, and;which cannot be sent unpaid by any other route, and upon
which the proper postage has mot been paid;
(2.) .Any correspondence which is returned to the General Post Office for
Dead letters.
. .,`vant o£ a proper address, or from inability to find the person ,to
whom.
it is addressed, and which remains unclaimed for ten days after being
advertised in the Gazette.
1$. When any packet is delivered to the Post Of&re and has thereby become
liable to postage, and evidence is adduced to the satisfaction ofthe
Postmaster General
that such packet has been delivered to the Post Office by mistake, the
Postmaster
General may cause such packet to be opened in the presence of an officer
of the Post
Office, and nay, return the same without charge to the person interested;
unless
such packet is found to contain any letter or manuscript liable to
postage; in
which case the Postmaster General shall retain the packet until lie is
paid the full
rate of postage chargeable upon such letter -or manuscript.
` 19. After any correspondence has been delivered to the Post Once, no
person
employed by or under the Post Office shall, except in the cases above
mentioned, open
the salne,,or return the same to any person, or procure or suffer the
same to be opened
or returned, unless he is authorised by express warrant in writing under
the hand of
the Governor; of the Brttish Consul at the port. `
The Governor,-or, the British Consul at the port, may, at his discretion,
giant
such warrants for- opening or returning any specified letter or other
article of
correspondence.
Postage may be
remitted on
=not
ng
letters, if Bent
in mistake.
[Tbid, see. 21.1
Warrants for
cpening or
returning cor-
respondence.
[Ibid, see. 20.;
Despatch arty receipt of mails.
24. EvO~y'ma,ster of a vessel, shall, immediately on arrival, and before.
reporting Delivery ofmails.
[7bidy see. 14.1
at the Harbour ..Office, deliver to the Post Office all letter bags and
correspondence on
board; 'except ; such .as are exempt, by law, and shall make the
declaration contained in
-flue -schedule 0 hereto annexed, before an officer of the Post Office.
oratpitie to -
~tiusters of
vessels inwards.
LAW, see. 12.1
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1876.
Post O~f'tce.
21. The Postrriasteneral shall pay to every master of a vessel, not being
a
contract packet, a gratuity of two cents for every letter, and one eqnt
for every otter
article of correspondence delivered by him to the Post Office: Provided
always that nv~
gratuity shall be payable= - -
(1.) For a second transmission of any correspondence;
(2.) On correspondence delivered to any Post Office to be thence
transmitted
by contract packet;
' (3.) On correspondence the gratuity on which is certified by the
despatching
office to have been paid. ~`
Gratuities to 22, The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any
master of a vessel
musters of
vessels outwards. leaving Hongkong on every article of correspondence
delivered to such master from
the Post Office, or certified by the Post Office °of destination to have
deer duly received
from hint.
rates ofgratuity. 23. The powers of the Governor in Council as defined
and regulated by sections
10 and 11 of this Ordinance, shall equally apply to the rates of gratuity
to be paid to
shill masters for the delivery of mails, either generally in particular
cases: Provided
' always, that the gratuities fixed by any Order in Council under this
section, shall not
be less on the average than the sums otherwise required by this Ordinance
to be paid.
Damages for 24. Every -master of, a vessel who receives such gratuities,
shall be held to have-
nan-delivery of
~n~: made a contract with the Postmaster General that in consideration of
the gratuities
Y
so paid, he will duly deliver all letter bags and correspondence received
from the Post
Office unto the persons to whom the same are addressed immediately on his
arrival in
port; without wilful or avoidable delay after his arrival, and that if he
fail in any re-
spect to perform his said contract, he will pay to the Postmaster General
the sum o£'
five hundred dollars as liquidated damagc;s for the breach of his said
contract.
25. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to any, port or
place out
of this Colony, excepting vessels plying daily or on fined days to Macao
or to places
0n the Canton River, shall, so soon as he has arranged the time for the
departure of
such vessel, give the first intimation of such proposed departure to the
Postmaster
General, and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Postmaster General
any alteration
in the day or hour of departure of the said vessel, and the Postmaster
General shall.,.
on receiving such intimations, give notice to the public of the day and
hour for closing
the mails, if guy are to be made up by such vessel. _ . .
Any person or firil1 failing to give such intimation to the Postmaster
General
shall, for every such offence, on conviction thereof, be liable to a
penalty not exceeding-
five hundred dollars. ~ .
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, who shall,
for- any de-
fault, be liable, on conviction thereof, to a penalty, not exceeding one
hundred dollars.
~erm 's P'Pos-
gto des 'It
sels to Pa~e
es I
nlee to e
A th
Postmaster
General.
flbid, see. 16.1
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1876.
Post Office.
26. The Postmaster General, or any officer of the Post Office authorised
by him, Making up mails,.
on board.
may attend on board any vessel, after the time for closing the mail by
such vessel, Ilbid, sec. 17.1
and may receive all fully prepaid correspondence which is brought on
board up to the
time of departure to be transmitted by such vessel.
The master of every such vessel shall give all proper facilities to such
officer of
the Post Office to enable him to discharge his duties and to make up such
late mails,
and to leave the vessel on her departure, and any master of a vessel
failing to give,
any such facilities shall be liable, on conviction thereof, to a. penalty
not exceeding five
hundred dollars.
If there be no officer of the Post Office in attendance on board any
vessel,- the
master of such vessel may receive all correspondence which is brought on
board to him
prepaid by stamps; and shall deliver the same at the Post Office on
arrival at his'
destination.
Offences.
27. Every master of a vessel, which is not a contract packet, who commits
any penalties on
of the following offences, shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to a
penalty not exceed- master
ing five hundred dollars, that is to say:-
Refusal to take a le* bag delivered or tendered to him by an officer of
the
'Post Office for conveyance.
Refusal to sign a receipt for a letter bag delivered to him by an officer
of the
Post Office for conveyance.
Neglect without reasonable excuse to deliver ail correspondence to the
Post [Aid, seci4.l
Office on his arrival in the Colony.
Refusal or wilful neglect to make or making any untrue statement in,
the lrbrd.l
declaration hereby required of his having delivered his.letters to the
Post Offce.
Refusal or wilful neglect, if in quarantine, to deliver all
correspondence in llbrd.l
his possession to the person -appointed to receive it.
2$, 'Every person, employed by or under the Post Office, who steals,
embezzles, Stealing letter'
bags, forging
secretes; or destroys any correspondence shall be guilty of
felony. stamps, and
other felonies..
Every person who steals- from or out of any correspondence, any chattel,
money,,
or valuable security, shall be guilty of felbny.
Every person who steals or unlawfully takes away a letter bag, or steals
or unlaw-
fully takes any correspondence from or out of a letter bag, or unlawfully
opens a letter
bag; -shall be guilty. of felony.
Every person who steals any correspondence from -a letter bag, or from a
Post
Office, -or from, an officer of the Post Office shall be guilty of felony.
Every person who forges, alters, or imitates, or assists in forging,
altering, or
imitating, any postage stamp issued under this Ordinance, shall be guilty
of felony.
Every person who uses, offers, utters, disposes of, or puts off any
forged, altered,
Dr imitated,, postage stamp as aforesaid, knowing the same to be :forged,
altered, or
imitated, shall be guilty of felony.
ORDINANCE No. 10 OF 1876.
Vest Office.
Every person, who is convicted of any felony mentioned in this section
shall be
liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be kept in penal servitude for
any term not
exceeding seven years and not less than three years, or to be imprisoned
for any term
not exceeding two years with or without hard labour.
29. Every person employed by or under the Post Office, who, without lawful
authority or excuse, opens, or suffers or procures to be opened, any,
correspondence;
or who, without lawful authority or excuse, detains ox delays or procures
or suffers to
be detained or delayed, any correspondence; or, who wilfully delivers any
correspond-
ence :to any person other than the person to whom the same ought to be
delivered,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who fraudulently obtains from any person employed by or under
the Post Office, or fraudulently detains, or wilfully secretes, keeps, or
detains; any
letter bag,, or any correspondence which ought to have been delivered to
any other
person, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who fraudulently removes any postage stamp from any
correspond-
ence, or wilfully removes from any postage stamp any mark that has been
made
thereon at any Post Office, or knowingly uses or puts,, ;off any postage
stamp from
which any such mark has been removed, shall be gulf,' = a misdemeanor.
Every person who is convicted of any misdenx~eaii: mentioned in this
section,
shall be liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be imprisoned for any
term not,
exceeding two pears with or without hard labour.
teceispondence.via g stolen 30. The sections of the Larceny Ordinance (No.
7 of 1865) relating to receiving
orre stolen goods, that is to say, sections 75 to 82, both inclusive,
shall apply to felonies
and misdemeanors committed under this Ordinance; and for that purpose, the
expression, 11 this Ordinance' when used in the said sections shall be
taken to include
the present Ordinance.
31. In any proceedings against any person for any offence committed
against this
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 Postmaster
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
ox.under the Post Office, without stating further the nature or
particulars of his em-
ployment.
'Penalties may 32, All pecuniary penalties for offences against this
Ordinance map be .recovered
be recovered in
asnmraaryway in a summary way before a Magistrate, but proceedings for Ahe
recovery of such
within one year.
omia, see. 28J
penalties shall be commenced within one pear after the offence was
committed.
33. Ordinance No. 8 of 1862 is hereby repealed, lout such repeal shall
nod affect v
anything lawfully clone or commenced to be done thereunder. x
34: This Ordinance shall take effect on a day to be hereafter proclaimed
by the,,
Governor.
ORDINANCE No. 14 of 1876.
1441
Post Office.
SCHEDULE ~A.
I, do solemnly and sincerely declare, that I will not willingly or
knowingly open, r see
return, delay, or misdeliver, or cause or suffer to be opened, detained,
returned, delayed, or
misdelivered, any correspondence which shall come into my hands, power,
or custody by reason of my
employment by or under the Post Office, except by the consent of the
person to whom such correspond-
ence shall be, directed, or by an express warrant in writing for that
purpose under the hand of the
Governor of Hongkong, or of Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at the port
vrhere I may be stationed, or
except in pursuance and under the authority of any of the provisions of
any Ordinance now or hereafter
to be in force in the Colony of Hongkong relating to the Post Office of
the said Colony.
Declared before me this day of 137
Justice of the Peace.
or H. B, Ws Cunspzl.
SCHEDULE B. '
I, do solemnly and sincerelyhdeclare, that I will not willingly or
knowingly open, crbEa, schedule .4.1
detain, return, delay, or misdeliver, or cause or suffer to 'e opened,
detained, returned, delayed, or
misdelivered, any correspondence which shall come into my hande, power,
or custody by reason of my
employment by or under the Post Office.
Declared before me this day of 187
Justice of the Peace.
or 11. B. M's Consul.
SCHEDULE 0.
I do solemnly declare, that T have, to the best of any knowledge and
belief, delivered or caused to Ctbia, scbeauxe.rr.1
be delivered to the Post Office at Hongkong every letter bag and all
correspondence that was on board
the vessel under my command, except such correspondence as is exempt by
law.
A. B.
Comnr.ander of the
Declared before me this day of 187
[In force from the 23rd July, 1877, under proclamation of the 17th July,
1877:
Repealed by Ordinance No. 12 of 1884.
NOTE.- The following Orders in Council, Rules, Regulations ~c. were made
under this
Ordinance :-
Order as to Rates of Postage ~c., 17th September, 1871, (Gazette 22nd.
of same month.)
Notification as to Money Order System, 16th July;1878, (Gazette 20th of
same month.)
Order as to Rates of Postage ~c., 6th 1Voveyizber, 1878, (Gazette 9th of
same month.)
C.l rder. as to Rates of Postage 4c., 1 st April,,1879, ( Gazette 2nd of
same month.)
Regulations as to Local 8fc. Money Orders, 23rd December, 1879, ( Gazette
24th ,of same month.)
Regulations as to'Postage to Australia 4c., 20th January, 1880, (Gazette
21st of same, month.)
Order as to Rates of Postage, 18th February, 1880, ( Gazette ofsame date:)
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1875.
Post Office.
Regulations as to Soldiers and Sailors Letters, 18th February, 1880,
(Gazette
of same date.)
Order as to .Rates of Postage 8fc., 2Ttla November,1880, ( Gazetta of
same date.)
Order as to .hates of Postage arc., 9th July, 1881, ( Gazette of same
date.
Order as to Rates of Postage ~e., 13th December, 1881, ( Gazette 17th
of same month.)
Regulations as. to Money Orders and Parcel Post, 24th December, 7.881,
(Gazette of same date.)
Order as to hates of Postage to Bojrneo, 11th September, 1882, ( Gazette
16th of same month.
Regulations as to Money Orders, 30th December, 1882, (Gazette of same
date.)
1434
Title.
Short title.
Interpretation.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 25.]
1435
General post Office.
[Ibid, sec. 1.]
Postmaster General and officers continued in their offices.
Appointment of officers in future.
[Ibid, sec. 5.]
Postmaster General solely authorised to receive and deliver all correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3.]
1436
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
[Ibid, sec. 4, and See 1 Vic. c. 33, sec. 2.]
Receipt of postage and accounts.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 7.]
Governor in Council may fix rates of postage.
[Ibid, secs. 24 & 13, and 34 & 35 Vic. c. 30 sec. 1.]
Orders to be published by proclamation.
[Ibid.]
Decision as to newspapers, packets, &c.
1437
Paid correspondence to be delivered or transmitted without delay.
[Ibid, sec. 9.]
Seamen's and soldiers' letters.
[Ibid, sec. 13.]
Dies, &c. for postage stamps.
[Ibid, sec. 22.]
Opening letters.
[Ibid, sec. 19.]
Unpaid letters.
Dead letters.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
[Ibid, sec. 21.]
Warrants for opening or returning correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 20.]
Delivery of mails.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
1438
Gratuities to masters of vessels inwards.
[Ibid, sec. 12.]
Gratuities to masters of vessels outwards.
Rates of gratuity.
Damages for non-delivery of mail.
Persons proposing to despatch vessels to give notice to the Postmaster General.
[Ibid, sec. 16.]
1439
Making up mails on board.
[Ibid, sec. 17.]
Penalties in masters of vessels.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
[Ibid.]
[Ibid.]
Stealing letter bags, forging stamps, and other felonies.
1440
Opening correspondence and other misdemeanors.
Receiving stolen correspondence.
Allegations to be used in proceedings for offences.
Penalties may be recovered in a summary way within one year.
[Ibid, sec. 23.]
Repeal.
Suspending clause.
1441
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule B.]
1442
No. 10 of 1876.
An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to the Postal Matters of the
Colony.
[11th December, 1876.]
BE it enacted by the Governor o£ Hongkong, with the advice of the
Legislative
Council thereof, as follows :-
$1xmttxtn. 1. This Ordinance map be cited as 'The Post Office Ordinance,
1876.'
2, In this Ordinance, and in any Order in Council or regulation made
thereunder,
unless the context indicates the contrary, the following expressions
shall have the
meanings set against them-respectively, that is to say :-
'Postmaster General' shall mean the Postmaster General of the Colony.
'Correspondence' shall meau any letter, newspaper, book, pamphlet,
document,
parcel, or package, or other article whatsoever transmitted by post,
whether in a closed-
mail or having been placed loose on board any contract packet or vessel
for trans-
mission; and a letter or other article shall be deemed to be
correspondence from the
time o£ 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 *rouglit, and
in either cass--
sliall 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.
'Postage Stamp' shall mean any label or stamp for denoting any rate o£
postage:
'Letter Bab' shall mean any bag, or boa, or packet, or parcel, or other
envelope
or covering in which correspondence is conveyed, whether it does or does
not contain
correspondence.
Post Office' shall mean any house, building, room, or place where
correspondence
is received or delivered, or in which it is sorted, made ujj, or
despatched.
'Officer of the Post Office' shall inean the Postmaster General, and
every Post=-
master, Assistant Postmaster, agent, officer, clerk, letter carrier, or
any other person
employed, in guy business of the Post Ogee, whether employed by the
Postmaster-
General, or by any person under him, or on behalf of the Post Office.
ORDINANL'CE No. 10 OF 1876.
Post Office.
11 Persons employed by or under the Post Office' shall mean every, person
employed
in any business of the Post Office according to the interpretation given
to officer of the
Post Office. .
'Contract Packet' shall mean any vessel for the conveyance of letter bags
and
correspondence under contract.
'Master of a Vessel' shall mean any, person in charge of a vessel,
whether com-
mander, nate, or other person.
' Vessel' shall mean any ship or other vessel not being a contract packet.
3. There shall, as heretofore, be one General Post Office of the Colony,
where General Post
Office. '
correspondence may be received from all places, and whence correspondence
may be Craw) see. 1.3
despatched to all places, and the present Post Office shall be such
General Post Office
until the site th changed by the Governor.
The Governor may establish such other District Post Offices is the Colony
as he
thinks fit.
143&
Management.
4. The present Postmaster General and all other ',officers of the Post
Office are Postmaster .
General and
hereby continued in their offices, and shall have all the powers and
privileges hereby ~ he reottcened
conferred upon the holders of their respective offices.
5. The Governor may hereafter, as occasionequires, appoint, front time to
time, Appointment of
officers in future.
a -Postmaster General of the Colony, and all necessary Assistant
Postmasters General, [Ibid, sec. a s: ~. .
Postmasters, agents, clerks, or servants for conducting thbrbusiness of
the Post Office.
6. No person hereafter appointed shall be capable of holding the office
of Post-
master General, or Assistant Postmaster General, or Postmaster, or agent,
unless he
shall have first made and subscribed before a Justice of the Peace or one
of Her
Britanic Majesty's Consuls, the declaration contained in the schedule A
hereto annexed,
and no person hereafter appointed shall be capable of being a clerk,
servant, or officer
of the. Post Office, unless he shall have first made and subscribed in
like manner, the
declaration contained in the schedule B hereto annexed.
The Postmaster General shall, by himself or his deputies, have the entire
charge of the General Post Office and of all postal matters within the
Colony, with sole
power, within the Colony, of receiving from all persons authorised to
deliver the same,
all letter bags and correspondence arriving in the Colony; and with sole
power; within
the Colony, 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.
The said Postmaster General shall also have the exclusive privilege,
within the
Colony, of performing all the iilcidental services of receiving,
collecting, despatching
and delivering all correspondence arrivingirom, or transmitted to any
place out of the
Colony; and no letters (except Chinese letters), unless exempt by law,
shall be delivered
in, or transmitted from the Colony, otherwise than by or through the
General Post
Office:
Declarations.
LIbid, sec. 5.l
Postmaster
General solely
authorised to
receive and
deliver all cor-
respondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3,1
ORDINANCE No. 10 OF ISM!
.Post Office.
Utters excepted
under Acts of
Imperial Parlsa-
mentr
1: Ilia , sec. 4, and
$ee 1 Vie. e. 33)
see. 2.1
$, 9,11 correspondence which, by- any Act of the Imperial Parliament, is
excepted
from the exclusive privilege of the Imperial Post Office, shall within
this Colony be,
and the same is hereby declared to be, excepted from the exclusive
privilege of the
Postmaster General of the Colony.
Receipt ofpost- 9. The Postmaster General shall receive all postage
paSal',)le in the Colony and
ale and accounts.
csee Ord. s or shall keep accounts of all correspondence received and
despatched by.him, with the
1862) sec. 7.J ,
particulars of the postage thereof, in such manner and form as the
Governor may,
from time to time, direct; but so that the accounts of monies payable to
the Imperial
Postmaster General be kept distinct from the accounts of movies payable
to the Colonial
Treasury.
The Postmaster General shall keep the accounts of movies payable to the
Imperial
Postmaster General in such form and shall txtdusmit.such monies in such
manner, as,
the said Imperial Postmaster General may, from time to time, direct.
Governor In 10. The Governor in Council may, from time to time, by order
under his hand
Council racy fix
rates of posts determine the rates of postage to be charged
11bi,4 sees. 24 9* upon all correspondence sent by0
Pst .
vifa$a~e~$i.3 from the General Post Office of °the Colony, or received
therein'froxn places outside the' Colony, and the scale of weights
according to which such rates 'are to be charged, and
may revoke, alter, or add to any such- order, so however, that n> order
be inconsistent:
with ,any instructions on the subject transmitted from the Secretary of
State or the
Imperial Postmaster General.
Orders to be 11. The Governor shall publish every such order by
proclamation in, the Gazette; .
~baal.3 _
published by
and every order, when, so published, shall have the same effect a~ if it
bad been inserted
in- this Ordinance.
12. The Governor may, subject to such instructions as aforesaid, from
time to
time, make, alter, and repeal, in relation to correspondence send by
post, such regula-
tions as he thinks fit for regulating the times and modes of potting and
delivery, pre-
payment, late fees, fines on unpaid correspondence, the registry of
correspondence
money orders, the sale and affixing of postage stamps, the dimensions,
weight, and
contents of packets, and other such similar regulations as the Governor,
from time- to
fide, thinks necessary for the better execution of this Ordinance.
All such regulations, as affect the public shall , be, published in the
Ga. zett;e~:~:~td;
*hall have no effect until so published.
3.3. -If a question arises whether any, article of~ correspondence' is
a-l6tter; -or .-
whether any publication is a newspaper or a supplement, or whether any
pacKet m a
book packet or pattern or sample packet, within the m9aning of, this
Ordinance, or of
any order in Council, ox regulations mad` thereunder, the decision
thereon. of the
Postmaster General shall be final, save that the Governor may,';if ho
thinks fit, on the
application of any person interested, reverse or modify the decision,
and-order accord-
accord-
ingly.
ORIJIIN,A~'ChJ No. IU of 187G:
Post U,~'cce.
14. All correspondence which arrives in this Colony f~ paid according to
the
rates in force for the time being shall be delivered or transmitted from
the Pout Office
without delay and without further charge.
All correspondence which is delivered to the Post Office with the proper
postage
paid thereon, shall be transmitted from the, Post Office without delay.
15. All letters received or sent by sailors or soldiers of Her Majesty's
sea or land' seamen's and
soldiers' letters.
forces shall be charged with such reduction in the hates of postage, as
is allowed to Ubid, sec. 13.1
them by any .Act of the Imperial Parliament.
16. The Governor may, from time time, provide proper postage stamps
and Dies, &c. for-
postage stamps.
proper dies and other implements for denoting, by adhesive stamps or
otherwise, the ilbitl, see. aaa
rates of postage payable under this Ordinance, or any regulation
thereunder. '
. 1'7. The Postmaster General may, i5 necessary,, open and, if possible,
return to Opening letters.
` (Ibitf, see. 19.1
the sender:----
Paid corres-
pondence to be
delivered or
transmitted, -
without delay.
ilbid, see. 9.1
(i.) Any correspondence upon which the prepayment of postage is compul-
Unpaid letters.
sore, and;which cannot be sent unpaid by any other route, and upon
which the proper postage has mot been paid;
(2.) .Any correspondence which is returned to the General Post Office for
Dead letters.
. .,`vant o£ a proper address, or from inability to find the person ,to
whom.
it is addressed, and which remains unclaimed for ten days after being
advertised in the Gazette.
1$. When any packet is delivered to the Post Of&re and has thereby become
liable to postage, and evidence is adduced to the satisfaction ofthe
Postmaster General
that such packet has been delivered to the Post Office by mistake, the
Postmaster
General may cause such packet to be opened in the presence of an officer
of the Post
Office, and nay, return the same without charge to the person interested;
unless
such packet is found to contain any letter or manuscript liable to
postage; in
which case the Postmaster General shall retain the packet until lie is
paid the full
rate of postage chargeable upon such letter -or manuscript.
` 19. After any correspondence has been delivered to the Post Once, no
person
employed by or under the Post Office shall, except in the cases above
mentioned, open
the salne,,or return the same to any person, or procure or suffer the
same to be opened
or returned, unless he is authorised by express warrant in writing under
the hand of
the Governor; of the Brttish Consul at the port. `
The Governor,-or, the British Consul at the port, may, at his discretion,
giant
such warrants for- opening or returning any specified letter or other
article of
correspondence.
Postage may be
remitted on
=not
ng
letters, if Bent
in mistake.
[Tbid, see. 21.1
Warrants for
cpening or
returning cor-
respondence.
[Ibid, see. 20.;
Despatch arty receipt of mails.
24. EvO~y'ma,ster of a vessel, shall, immediately on arrival, and before.
reporting Delivery ofmails.
[7bidy see. 14.1
at the Harbour ..Office, deliver to the Post Office all letter bags and
correspondence on
board; 'except ; such .as are exempt, by law, and shall make the
declaration contained in
-flue -schedule 0 hereto annexed, before an officer of the Post Office.
oratpitie to -
~tiusters of
vessels inwards.
LAW, see. 12.1
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1876.
Post O~f'tce.
21. The Postrriasteneral shall pay to every master of a vessel, not being
a
contract packet, a gratuity of two cents for every letter, and one eqnt
for every otter
article of correspondence delivered by him to the Post Office: Provided
always that nv~
gratuity shall be payable= - -
(1.) For a second transmission of any correspondence;
(2.) On correspondence delivered to any Post Office to be thence
transmitted
by contract packet;
' (3.) On correspondence the gratuity on which is certified by the
despatching
office to have been paid. ~`
Gratuities to 22, The Postmaster General may pay like gratuities to any
master of a vessel
musters of
vessels outwards. leaving Hongkong on every article of correspondence
delivered to such master from
the Post Office, or certified by the Post Office °of destination to have
deer duly received
from hint.
rates ofgratuity. 23. The powers of the Governor in Council as defined
and regulated by sections
10 and 11 of this Ordinance, shall equally apply to the rates of gratuity
to be paid to
shill masters for the delivery of mails, either generally in particular
cases: Provided
' always, that the gratuities fixed by any Order in Council under this
section, shall not
be less on the average than the sums otherwise required by this Ordinance
to be paid.
Damages for 24. Every -master of, a vessel who receives such gratuities,
shall be held to have-
nan-delivery of
~n~: made a contract with the Postmaster General that in consideration of
the gratuities
Y
so paid, he will duly deliver all letter bags and correspondence received
from the Post
Office unto the persons to whom the same are addressed immediately on his
arrival in
port; without wilful or avoidable delay after his arrival, and that if he
fail in any re-
spect to perform his said contract, he will pay to the Postmaster General
the sum o£'
five hundred dollars as liquidated damagc;s for the breach of his said
contract.
25. Every person or firm proposing to despatch a vessel to any, port or
place out
of this Colony, excepting vessels plying daily or on fined days to Macao
or to places
0n the Canton River, shall, so soon as he has arranged the time for the
departure of
such vessel, give the first intimation of such proposed departure to the
Postmaster
General, and shall, in like manner, intimate to the Postmaster General
any alteration
in the day or hour of departure of the said vessel, and the Postmaster
General shall.,.
on receiving such intimations, give notice to the public of the day and
hour for closing
the mails, if guy are to be made up by such vessel. _ . .
Any person or firil1 failing to give such intimation to the Postmaster
General
shall, for every such offence, on conviction thereof, be liable to a
penalty not exceeding-
five hundred dollars. ~ .
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, who shall,
for- any de-
fault, be liable, on conviction thereof, to a penalty, not exceeding one
hundred dollars.
~erm 's P'Pos-
gto des 'It
sels to Pa~e
es I
nlee to e
A th
Postmaster
General.
flbid, see. 16.1
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1876.
Post Office.
26. The Postmaster General, or any officer of the Post Office authorised
by him, Making up mails,.
on board.
may attend on board any vessel, after the time for closing the mail by
such vessel, Ilbid, sec. 17.1
and may receive all fully prepaid correspondence which is brought on
board up to the
time of departure to be transmitted by such vessel.
The master of every such vessel shall give all proper facilities to such
officer of
the Post Office to enable him to discharge his duties and to make up such
late mails,
and to leave the vessel on her departure, and any master of a vessel
failing to give,
any such facilities shall be liable, on conviction thereof, to a. penalty
not exceeding five
hundred dollars.
If there be no officer of the Post Office in attendance on board any
vessel,- the
master of such vessel may receive all correspondence which is brought on
board to him
prepaid by stamps; and shall deliver the same at the Post Office on
arrival at his'
destination.
Offences.
27. Every master of a vessel, which is not a contract packet, who commits
any penalties on
of the following offences, shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to a
penalty not exceed- master
ing five hundred dollars, that is to say:-
Refusal to take a le* bag delivered or tendered to him by an officer of
the
'Post Office for conveyance.
Refusal to sign a receipt for a letter bag delivered to him by an officer
of the
Post Office for conveyance.
Neglect without reasonable excuse to deliver ail correspondence to the
Post [Aid, seci4.l
Office on his arrival in the Colony.
Refusal or wilful neglect to make or making any untrue statement in,
the lrbrd.l
declaration hereby required of his having delivered his.letters to the
Post Offce.
Refusal or wilful neglect, if in quarantine, to deliver all
correspondence in llbrd.l
his possession to the person -appointed to receive it.
2$, 'Every person, employed by or under the Post Office, who steals,
embezzles, Stealing letter'
bags, forging
secretes; or destroys any correspondence shall be guilty of
felony. stamps, and
other felonies..
Every person who steals- from or out of any correspondence, any chattel,
money,,
or valuable security, shall be guilty of felbny.
Every person who steals or unlawfully takes away a letter bag, or steals
or unlaw-
fully takes any correspondence from or out of a letter bag, or unlawfully
opens a letter
bag; -shall be guilty. of felony.
Every person who steals any correspondence from -a letter bag, or from a
Post
Office, -or from, an officer of the Post Office shall be guilty of felony.
Every person who forges, alters, or imitates, or assists in forging,
altering, or
imitating, any postage stamp issued under this Ordinance, shall be guilty
of felony.
Every person who uses, offers, utters, disposes of, or puts off any
forged, altered,
Dr imitated,, postage stamp as aforesaid, knowing the same to be :forged,
altered, or
imitated, shall be guilty of felony.
ORDINANCE No. 10 OF 1876.
Vest Office.
Every person, who is convicted of any felony mentioned in this section
shall be
liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be kept in penal servitude for
any term not
exceeding seven years and not less than three years, or to be imprisoned
for any term
not exceeding two years with or without hard labour.
29. Every person employed by or under the Post Office, who, without lawful
authority or excuse, opens, or suffers or procures to be opened, any,
correspondence;
or who, without lawful authority or excuse, detains ox delays or procures
or suffers to
be detained or delayed, any correspondence; or, who wilfully delivers any
correspond-
ence :to any person other than the person to whom the same ought to be
delivered,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who fraudulently obtains from any person employed by or under
the Post Office, or fraudulently detains, or wilfully secretes, keeps, or
detains; any
letter bag,, or any correspondence which ought to have been delivered to
any other
person, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Every person who fraudulently removes any postage stamp from any
correspond-
ence, or wilfully removes from any postage stamp any mark that has been
made
thereon at any Post Office, or knowingly uses or puts,, ;off any postage
stamp from
which any such mark has been removed, shall be gulf,' = a misdemeanor.
Every person who is convicted of any misdenx~eaii: mentioned in this
section,
shall be liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be imprisoned for any
term not,
exceeding two pears with or without hard labour.
teceispondence.via g stolen 30. The sections of the Larceny Ordinance (No.
7 of 1865) relating to receiving
orre stolen goods, that is to say, sections 75 to 82, both inclusive,
shall apply to felonies
and misdemeanors committed under this Ordinance; and for that purpose, the
expression, 11 this Ordinance' when used in the said sections shall be
taken to include
the present Ordinance.
31. In any proceedings against any person for any offence committed
against this
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 Postmaster
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
ox.under the Post Office, without stating further the nature or
particulars of his em-
ployment.
'Penalties may 32, All pecuniary penalties for offences against this
Ordinance map be .recovered
be recovered in
asnmraaryway in a summary way before a Magistrate, but proceedings for Ahe
recovery of such
within one year.
omia, see. 28J
penalties shall be commenced within one pear after the offence was
committed.
33. Ordinance No. 8 of 1862 is hereby repealed, lout such repeal shall
nod affect v
anything lawfully clone or commenced to be done thereunder. x
34: This Ordinance shall take effect on a day to be hereafter proclaimed
by the,,
Governor.
ORDINANCE No. 14 of 1876.
1441
Post Office.
SCHEDULE ~A.
I, do solemnly and sincerely declare, that I will not willingly or
knowingly open, r see
return, delay, or misdeliver, or cause or suffer to be opened, detained,
returned, delayed, or
misdelivered, any correspondence which shall come into my hands, power,
or custody by reason of my
employment by or under the Post Office, except by the consent of the
person to whom such correspond-
ence shall be, directed, or by an express warrant in writing for that
purpose under the hand of the
Governor of Hongkong, or of Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at the port
vrhere I may be stationed, or
except in pursuance and under the authority of any of the provisions of
any Ordinance now or hereafter
to be in force in the Colony of Hongkong relating to the Post Office of
the said Colony.
Declared before me this day of 137
Justice of the Peace.
or H. B, Ws Cunspzl.
SCHEDULE B. '
I, do solemnly and sincerelyhdeclare, that I will not willingly or
knowingly open, crbEa, schedule .4.1
detain, return, delay, or misdeliver, or cause or suffer to 'e opened,
detained, returned, delayed, or
misdelivered, any correspondence which shall come into my hande, power,
or custody by reason of my
employment by or under the Post Office.
Declared before me this day of 187
Justice of the Peace.
or 11. B. M's Consul.
SCHEDULE 0.
I do solemnly declare, that T have, to the best of any knowledge and
belief, delivered or caused to Ctbia, scbeauxe.rr.1
be delivered to the Post Office at Hongkong every letter bag and all
correspondence that was on board
the vessel under my command, except such correspondence as is exempt by
law.
A. B.
Comnr.ander of the
Declared before me this day of 187
[In force from the 23rd July, 1877, under proclamation of the 17th July,
1877:
Repealed by Ordinance No. 12 of 1884.
NOTE.- The following Orders in Council, Rules, Regulations ~c. were made
under this
Ordinance :-
Order as to Rates of Postage ~c., 17th September, 1871, (Gazette 22nd.
of same month.)
Notification as to Money Order System, 16th July;1878, (Gazette 20th of
same month.)
Order as to Rates of Postage ~c., 6th 1Voveyizber, 1878, (Gazette 9th of
same month.)
C.l rder. as to Rates of Postage 4c., 1 st April,,1879, ( Gazette 2nd of
same month.)
Regulations as to Local 8fc. Money Orders, 23rd December, 1879, ( Gazette
24th ,of same month.)
Regulations as to'Postage to Australia 4c., 20th January, 1880, (Gazette
21st of same, month.)
Order as to Rates of Postage, 18th February, 1880, ( Gazette ofsame date:)
ORDINANCE No. 10 of 1875.
Post Office.
Regulations as to Soldiers and Sailors Letters, 18th February, 1880,
(Gazette
of same date.)
Order as to .Rates of Postage 8fc., 2Ttla November,1880, ( Gazetta of
same date.)
Order as to .hates of Postage arc., 9th July, 1881, ( Gazette of same
date.
Order as to Rates of Postage ~e., 13th December, 1881, ( Gazette 17th
of same month.)
Regulations as. to Money Orders and Parcel Post, 24th December, 7.881,
(Gazette of same date.)
Order as to hates of Postage to Bojrneo, 11th September, 1882, ( Gazette
16th of same month.
Regulations as to Money Orders, 30th December, 1882, (Gazette of same
date.)
1434
Title.
Short title.
Interpretation.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 25.]
1435
General post Office.
[Ibid, sec. 1.]
Postmaster General and officers continued in their offices.
Appointment of officers in future.
[Ibid, sec. 5.]
Postmaster General solely authorised to receive and deliver all correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3.]
1436
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
[Ibid, sec. 4, and See 1 Vic. c. 33, sec. 2.]
Receipt of postage and accounts.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 7.]
Governor in Council may fix rates of postage.
[Ibid, secs. 24 & 13, and 34 & 35 Vic. c. 30 sec. 1.]
Orders to be published by proclamation.
[Ibid.]
Decision as to newspapers, packets, &c.
1437
Paid correspondence to be delivered or transmitted without delay.
[Ibid, sec. 9.]
Seamen's and soldiers' letters.
[Ibid, sec. 13.]
Dies, &c. for postage stamps.
[Ibid, sec. 22.]
Opening letters.
[Ibid, sec. 19.]
Unpaid letters.
Dead letters.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
[Ibid, sec. 21.]
Warrants for opening or returning correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 20.]
Delivery of mails.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
1438
Gratuities to masters of vessels inwards.
[Ibid, sec. 12.]
Gratuities to masters of vessels outwards.
Rates of gratuity.
Damages for non-delivery of mail.
Persons proposing to despatch vessels to give notice to the Postmaster General.
[Ibid, sec. 16.]
1439
Making up mails on board.
[Ibid, sec. 17.]
Penalties in masters of vessels.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
[Ibid.]
[Ibid.]
Stealing letter bags, forging stamps, and other felonies.
1440
Opening correspondence and other misdemeanors.
Receiving stolen correspondence.
Allegations to be used in proceedings for offences.
Penalties may be recovered in a summary way within one year.
[Ibid, sec. 23.]
Repeal.
Suspending clause.
1441
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule B.]
1442
Abstract
1434
Title.
Short title.
Interpretation.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 25.]
1435
General post Office.
[Ibid, sec. 1.]
Postmaster General and officers continued in their offices.
Appointment of officers in future.
[Ibid, sec. 5.]
Postmaster General solely authorised to receive and deliver all correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3.]
1436
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
[Ibid, sec. 4, and See 1 Vic. c. 33, sec. 2.]
Receipt of postage and accounts.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 7.]
Governor in Council may fix rates of postage.
[Ibid, secs. 24 & 13, and 34 & 35 Vic. c. 30 sec. 1.]
Orders to be published by proclamation.
[Ibid.]
Decision as to newspapers, packets, &c.
1437
Paid correspondence to be delivered or transmitted without delay.
[Ibid, sec. 9.]
Seamen's and soldiers' letters.
[Ibid, sec. 13.]
Dies, &c. for postage stamps.
[Ibid, sec. 22.]
Opening letters.
[Ibid, sec. 19.]
Unpaid letters.
Dead letters.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
[Ibid, sec. 21.]
Warrants for opening or returning correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 20.]
Delivery of mails.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
1438
Gratuities to masters of vessels inwards.
[Ibid, sec. 12.]
Gratuities to masters of vessels outwards.
Rates of gratuity.
Damages for non-delivery of mail.
Persons proposing to despatch vessels to give notice to the Postmaster General.
[Ibid, sec. 16.]
1439
Making up mails on board.
[Ibid, sec. 17.]
Penalties in masters of vessels.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
[Ibid.]
[Ibid.]
Stealing letter bags, forging stamps, and other felonies.
1440
Opening correspondence and other misdemeanors.
Receiving stolen correspondence.
Allegations to be used in proceedings for offences.
Penalties may be recovered in a summary way within one year.
[Ibid, sec. 23.]
Repeal.
Suspending clause.
1441
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule B.]
1442
Title.
Short title.
Interpretation.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 25.]
1435
General post Office.
[Ibid, sec. 1.]
Postmaster General and officers continued in their offices.
Appointment of officers in future.
[Ibid, sec. 5.]
Postmaster General solely authorised to receive and deliver all correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 3.]
1436
Letters excepted under Acts of Imperial Parliament.
[Ibid, sec. 4, and See 1 Vic. c. 33, sec. 2.]
Receipt of postage and accounts.
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, sec. 7.]
Governor in Council may fix rates of postage.
[Ibid, secs. 24 & 13, and 34 & 35 Vic. c. 30 sec. 1.]
Orders to be published by proclamation.
[Ibid.]
Decision as to newspapers, packets, &c.
1437
Paid correspondence to be delivered or transmitted without delay.
[Ibid, sec. 9.]
Seamen's and soldiers' letters.
[Ibid, sec. 13.]
Dies, &c. for postage stamps.
[Ibid, sec. 22.]
Opening letters.
[Ibid, sec. 19.]
Unpaid letters.
Dead letters.
Postage may be remitted on packets not containing letters, if sent in mistake.
[Ibid, sec. 21.]
Warrants for opening or returning correspondence.
[Ibid, sec. 20.]
Delivery of mails.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
1438
Gratuities to masters of vessels inwards.
[Ibid, sec. 12.]
Gratuities to masters of vessels outwards.
Rates of gratuity.
Damages for non-delivery of mail.
Persons proposing to despatch vessels to give notice to the Postmaster General.
[Ibid, sec. 16.]
1439
Making up mails on board.
[Ibid, sec. 17.]
Penalties in masters of vessels.
[Ibid, sec. 14.]
[Ibid.]
[Ibid.]
Stealing letter bags, forging stamps, and other felonies.
1440
Opening correspondence and other misdemeanors.
Receiving stolen correspondence.
Allegations to be used in proceedings for offences.
Penalties may be recovered in a summary way within one year.
[Ibid, sec. 23.]
Repeal.
Suspending clause.
1441
[See Ord. 8 of 1862, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule A.]
[Ibid, Schedule B.]
1442
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/362
Edition
1890
Volume
v3
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 10 of 1876
Number of Pages
9
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1876,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed May 9, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/362.
