PARCELS POST.—This department of Post Office activity was intro duced in the year 1882. Its introduction has proved of the utmost benefit to internal commerce, as also to foreign trade so far as parcel post agreements have been entered into with other countries. Inland.—Parcels intended to be sent by post must be handed over the counter of a post office, or, in country places, handed to the postman. 011 the left hand side of the cover of the parcel and immediately above the address, should appear the words "Parcels Post"; and the sender should place his name and address either on the outside or w ithin the parcel. When posting the parcel it is always advisable to obtain a certificate of postage, for then conipensation up to .122 (except for a watch, jew ellery, money, and certain other articles) may be obtained, in c^se of default by the postal authorities. And this will be paid even though the Postmaster-General does not, as a rule, admit any liability except iti respect of registered parcels [yee REGISTERED POST). Only parcels of limited size may be transmitted through the post. The dimensions prescribed are : Greatest length, 3 ft. 6 in.; greatest length and girth combined, 6 ft. 0 in. For example, a parcel measuring 3 ft. 6 in. in length may measure as much as 2 ft. 6 in. in girth. A shorter parcel may be thicker ; thus, if it measure no more than 3 ft. in length it may measure as much as 3 ft. in girth, i.e. round its thickest part. Parcels may be addressed to a post office to be called for, and will be kept there three weeks. There is a charge made of ld. a day after the first day for so keeping a cracreil, but addressees who reside outside the free delivery or persons on a ship are exempt therefrom. Parcels will be redirected by the postal authorities in the same manner as letters, but those who require such a redirection must be careful to fill up a form additional to that used in respect of the direction of their letters. Though postmen and mail-carriers are expected to decline all offers of employment by the public, yet they are allowed to carry for the latter bona fide light packets of medicine without first obtaining permission from the postal authorities; and. with that permission, they may carry parcels of newly published newspapers addressed from the publishing office of the newspaper in question to a newsagent.
Articles which can or cannot be transmitted.—Directions as to packing.—The pro.
hibitions against the sending by post of anything indecent, or explosive, or any living creature, except bees, or of any enclosure bearing an address different from that borne on the cover in which it is enclosed, are the same in the case of parcels as in the case of letters and other postal packets. There is no prohibition against enclosing in a parcel a letter intended for the same address as the parcel itself. The conveyance or delivery by post in or to any prohibited district in Ireland of any parcels containing arms or bullets is forbidden. Any such parcel addressed to a prohibited district is stopped, and can only be returned to the sender on payment of a second postage. No parcel containing arms or bullets and addressed to Ireland should therefore be posted, unless it has first been ascertained that the address for which the parcel is intended is not situated within a prohibited district. The expression "arms " includes any cannon, gun, revolver, pistol, and any description of firearms, also any sword, cutlass, pike, and bayonet, also any part of such arms. The expression " prohibited district " means any place in Ireland in respect of which the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland may have made or may make any orders for prohibiting or regulating therein thc sale or importation of arms and ammunition. These districts are altered by proclamation from time to time. China, crockery, eggs, fruit, fish, meat, &c., which may not be sent by Letter Post, may be sent by Parcel Post, if packed with special care. Liquids or semi-liquids, such as jellies, pickles, paint, varnish, &c., must be put into bottles or cases securely stoppered. The edges or points of sharp instruments, like axes, razors, needles, forks, &c., must be carefully protected. Any parcel containing eggs, or fragile or perishable contents, should be conspicuously marked " Eggs," or " Fragile—with care," or " Perishable." The general regulation with regard to packing is that every parcel must be packed and enclosed in a reasonably strong case, wrapper or cover, fastened in a manner calculated to pre serve the contents from loss or damage in the post, and to prevent any tampering therewith. The packing of a parcel must also be such as to protect other postal packets from being damaged in any way by it. Any parcel not so packed will, if tendered for transmission, be refused, and if discovered in transit, will be liable to be detained.