Miscellaneous regulations and suggestions.—Postmasters and Me public.— Postmasters are not allowed to return any letter, parcel, or other postal packet to the writer or sender, or to any one else, or to delay forwarding it to its destination according to the address, even though a request to such effect be written thereon. They are not bound to give change, nor are they authorised to demand it ; and when money is paid at a post office, whether as change or otherwise, no question as to its right amount, goodness, or weight can be entertained after it has been removed from the counter. Nor are they to weigh for the public letters, books, packets, or newspapers, brought for the post, but they may do so, if their duty is not thereby impeded. This rule does not apply to parcels, which are tested both as to weight and size before being accepted. No information can be given respecting letters or any other postal packets except to the persons to whom they are addressed ; and in no other way is official information of a private character allowed to be made public.
To prevent frauds as to place of posting,.—If a postal packet is forwarded under cover to a postmaster with a request that he will re-post it at his office, the postal packet, on being re-posted, will be indorsed with the words " posted at under cover to the postmaster of —. Applications for iufbrmation should always be addressed to the Secretary of the Post Office. How to address.—Letters, &c., should be clearly and legibly addressed. When writing to a place where there is a sub-post office only, the name of the post-town (or county in some cases) should be added. The name of the post-town, as a rule, completes the address, but in certain cases the name of the county is required, as tiar instance when there are two or more places of the same name in the United Kingdom, or where there is an important town bearing a similar name in a British Colony or foreign country. Abbreviated addresses registered for telegrams should not be used for letters. In the case of letters and other postal packets for iilaces abroad the name of the country, as well as the town, should be given in full. For example, a letter intended fur Boston (U.S.A.), London (Canada), or Halifax (Nova Scotia), should be so addressed. The initials N.B. should not be used in the
addresses of letters for Scotland, as there is some risk of their being regarded as intended for New Brunswick. Nothing may be written or printed on the address side of any postal packet which, either tending to prevent the easy and quick reading of the address, or by inconvenient proximity to the postage stamps, or in any other way, is likely to embarrass the officers of the department in dealing with the packet. Any packet which is posted in contravention of this regulation will be liable to be withheld from delivery. The date stamp.—In certain cases the time of posting is indicated approximately in the date stamp to clock time. It is intended that the arrangement shall be extended gradually. Circulars should be tied in bundles, with all the addresses in one direction, and should be posted early in the day to secure due despatch. Sumharging.—When a person to whom a letter has been delivered has reason to think that it has been improperly charged as overweight, the letter should be taken to a post office to be weighed before being opened. Unless this course is followed, no question as to the correctness of the surcharge can afterwards be entertained. Generally.—The Postmaster-General has power to delay the despatch or delivery of book packets post cards, and parcels, when it is necessary to do so in order to secure the due despatch of the letter mails, and also to delay parcels when he considers it expedient for their safety and protection to do so. He is likewise empowered to detain packets of every description which, from their size, weight, or character, are unsuitable for transfer by mail-bag apparatus, and to forward them by mails for which the apparatus is not employed. Town postmen are not allowed to take charge of letters for the post, but rural postmen may accept letters handed to them on their route, except in the vicinity of a letter-box. Rural postmen are instructed to accept for delivery ordinary postal packets, on which the postage is fully prepaid by means of stamps, if addressed to any house which they will have to pass in the usual course of their duty. This arrangement does not extend to registered postal packets. See POSTAL ORDERS; TELEGRAPHS; TELE PHONES; PARCELS POST; REGISTERED LETTERS.