1917

HONGKONU POSTAL GUIDE
479
62. —Book Packets posted from or to the Banks with the words “Pass Book” printed
on the cover and open at both ends are allowed to pass as printed matter. Local
Savings Bank Pass Books are free. This only applies to Hongkong and the British
Agencies in China.
63. —Literature embossed for the use of the blind may be transmitted to the United
Kingdom at the rate of 2 cents per 2 oz. The max. weight for this class of matter is
•6 lbs. and any package weighing between 20 oz. and 6 lbs. will be forwarded at the
uniform rate of 20 cents.
Commercial Papers
64. —The distinction between Books and Commercial Papers (papiers d'affaires)
is, that whilst Book Packets are to consist of printed matter, Commercial Papers are
wholly or partly written by hand. They must not be of the nature of an actual or
personal correspondence.
65. —Commercial Papers are such papers as the following:—Printers’ copy;
authors’ manuscript; press copies of any documents not letters ; law papers ; deeds ;
bills of lading; invoices; insurance papers; copied music, &c, The rate is the same
as for books, but no packet of commercial papers, whatever its weight, is charged
less than 10 cents. Stamps of any kind, whether obliterated or not, or any papers
representing monetary value such as coupons, drafts, <fcc., must be sent at letter rates.
66. —Any one Commercial Paper in a Book Packet exposes the whole packet to
the above rule as to minimum charge ; with this exception, all kinds of printed matter
and patterns may be enclosed in one packet and forwarded at book rates.
67. —Commercial Papers are subjected to all the conditions of Book Post as to the
ends of the packet being open, liability to examination, hours of closing, late fees, &c.
Circulars
68. —A circular is a communication of which copies are addressed in identical terms’
or nearly so, to a number of persons. It may be either written or printed, or partly
written and partly printed. A price current or circular may be paid as a newspaper
or as a book.
69. —Dividend Warrants, Invitations, Cards, Patterns, Bills, Almanacs, &c., are also
included under the head of Circulars when intended for addressees in Hongkong or Ports
of China at which British Postal Agencies are established only and when posted in
batches of not less than ten of uniform size and weight (such weight not to exceed
2 ounces) and prepaid in stamps at the 1 cent rate. Such circulars should be delivered
to an officer of the Post Office.
70. —Circulars when posted singly or addressed to places other than Hongkong or
its Agencies must be prepaid 2 cents each in stamps.
71. —A bundle of prices current or circulars may be paid for as so many newspapers
(each one counting), or the whole may be paid at book rate.
72. —Prices Current or Circulars in closed envelopes with the corners cut off, or
with notched ends, will be taxed and forwarded as ordinary correspondence.
73. —Addresses must be complete, that is to say: on such covers as are not addressed
to heads of houses, the addressee’s residence or place of business must be added.
74. —Prices Current and Circulars arriving in such la,rge quantities as to retard the
delivery of the mails are allowed to stand over till there is time to deal with them.
75. '—Circulars which are in other respects admissible but which are printed or
lithographed in characters resembling those of the typewriter, or are produced by
means of any mechanical process from type-written originals, will be admitted to the
privilege of the Book rate, provided that they are posted by being handed in at the
counter of the Post Office and that special attention is called to their nature, and that
at least twenty copies precisely identical are posted at the same time.
76. — Circulars should be tied in bundles, with all the addresses in one direction,
and should be posted as early as possible, so as to secure due despatch.
Samples
77. —The use of the Sample Post is restricted to (a) bond-fide Trade Samples of
merchandise without saleable value, and (6) natural history specimens, dried or
preserved animals and plants, geological specimens, and scientific specimens generally
when sent for no commercial purpose, keys sent singly, fresh flowers, tubes of serum and
pathol jgical specimens rendered innocuous by their mode of preparation and packing