Chapter 4
The registration fees on letters to British Colonies and Foreign Countries will be found in the tables on pages 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40.
[Sidenote: Certificate of posting to be given.]
Every letter or parcel containing value should be registered and presented to the Postmaster or his clerk and a receipt obtained therefor. On no account should it be dropped into a letter box.
[Sidenote: Pre-payment.]
When letters are registered for the United Kingdom, for Foreign Countries, viâ England, or for the United States, both the postage and the registration fee must be pre-paid.
[Sidenote: Books, &c., cannot be registered.]
Books, periodicals, newspapers, circulars, and other printed matter, cannot be registered unless pre-paid the full letter rates, in addition to the ordinary registration fee.
[Sidenote: Receipt required on Delivery.]
Registered letters and packets can only be delivered to the parties to whom they are addressed or to their order, and a receipt must be given on the delivery of each registered letter in a book kept by every Postmaster for that purpose.
[Sidenote: Post office not responsible for loss.]
It should be clearly understood that the post office is not responsible for the safe delivery of a registered letter or parcel. The registration simply makes its transmission more secure, by rendering it practicable to trace it, when passing from one place to another in Canada, from its receipt to its delivery; and when addressed from any place in Canada to any place in the United States, the United Kingdom, or parts abroad, if not to its delivery, at least to the frontier or port of despatch.
POSTAGE STAMPS.
[Sidenote: Prices of stamps.]
Every postmaster is required to have on hand a sufficient stock of postage stamps, and to sell them to the public at 1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 12-1/2 cents, and 17 cents each.
[Sidenote: Envelopes.]
Letter envelopes are also provided with medallion, stamps equivalent to 5 cents and 10 cents postage, each. The 5 cent envelopes are sold singly at 6 cents each; 66 cents per dozen; $5.50 per hundred. The 10 cent envelopes are sold singly at 11 cents each; $1.26 per dozen; $10.50 per hundred.
[Sidenote: Sale to dealers.]
With the approval of the Postmaster General, postage stamps are sold to certain dealers to retail again to the public.
[Sidenote: Pre-payment in stamps.]
Pre-payment of letters should, in all cases where practicable, be made by postage stamps.
[Sidenote: Mutilated stamps.]
A mutilated stamp, or a stamp cut in half, is not recognized in pre-payment of postage.
[Sidenote: Medallion stamps.]
A medallion stamp cannot be accepted in pre-payment of postage if separated from the envelope of which it may have formed a part.
[Sidenote: British and foreign.]
No British stamps, or stamps of a foreign country, can be received in pre-payment of postage in Canada.
[Sidenote: Mode of affixing.]
In affixing the stamp to the letter wet slightly the corner of the envelope and the gummed side of the stamp, and gently press the stamp till it is firmly fixed. Stamps should be placed on the front or address side of the letter, and on the right hand upper corner.
[Sidenote: Partial payment in.]
Letters cannot be pre-paid partly in stamps and partly in money; the pay-postage must be pre-paid either wholly in stamps, or wholly in money.
[Sidenote: Insufficient pre-payment.]
If the stamps affixed to a letter addressed to any place in British North America be not adequate to the proper postage, the letter is rated with an amount equal to the deficiency.
[Sidenote: Do. United States.]
Letters addressed to the United States, on which stamps are affixed representing less than the amount of postage to which the letters are liable, are rated with full unpaid postage.
[Sidenote: Stamps received for postage.]
Postage stamps are received at all post offices in payment of postage on unpaid letters delivered therefrom.
MONEY ORDERS.
[Sidenote: Money order offices.]
Post offices in Canada at which money orders are issued and paid are distinguished in the List of Post Offices by being printed in italics .
[Sidenote: Orders issued.]
Every money order office in Canada issues money orders on every other money order office in Canada, as well as on every money order office in the United Kingdom. Every money order office in the United Kingdom also issues money orders on every money order office in Canada.
[Sidenote: Commission on Canadian orders.]
The rate of commission charged on money orders drawn by one money order office in Canada on any other money order office in Canada, is as follows:--
If not exceeding in amount $10 5 cents. Exceeding $10 and not exceeding $20 10 " " 20 " " 30 15 " " 30 " " 40 30 " " 40 " " 60 45 " " 60 " " 80 60 " " 80 " " 100 75 "
[Sidenote: Half cents.]
No half cents can be introduced into orders.
[Sidenote: Amount of single orders not to exceed $100.]
No money order exceeding $100 in amount can be granted on any office in Canada; but postmasters are at liberty to grant two or more orders for $100 or for any lesser sum. They cannot, however, grant two or more orders for sums of or under $30 on the same day to the same applicant in favor of the same payee.
[Sidenote: Orders on United Kingdom.]
Money orders on the United Kingdom are drawn in sterling money, and may be for any sum from one shilling to ten pounds. They must not, however, exceed the latter amount; but postmasters are at liberty to issue two or more separate orders for ten pounds each or for any smaller sum.
[Sidenote: Commission on do.]
The rate of commission charged on orders on the United Kingdom, over and above the currency value of the sterling, is as follows:--
For orders not exceeding £2 sterling 25 cents. Exceeding £2 and not exceeding £5 sterling 50 " " 5 " " 7 " 75 " " 7 " " 10 " $1.
Tables shewing the amount of Provincial currency required for money orders issued in Canada upon the United Kingdom, in addition to the commission, and paid for money orders issued in the United Kingdom on Canada, will be found at pages 41, 42, and 43.
[Sidenote: Printed applications.]
Applicants for money orders should always use the printed application forms, in which they should fill up the particulars of the order required. These forms are supplied gratuitously at all money order offices.
[Sidenote: Full names and residences required.]
The christian and surnames in full, and residences, both of the remitter and the payee, should be furnished to the issuing postmaster. When a married woman is either the remitter or payee, her own christian name should be given, and not that of her husband, thus--"Mrs. Mary Smith," not "Mrs. John Smith."
If the remitter or payee be a Peer or a Bishop, his ordinary title is sufficient. If a firm, the usual designation of such firm will suffice, such as "Baring Bros.," "Smith & Son," "Jones & Co."
[Sidenote: Orders should be examined.]
Parties procuring money orders should examine them carefully to see that they are properly filled up and stamped. This caution will appear the more necessary when it is understood that any important defect in these respects will throw difficulties in the way of payment.
[Sidenote: Erroneous orders.]
Money orders which, in consequence of misapprehension of the name of the remitter or place of payment have been erroneously made out, can be returned to the postmaster, and a correct order given in exchange; a new commission, however, will be charged on the corrected order.
[Sidenote: Repayment of orders at issuing office.]
Parties obtaining money orders on Canadian offices can procure repayment thereof on presentation of the orders at the office at which issued, signing the receipt at the foot. No order, however, can be repaid without the authority of the superintendent, unless presented for repayment on the day on which it is issued. Neither can orders on the United Kingdom be repaid without his special authority.
[Sidenote: Orders on United Kingdom can be paid through a bank.]
When a remitter desires an order on the United Kingdom to be paid through a bank, it is left to his option to give or withhold the name of the payee, or to substitute for the name of the payee any other designation or modification, such as "the Cashier of the Bank of England," "the Chief Clerk of the Foreign Office." Such orders must, however, be crossed by the issuing postmaster with the name of bank through which the order is to be paid.
[Sidenote: No credit allowed.]
The issue of money orders on credit, or for cheques not marked "good" by the bank drawn upon, is strictly prohibited.
If a payee is unable to write, he must sign the receipt at the foot of the order, in the presence of the paying postmaster, by making his mark, to be witnessed in writing; as, for example:-- His Witness,--John Kenny, Joseph X Allen . Queen Street, Toronto . Mark.
[Sidenote: Order of payee in favor of second person.]
In cases of money orders issued in Canada, postmasters are at liberty to accept the written order of the payee on the order itself in favour of a second person, if through illness or insuperable difficulty the payee is prevented from presenting the order in person.
[Sidenote: Lost orders.]
When a Canadian money order has been lost, either by the remitter or payee, the circumstance must be made known to the superintendent, who, under certain precautions, will issue a duplicate.
[Sidenote: Duplicates of British orders.]
Duplicates of sterling orders can only be granted by the paying country. Thus the British post office issues duplicates of orders drawn in Canada on the United Kingdom, and the Canadian Head Money Order Office grants duplicates of orders drawn in the United Kingdom on Canada.
[Sidenote: Lapsed orders.]
Money orders which are not presented until one full year after their date are considered as lapsed orders, and cannot be paid without the special permission of the superintendent. In all such cases satisfactory reasons should be given explanatory of the delay in the presentation of the order.
[Sidenote: Orders on Canada issued in Malta and Gibraltar.]
The Deputy Postmasters General of Malta and Gibraltar are authorized to issue money orders on the several money order offices in Canada. Money order offices in Canada do not, however, grant money orders on Malta and Gibraltar.
GENERAL REGULATIONS.
[Sidenote: Exemption from juries, inquests, and militia.]
Postmasters and certain other officers of the department are exempt from serving on juries or inquests, or in the militia. This exemption applies to mail carriers, but not to assistants appointed and paid by postmasters.
[Sidenote: Officers prohibited from voting.]
The postmasters of Quebec, Montreal, Three Rivers, and Sherbrooke, and the postmasters of incorporated cities and towns in Upper Canada, divided into wards, and other officers of the Post Office Department, excepting Postmasters at other than the above places, cannot legally vote at the election of any member of the Legislative Council or of the Legislative Assembly.
[Sidenote: No credit allowed.]
Postmasters are not authorized to give credit for postage, if they do so it is entirely at their own risk.
[Sidenote: Return of letter to sender not allowed.]
A letter once posted becomes the property of the person to whom it is addressed, and must be forwarded according to its direction. On no application, however urgent, can it be delivered back to the writer, or to any other person.
[Sidenote: Letters addressed to firms, &c.]
A letter addressed to a firm may be delivered to any member of the firm. If addressed to several persons it may be delivered to any one of them.
[Sidenote: Letters delivered to wrong parties.]
A letter delivered to the wrong person in consequence of his name being the same as the one of the person for whom the letter is really intended, should be at once returned to the postmaster from whom received, the party writing on the cover "opened by me through mistake," and signing his name thereto.
[Sidenote: Letters posted without proper direction or prepayment.]
Letters posted without any direction, or addressed so imperfectly that they cannot be forwarded to their intended destinations, and also unpaid or insufficiently paid letters addressed to countries to which letters cannot be sent without the postage is pre-paid, are returned to the writers through the Dead Letter Office.
[Sidenote: Information not to be given.]
No information can be given respecting letters which pass through a post office except to the persons to whom they are addressed.
[Sidenote: Redirection of letters.]
Parties desiring their letters and papers to be re-directed should send an intimation to that effect in writing to the postmaster of the office from which the letters and papers are to be re-directed.
Postmasters are allowed to re-direct letters to the known places of residence of the parties to whom they are addressed, after allowing a reasonable time to elapse without their being called for.
[Sidenote: No extra charge.]
Letters and papers are not subject to any additional charge when re-directed from one post office in Canada to another post office in Canada.
[Sidenote: Objectionable matter.]
Postmasters are instructed not to receive any letter or packet which there is good reason to believe contains glass or anything likely to injure the contents of the mail bag or the person of any officer of the post office.
[Sidenote: Change.]
A postmaster is not legally bound to furnish change, but if absolutely necessary may require that the exact amount of postage on any letter or packet be tendered to him in current coin, or in Canada postage stamps.
[Sidenote: Civility required from Postmasters.]
Postmasters and their assistants in the above matter, as well as in all their official intercourse with the public, are expected to afford every accommodation, and to treat every person having business at their offices with every courtesy.
[Sidenote: Mail couriers to receive letters en route .]
Mail couriers are bound to receive letters offered to them whilst on the road between one post office and another, provided that when a letter is so offered the distance from the nearest post office exceeds one mile. Such letters are termed Way Letters, and are subject to the ordinary rates of postage.
SUGGESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC.
Facility will be given to the Post Office in the discharge of its daily duties, and greater security afforded to the Public, by careful attention to the following recommendations:
[Sidenote: Early posting.]
Post all letters and newspapers, &c., as early as practicable, especially when sent in large numbers.
[Sidenote: Newspaper.]
When a number of newspapers are addressed to the same office, put them up in one parcel.
[Sidenote: Circulars.]
When a number of circulars are posted, tie them up in a bundle, with the addresses all in one direction.
[Sidenote: Address.]
Address letters, papers, &c., in a legible and complete manner, always giving the name of the Post Office; and if there be more than one Post Office of that name, the name of the county in which situated: In case of letters going abroad, the name of the country, as well as of the town and city, should be given in full. Letters, for example, intended for London, England, if simply addressed "London," would be forwarded to London, Canada West, and thus be delayed.
[Sidenote: Secure folding.]
See that every letter, newspaper, or other packet sent by post, is securely folded and sealed. Every such packet has to be several times handled; and even when in the mail bag, is exposed to pressure and friction. Unless, therefore, the article be light and pliant, it should be enclosed in strong paper, linen, parchment, or some other material which will not readily tear or break.
[Sidenote: Newspaper covers.]
Fasten the covers of newspapers firmly, so as to prevent them from slipping out.
[Sidenote: Letter Box.]
When dropping a letter or newspaper into a letter-box, always see that the packet falls into the box, and does not stick in its passage.
[Sidenote: Letters for hot climates.]
Never seal letters for the East and West Indies and other hot climates, with wax. Such a practice is attended with much inconvenience, and frequently with serious injury, in consequence of the melting of the wax, and the adhesion of the letters to each other. In all such cases use either wafers or gum, and advise your correspondents in the country referred to to do the same.
[Sidenote: Letters containing money or value.]
Never send money or other articles of value through the Post Office, except either by means of a money-order or in a registered letter. Carefully secure every letter or packet containing money or value, first with gum and afterwards with good sealing-wax, on which make the clear impression of a seal.
[Sidenote: Registered letters.]
On posting a registered letter or packet, always obtain a receipt for the same at the office where posted.
[Sidenote: Delayed and missing letters and papers.]
When letters or papers are delayed or missing, at once communicate the fact to the Inspector of the division in which is situated the Post Office at which the delayed or missing letters were posted. In case of a missing letter enclosing value, state the exact contents, the exact address, and the office at which posted; the name of the person by whom posted, and the name of the person by whom received at the office. In the case of a delayed letter or paper, send the cover or wrapper in an entire state, in order that the place of delay may be ascertained by an examination of the post marks.
[Sidenote: Strict enquiry in cases of loss.]
Trouble and loss occasionally arise out of the carelessness or dishonesty of parties employed in the Post Office service; yet instances are not wanting in which it has been shown to the satisfaction even of the complainants, that the fault at first attributed to the Post Office, in truth rested in other quarters. Thefts by private hands, although very difficult of proof, have not unfrequently been brought to light; and it is greatly to be desired that those who suffer loss should, in the first instance, and while the circumstances are fresh, endeavour to ascertain with the utmost precision all particulars respecting the despatch or receipt of the lost letters or papers, and lose no time in communicating this information to the Inspector. Indeed, generally speaking, it is only by careful inquiry into minute details that the offender can be detected, whether he be a servant of the Department or not.
[Sidenote: Improvements.]
The Post Office is a department which admits of constant improvement and expansion. The public, by sending to the Postmaster General, clear and correct information respecting faulty arrangements, may materially benefit the service. It must be remembered, however, that changes in machinery so extensive and intricate as that of the Post Office, must be made cautiously and with much previous consideration.
Time is generally required to carry out any material change in postal arrangements; for even when decided upon, old contracts, requiring notice of termination, may have to be got rid off, and tenders for new contracts invited by public advertisement, before the decision can take effect.
[Sidenote: New post offices.]
New Post Offices are established by the Department wherever it is ascertained that a sufficient number of inhabitants can be accommodated, and a sufficient amount of postal revenue collected to warrant such a measure. When a new Post Office is required, a petition should be addressed to the Postmaster General, signed by as many of the inhabitants as can conveniently subscribe the same. The petition should state the name of the township and the number of the lot and concession on which it is desired the office should be established; the distance from the neighbouring offices; whether at the site of the proposed Post Office there is a village; the number of mills, stores, taverns, and houses thereat; the extent of the settlement to be served and the probable cost of the mail; together with any other facts which may form any ground for the accommodation applied for.
RATES OF POSTAGE from CANADA to BRITISH COLONIES and FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
By Canadian Ocean Steamers, sailing every Saturday from Quebec in Summer, and from Portland in Winter.
[Symbol: Pointer] Letters for any of the destinations included in this Table must be prepaid, else they cannot be forwarded. In those cases in the Book-rates where an asterisk (*) is prefixed, prepayment on Newspapers or Book Parcels is optional: in all other cases prepayment is required.
KEY: A: Not exceeding 1/4 oz. B: Above 1/4 oz. and not exceeding 1/2 oz. C: Above 1/2 oz. and not exceeding 3/4 oz. D: Above 3/4 oz. and not exceeding 1 oz. E: Above 1 oz. and not exceeding 11/4 oz. F: Registration fee for each letter.
G: Not exceeding 2 ozs. H: 2 ozs. to 4 ozs. I: 4 ozs. to 8 ozs. J: 8 ozs. to 1 lb. K: 1 lb. to 11/2 lb. L: 11/2 lb. to 2 lbs.
ALL PRICES IN CTS.