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Tuvalu Consolidated Legislation - 2008 Edition

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Post Office Act - Post Office Regulations

LAWS OF TUVALU
2008 Revised Edition


POST OFFICE REGULATIONS


CAP. 32.04.2


Arrangement of Regulations


Regulation


PART I - GENERAL


1 Citation
2 Hours of attendance
3 Postal charges
4 Dimensions and weights
5 Suitable packing
6 Irregular enclosure


PART II - REGISTRATION


7 Packets to be handed to officer
8 To be prepaid
9 Compulsory registration
10 Number of packets and receipts
11 Receipt on delivery
12 Delivery through private box


PART III - DELIVERY OF POSTAL PACKETS


13 To whom delivery may be made
14 Redirection


PART IV - UNDELIVERED POSTAL PACKETS


15 Undelivered postal packets
16 Disposal of undelivered packets
17 Final disposal


PART V – FRANKING


Franking of postal packets


PART VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS OF POST OFFICE


19 Information regarding postal packets
20 Declaration to be made by officers on appointment


SCHEDULE 1


POSTAL CHARGES


SCHEDULE 2


DECLARATION


Supporting Documents


ENDNOTES


________________


POST OFFICE REGULATIONS


MADE UNDER SECTION 36 OF THE POST OFFICE ACT1


Commencement [1st January 1978]


PART I – GENERAL


1 Citation


These Regulations may be cited as the Post Office Regulations.


2 Hours of attendance


The hours during which post offices shall be open for the conduct of various classes of public business shall be as determined and notified by the Postmaster.


3 Postal charges


The rates of postage payable for the transmission of postal packets through the post and the supplementary fees in connection therewith shall be as set forth in Schedule 1.


4 Dimensions and weights


The dimensions, make-up and weights of packets transmitted through the post shall conform to the provisions of the Universal Postal Union Convention in that regard and no postal packet shall exceed such limits of weight or dimensions except with the express authority of the Postmaster obtained prior to transmission


5 Suitable packing


The contents of every postal packet shall be packed and secured by the sender in such a manner as may afford adequate protection to the contents thereof and to other postal packets.


6 Irregular enclosure


No postal packet directed to one address may contain any other packet addressed to a different address. Any postal packet found to contain any enclosure contrary to this regulation shall be surcharged on delivery with an amount equal to double the postage which would have been payable upon such enclosure if it had been transmitted separately.


PART II - REGISTRATION


7 Packets to be handed to officer


Postal packets for registration shall be handed in at a post office to an officer thereof during such hours as may be notified and shall not be posted in any posting box.


8 To be prepaid


Postal packets for registration shall be fully prepaid at the time of handing in for transmission to the place of destination.


9 Compulsory registration


(1) Every postal packet containing coins, banknotes, currency notes, negotiable instruments payable to bearer, platinum, gold, silver, manufactured or not, precious stones or jewels and like valuable articles shall be registered.

(2) Any unregistered postal packet known to contain an article specified in paragraph (1), or any packet posted otherwise than in accordance with regulation 7 and which bears any inscription which may reasonably be assumed to indicate it was the intention of the sender that it should be registered, shall be liable to compulsory registration and shall be subject on delivery to payment of the registration fee, specified in Schedule 1, together with the fee for underpayment of postage so specified.

10 Number of packets and receipts


Every postal packet duly handed in for registration shall be given a distinctive number. A receipt bearing such number, the address of the relative packet and an impression of the date stamp of the office at which the packet is handed in for registration shall be given to the sender by the receiving officer and such receipt shall be prima facie evidence of the registration of such packet.


11 Receipt on delivery


Any person to whom any registered postal packet is delivered shall give to the officer delivering it a receipt for the same on a form to be prescribed by the Postmaster, which receipt shall be a good discharge for the delivery of such registered packet.


12 Delivery through private box


To effect delivery of a registered postal packet through a private post office box, an advice bearing the registered number and the address of such registered packet shall be placed in such box and the presentation at the proper post office of the said advice shall be a sufficient warrant for the delivery of such registered packet to the applicant.


PART III - DELIVERY OF POSTAL PACKETS


13 To whom delivery may be made


No postal packet shall be delivered to any person other than —


(a) the addressee in person;



14 Redirection


(1) Any person may make application to the officer in charge of the post office through which postal packets addressed to him are delivered to have postal packets addressed to him redirected to another address.

(2) Where such application has been received the officer in charge of the post office may, for a period of 3 months, redirect all postal packets addressed to the applicant to the address furnished without payment of additional postage save in the case of postal packets required to be redirected by air mail and overseas parcels.

PART IV - UNDELIVERED POSTAL PACKETS


15 Undelivered postal packets


Any postal packet, which by reason of want of a proper address or from inability to find the person to whom it is addressed or for any other reason is in the opinion of the officer in charge of the post office, undeliverable and in respect of which no application for redirection made pursuant to regulation 14 is in force shall be marked "return to sender" and endorsed as the case may be with the words "not known", "refused", "gone away", "deceased" or other appropriate expression.


16 Disposal of undelivered packets


(1) Every postal packet marked "return to sender" in accordance with the provisions of the preceding regulation shall be forwarded to the Postmaster to be dealt with in accordance with regulation 17.

(2) Postal packets marked by the sender to be held for the addressee to call or "poste restante" shall be held at the post office of delivery for a period of 1 month and, if not collected within that time, shall be marked "not claimed" and forwarded to the Postmaster to be dealt with in accordance with regulation 17:

Provided that postal packets to be held for the addressee to call originally posted outside Tuvalu shall be held for a period of 2 months before being forwarded.


17 Final disposal


(1) Subject to paragraph (3) all postal packets remaining undelivered shall be disposed of in the following manner —


(a) a postal packet from a place beyond Tuvalu shall be returned unopened to the country of origin;


(b) a postal packet originally posted within Tuvalu shall be returned to the writer or sender thereof and in order to ascertain such address any such postal packet may be opened by an officer of the post office:


Provided that a parcel returned under this or the preceding subparagraph and for which no request for abandonment has been made shall be returned at the expense of the sender;



(2) Before an undelivered postal packet on which postal charges have become due is returned to the sender such postal charges shall be paid by the sender.

(3) Printed papers of no value shall not be returned to the country of origin or to the sender unless the return has been asked for by means of a note on the cover.

PART V – FRANKING


18 Franking of postal packets


(1) No person shall frank postal packets for free transmission by post unless he has been duly authorised to do so by the competent authority and such authorisation has been communicated to the Postmaster.

(2) Postal packets for free transmission shall be franked for transmission by post either by means of a franking stamp approved by the Postmaster and bearing the designation of the department or office from which it is posted and the words "Official Paid" or shall bear the signature of the sender followed by his official designation at the bottom left-hand corner of the envelope or cover.

(3) Every person authorised to use a franking stamp shall be responsible for its proper use and custody according to these Regulations.

(4) Persons authorised to frank postal packets under paragraph (1) shall also be entitled to receive without prepayment of postage, letters and other documents addressed to them in their official capacity and superscribed "On Her Majesty's Service" or "On Government Service":

Provided such articles are on Government service and not on the private business or in the personal interest of the sender.


PART VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS OF POST OFFICE


19 Information regarding postal packets


An officer of the post office shall not give information respecting postal packets passing through a post office except to the sender or the addressee or as may otherwise be required in the case of his duty, and in no other way shall information of a private character which comes to his knowledge in the course of his duty be made public.


20 Declaration to be made by officers on appointment


Every officer of the post office shall upon his being appointed as such make and subscribe before the Postmaster a declaration in the form contained in Schedule 2.


____________


SCHEDULE 12
(Regulation 3)


POSTAL CHARGES


(A)
Mail Within Tuvalu
Note: Letters will be despatched by the first available means of conveyance.


Letters
Small packets
Printed papers, newspapers, magazines
Postcards
$
$
$
$
1.
Surface Mail
Not more than 20g
0.25
0.20
0.20
0.10
For each additional 20g or part thereof
0.10
0.05
0.05

2.
Surface Parcel Post
Not more than 1kg
1.20

For each additional 20g or part thereof
1.00

(B)
Destinations outside Tuvalu


1.
Airmail Zone (See below)
Letters per 20g or part
Printed papers, newspapers, magazines, per 250g
Aerogramme
Postcards




or part



$
$
$
$
1
0.40
4.00
0.50
0.30
2
0.60
6.00
0.50
0.40
3
0.90
8.00
0.50
0.40
2.
Air parcel
Per 1kg



post
or part


$
1
15.00
2
20.00
3
25.00
3.
Surface mail
Zone 1
Zone 2
(a) Letter
$
$
not exceeding 50g
0.30
0.40
Over 50g but not exceeding 100g
1.00
1.50
Over 100g but not exceeding 250g
2.00
3.50
Over 250g but not exceeding 500g
3.00
5.50
Over 500g but not exceeding 1kg
6.00
9.00
Over 1kg but not exceeding 2kg
10.00
15.00
(b) Printed papers, newspapers, magazines, small packets
Up to 100g
0.90
1.20
Over 100g but not exceeding 250g
1.50
3.00


Over 250g but not exceeding 500g
2.50
5.00
Over 500g but not exceeding 1kg
5.50
18.00



Over 1kg but not exceeding 2kg
9.00
22.00
(c) Parcels


Up to 1kg
6.00
10.00
Over 1kg but not exceeding 2kg
7.50
15.00
Over 2kg but not exceeding 3kg
9.00
20.00
Over 3kg but not exceeding 4kg
12.00
25.00
Over 4kg but not exceeding 5kg
15.60
30.00
Over 5kg but not exceeding 6kg
18.00
35.00
Over 6kg but not exceeding 7kg
21. 60
40.00
Over 7kg but not exceeding 8kg
24.30
45.00
Over 8kg but not exceeding 9kg
27.60
50.00
Over 9kg but not exceeding 10kg
30.30
55.00
For each additional 1kg or part thereof
3.00
5.00
(C)
Special Services



(a)
Acknowledgment of Delivery fee
$1.00

(b)
Articles for the blind (up to 3kg)
Free

(c)
Under paid articles
$1. 00 per item

(d)
Clearance and accounting fee on any postal
$2.00



articles


(e)
Re-direction fee
$0.50

(f)
Registration fee
$2.00

(g)
Storage fee
$2.00 per item

(h)
Withdrawal fee
$1. 50 per item

(i)
Late post fee
$0.50 per item

(j)
Safe receipt fee
$1.00


2.
Optional delivery services



Private box service -


Small
$20.00 p. a.




Initial keys fee (returnable)
$10.00
Replacement key
$15.00
Locked bag service
$30.00
Transfer fee
$15.00

(D)
Postal Zones


For the purpose of calculating postal charges, countries are grouped into zones which are defined approximately as follows and are set out more precisely in the Post Office Guide held by post masters. Zone 1: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru Zone 2: The Pacific including Australia and New Zealand, but excluding the other "Pacific Basin" countries, the Philippines, Japan, etc. Zone 3: The rest of the world.
(E)
Letter fax Charges


Initial page Subsequent pages
$4.00 $3.00 per page.

__________________


SCHEDULE 2
(Regulation 20)


DECLARATION


I, AB. do declare that I will not disclose to any other person any information whatsoever of a private character which may come to my knowledge in the performance of my post office duties. I understand that to do so would be a serious breach of my responsibility as an officer of the post office and could lead to my dismissal. I further understand that it is a criminal offence for any officer of the post office to open or delay any postal packet in course of transmission by post except as provided for in the Post Office Act and Post Office Regulations


.....................................................
Signature


Declared before me at ..............................this ..........day of ................................20 .......


.....................................................
Postmaster.


ENDNOTES
_________________
1 LN 7/1978, LN 26/1983 Amended by LN 3/1995 commencement 10/3/1995
2 Inserted by LN 3/1995


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