Page 46 - Jamaica Post Office Guide 1938

OVERSEA MAILS: PARCEL POST. 51
PARCEL POST.
A Parcel Post exchange exists between Jamaica and the countries against which parcel
post rates of postage are '-hown in cols. 7 to 11, pages 62 to 72. Parcel post business is
transacted at all Post Offices.
The parcel mail for Great Britsin, Northern Ireland and Irish Free State,
United States of America, Bermuda, British Honduras, Canal Zone, Canada, Costa Rica,
Panama, British West India Islands and British and Dutch Guiana (via Trinidad and
Barbados), Haiti and the Bahama, Cayman and Turks Islands is forwarded by each
available direct opportunity.
The parcel mail for Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela is for­
warded via Panama, and for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Republic of Honduras via British
Honduras.
Parcels for the majority of other countries are forwarded via London.
Postage, Dimensions and Weight—For postage, maximum dimensions and weights, and
other particulars see Table of Rates of Postage, &c., pages 61 to 72.
Foreign (except to U.S.) and Colonial -parcels cannot be registered, but they may be
insured to certain countries under the conditions specified on pp. 53-55.
General Regulations.
Customs Declaration and Despatch note.
Parcels are subject to Customs Regulations. The sender of each parcel is required to
make, for Customs purposes—upon a special form or forms, which can be obtained at any
Post Office—an accurate statement of the nature and value of the contents and other
particulars. The sender’s name and full address must also be filled in. The forms should
be filled in, in ink. Two forms of Customs declaration are in use— A yellow form
(No. 741) intended to be affixed to the cov ers o f parcels fo r
British Colonies and P ossessions, the United States o f
America, Canal Zone, and a few other countries; and a
white form , which is used fo r parcels f o r all other
foreign countries, f Several identical copies of the latter form must in
many cases be made out. The number of white forms required is indicated by the figure
after the letter W in col. 13, Table of Rates, pp. 62 to 72. When a white form is used the
sender must also fill up a despatch note. Under-valuation of the contents or failure to describe
them fully may result in a seizure of the parcels, and in the case of parcels
addressed to the United States of America in the imposition of heavy fines, which will not
be remitted even if the parcels are returned to the senders. The net weight or quantity of
the different kinds of articles contained in a parcel should be separately stated. Any other
particulars should be given which would facilitate the assessment of Customs duty, such
as the material of which clothing is composed, and whether it is new or not. In the case
of articles returned to the country where they originated, the fact should be stated.
Customs Declarations, instead of bearing entries of “ Groceries,” “ Presents,” etc.,
should bear entries giving a description and the weight of the following articles, when
enclosed, viz.: sugar, sweets and confectionery, crystallized and imitation fruits and
flowers, preserved ginger, jams, jellies, and marmalades, chocolate, cocoa powder, canned
fruit, tea, coffee. In the case of dried fruit, the particular kind, figs, raisins, currants, etc.,
should be stated. For further particulars as to declarations, see note against the names
of the various countries in the Table of Rates pp. 62 to 72 (col 13).
Special attention is directed to the “ Prohibitions” (Export
and Import), pp. 58-60.
Parcels received at Jamaica from places over sea are, in terms of the Post Office Law,
51 of 1908, opened at the Head Office, Kingston, for the purpose of assessing the duty
on the contents.
A Customs clearance fee of 6d. will be collected on every parcel-post parcel (whether
it contains dutiable matter or not), and on every package (other than parcel post) which
on examination is found to contain dutiable matter.
The postage on parcels must be wholly prepaid by postage stamps.
The Post Office Department will not be responsible for the loss or damage of any
uninsured parcel. This rule is modified in case of parcels between the U.K. and Jamaica,
see page 56.
t The white forms are to be used for India.