Yo the Editor <f the 'sNontit-Citixa Datty Naws."
Sin,—With reference to my letter' published in your issue of the 30th inst. asking for a clear statement on this matter from the Postal Authorities for the Informaion of the C tra community and the footnote fed to same stating; information can be obtained lat any Post Office so the author-tis state."
confess. that this leaves me ai cold. It is not a reply as the follow-Ing incident will prove, the last English mail the writer had three parcels from dif event firms containing various ad-possibly, be sold and to test the new Yule instead of sending a coolie for this articular, package went down to the Post Office myself to take delivery.
Handing in my_notice to the clerk in due time the parcel was brought forward and 1 was informed that duty must be paid thereer 'Asking why as the articles were samples of little value and not for sale the reply was courteous but ery much to the point fam sorry, sir, Dut anything that can be sold must pay duty" and duty had to be paid accordingly though a very' petty, sum, un the face of this statement by a member of the Post Office there Seems nothing whatever that can slip out of having to pay duty and, therefore, is liable according to the: new rule of the Post Office to be returned to the senders without reference to the addressees.
Surely the trading public is entitled to a cleaver statement from the Postal Authorities on this mat ter than. the bald statement th information as to dutiable articles be obtained at the P.O.
Seeing that this information gain: ed by a personal visit is to the feifect that everything that can sibly be sold must pay duty it follows that everything can be re-ramed at the option of the Post fice authorities. The position is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.