### Post Office Ordinance 《郵政署條例》

16. Masters of ships to deliver postal packets to Post Office without delay
Every master of a ship having on board any postal packets which are within the exclusive privilege conferred on the Postmaster General by or under section 6, or any postal packets which have been received by him for delivery to the Postmaster General, shall, immediately upon the arrival of such ship in Hong Kong and before reporting at the Marine Department, deliver all such postal packets at the General Post Office or to some officer of the Post Office or other person authorized by the Postmaster General to receive the same. 
(Amended 1 of 1987 s. 8)[cf. 1908 c. 48 s. 27 U.K.]

17. Notice to be given to Postmaster General of departure of ships
(1) Every owner of a ship, other than a ship plying daily or on fixed days to Macao or to any place on the Canton River or West River, proposing to dispatch such ship from Hong Kong to any place outside Hong Kong, shall give reasonable notice in writing to the Postmaster General of the day and hour of the intended departure of such ship, of the berth at which such ship is lying and of the places at which such ship is to call, and shall give immediate notice in writing to the Postmaster General of any alteration in the day or hour of departure or of the berth or of the places of call. 
(2) If the ship is on charter the notice shall be given by the charterer. 
(3) Notice by an agent shall be deemed also to be notice by the owner or charterer, as the case may be. 
(4) If the owner or charterer is not in Hong Kong the obligation to give notice shall lie on his agents. 
(5) Reasonable notice in writing shall be given to the Postmaster General of every alteration of the hour of departure of any ship plying daily or on fixed days to Macao or to any place on the Canton River or West River. The obligation to give such notice shall lie on the person on whom it would have lain if the ship had not been within the exception specified in subsection (1). 
(6) In general a notice shall not be deemed to be reasonable for the purposes of this section unless it is given in time to enable the Postmaster General to inform the public by notice in the public press of the day and hour for closing the mails by the ship in question. 
(Amended 1 of 1987 s. 8)

### Post Office Ordinance 《郵政署條例》

18. Masters of ships to accept postal packets or mail bags for conveyance
Every master of a ship (not being or having the status of a ship of war) about to depart from Hong Kong to any place outside Hong Kong shall receive on board any postal packets or mail bags tendered to him by any officer of the Post Office for conveyance and shall give a receipt therefor in such form as the Postmaster General prescribes. 
(Amended 1 of 1987 s. 8) [cf. 1908 c. 48 s. 26 U.K.]

19. Gratuities to masters of ships for conveyance of postal packets
(1) It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to pay to the masters of ships, not being Government or contract ships, for the conveyance of postal packets, gratuities at such rates as may be prescribed in any regulations made under this Ordinance. 
(2) Before payment is made the Postmaster General may require the master of any ship by which any postal packets have been conveyed to produce a certificate from the post office of destination that such postal packets have been duly received from him. 
(3) No gratuity shall be payable—
(a) unless application be made for payment within 12 months of the receipt by the master of the ship of the postal packets in respect of which the gratuity is claimed; or 
(b) if there has been unreasonable delay on the part of the master in delivering the postal packets at the post office of destination; or 
(c) if any of the postal packets have been damaged in transit, unless the master proves to the satisfaction of the Postmaster General that such damage was not due to any fault or lack of sufficient care on his part. 
(4) If the master of any vessel satisfies the Postmaster General that he will not return to Hong Kong within the 12 months prescribed by subsection (3)(a), it shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to pay a gratuity in advance. (Amended 1 of 1987 s. 8) 
[cf. 1908 c. 48 s. 31 U.K.]

20. Damages for non-delivery of postal packets or mail bags
Every master of a ship to whom any postal packets are delivered under section 18 shall be deemed to contract with the Postmaster General that, in consideration of the gratuity payable in respect of such postal packets, he will duly deliver the said postal packets to the postal authority to whom the same are addressed immediately on his arrival in any port, without wilful or avoidable delay, and that if he fails in any respect to perform such contract he will pay to the Postmaster General the sum of $10,000 as liquidated damages for the breach thereof. 
(Amended 1 of 1987 s. 2)

### Post Office Ordinance 《郵政署條例》

22. Right to withhold postal packets from person refusing to pay postage, etc.
If any person refuses or neglects to pay any postage or other sum which he is legally bound to pay in respect of any postal packet, the Postmaster General may withhold from such person any postal packet whatsoever addressed to him, not being on Her Majesty’s service or on Government service, until such postage or other sum has been paid.
(Amended 80 of 1997 s. 37)

23. Power of search and seizure
(1) It shall be lawful for any public officer who may, either generally or in a particular case, be authorized in writing by the Postmaster General in that behalf to search for, seize, remove and detain any postal article in respect of which such public officer may have reason to believe that any offence against this Ordinance has been committed. 
(2) Such officer may, with or without assistance, if necessary—
(a) break open any outer or inner door of any house, building or place and enter thereinto; 
(b) forcibly board and enter any ship (not being or having the status of a ship of war) and every part thereof; 
(c) search any person found in such house, building or place, or on board such ship: 

Provided that no person shall be searched except by a person of the same sex; (Amended 67 of 1995 s. 91(2)) 
(d) remove by force any material obstruction to, or any person obstructing, any such entry, search, seizure, removal and detention as he is empowered to effect; and 
(e) open and examine any postal article found in such house, building or place, or on board such ship. 
(3) No person shall delay or obstruct any entry, search, seizure, removal or detention which is authorized by this Ordinance. 
(4) It shall be lawful for any public officer who in the execution of his duty discovers any postal article in respect of which he may have reason to believe that any offence whatsoever has been or is about to be committed to seize and detain any such postal article. (Amended 33 of 1939; G.N. 840 of 1940 Supp. Schedule)