Polynesian., 1851-09-13
Passed by the House of Representative.
this 10th day Of June 1851.
KAMEHAMEHA.
AN ACT

AN ACT
TO CREATE AND .REGg .REGgtATE A. POST OFFICE In
WHEREAS the 18th article of the treaty with
the United States renders indispensable
the establishment Of post Office in Homo
lulu:
WHEREAS the public interest urgently requi G
greater regularity in the postal intercourse
between Honolulu and San Francisco !;
and whereas the service of the post Of
flee cannot be performed without adequate
remuneration:
Therefore,
BE 1T ENACTED by the house Of Mobiles
and Representatives in legislative council as
sembled:
SECTION l. There shall be established a
post office in Honolulu, and for the time be-
ing the Polynesian Office is declared to be the.
post Office.
SECTION 2. The duties Of the postmaster
shall be performed by some person to be ap-
pointed and compensated by, and subject to
removal at the pleasure ofthe Minister of the
Interior.
SECTION 3. The postmaster shall charge
the following rates of postage to and from
this kingdom, viz, five cents for every single
letter, weighing less than half an ounce for
warded to or received from any foreign port,
and on packets weighing half an ounce and
under one ounce, ten cents, and FIVE cents
for every additional half ounce.
Two cents on each newspaper, price cur
rent, printed circular or other printed pa
per (not being a pamphlet), provided that it
shall not be unlawful for editors to recipro-
cate post free with foreign editors.
Two and a half cents for every sheet Of
all pamphlets.
SECTION 4. The captains, commanders,
masters or pursers of vessels, for bringing
mails from foreign ports and delivering them
at the post Office shall be entitled to receive
from the postmaster the following remunera-
ton viz. two cents on each letter, one cent
on each newspaper, or pamphlet /; and the
receipt of the captain shall be valid vouch-
er to the postmaster in discharge of so much
OF his receipts.
SECTION 5. 1t shall be the duty of the
postmaster on the anchorage Of any vessel,
in the outer roads, known to have a mail on
board, to send off to such a vessel and bring
the mail on shore with the least possible de-
lay, and it shall be lawful for him to hire q
boat for that purpose when necessary.
SECTION 6. 1t shall be the duty Of all ves-
sells anchored in the outer roads, and having
on board mails, which they cannot deliver
at the post Office lin one hour, to hoist their
ensign at the fore, and to keep it flying until
the post Office boat, with red flag, having
the letters P. o. in white thereon, is Disco
vered coming off.
SECTION Z. The delivery Of mails from
vessels having contagious diseases on board,
is to be subject to such quarantine rules as
may be established on the recommendation
of the board Of health.
SECTION 8. All masters, captains or su-
percargoes Of coasting vessels shall receive
and deliver the inter-island mails at the post
office hereby established under the same pc
nalties and liabilities as are now fixed for re-
ceiving and delivering the same at the Gus
tom house in Honolulu.
SECTION 9. The outward postage on all
foreign letters, newspapers and pamphlets
shall in all cases be prepaid.
SECTION 10. The postmaster is hereby
authorized to issue stamps Of the value Of
the outward postage Of letters, pamphlets
and newspapers.
SECTION IL. This act shall take effect i'm
mediately after publication in the Polynesian
and Elele newspapers.
Passed by the Legislature June 18th, 1851.
I. KAMEHAMEHA.
KEoNr ANA.