Post Office Ordinance, 1898

1 ST HELENA REVISED EDITION OF THE LAWS, 2017 INFRASTRUCTURE & PUBLIC UTILITIES POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 18981 Ordinance 1 of 1898 In force 14 February 1898 Amended by Ordinance 5 of 1994 Subsidiary legislation: POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS (INVALIDATION) ORDER, 2008 page 3 Legal Notice 11 of 2008 (in force 1 May 2008) POST OFFICE (RATES OF CHARGE) ORDER, 2013 page 5 Legal Notice 20 of 2013 (in force 1 April 2013) POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS (INVALIDATION) ORDER, 2026 page 8 Legal Notice 11 of 2008 (in force 1 July 2026) POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1898 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 1. Short title 2. Interpretation 3. Governor in Council may make certain orders 4. Postal laws of England in force AN ORDINANCE to provide for the application in St Helena of laws and regulations in force in the United Kingdom relating to the post office, and to empower the Governor in Council to fix the rates of postage. Short title 1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Post Office Ordinance, 1898. Interpretation 1 Under section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Ordinance, 1999 this text is authoritative and is the sole authentic edition in respect of the law contained in it as at 1 November 2017. 2 2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires, “postal packets” means letters, post-cards, reply postcards, newspapers, book packets, patterns or sample packets, and all packets or articles transmissible by post. Governor in Council may make certain orders 3. The Governor in Council may by order— (a) fix the rates of postage to be charged on postal packets sent from the post office in St Helena; (b) provide that the postage or revenue stamps specified in the order and issued for the purpose of this Ordinance are no longer to be valid for that purpose. Postal laws of England in force 4. (1) Subject to this Ordinance, all laws and regulations for the time being in force relating to the Post Office of the United Kingdom are, so far as applicable, to be in force in St Helena.2 (2) The Governor in Council may from time to time by order provide for all matters relating to the practice, procedure and jurisdiction in St Helena, under the said laws and regulations, in cases where the Governor considers that the provisions of those laws in respect of such matters are inapplicable to St Helena. 2 Postal services in the UK are provided predominantly by the Royal Mail (which delivers letters) and Post Office Ltd (which oversees post offices). The industry is regulated by Ofcom. Since 1 October 2011, the main piece of legislation is the Postal Services Act 2011, although some parts of the Postal Services Act 2000 are still in force. 3 POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1898 POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS (INVALIDATION) ORDER, 2008 (Section 3(b)) Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the Postage and Revenue Stamps (Invalidation) Order, 2008, and comes into force on 1st May 2008. Invalidation of postage and revenue stamps 2. (1) The postage and revenue stamps of St Helena listed in the Schedule cease to be valid with effect from 1st May 2008. (2) A period of 6 months from 1st May 2008 to 31st October 2008 will be allowed for holders of these stamps to exchange them for St Helena postage or revenue stamps of equivalent value and in current use. (3) Applications for exchanges under sub-paragraph (2) should be made to the Postmistress, Post Office, Jamestown, St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. SCHEDULE (Paragraph 2(1)) YEAR STAMP ISSUE TITLE RELEASE DATE 1992 Homeward Round the Horn 24 January 1992 40th Anniversary of HM QEII Accession to the Throne 6 February 1992 10th Anniversary – Falklands Liberation 12 June 1992 Christmas – Nativity Scenes 12 October 1992 Anniversaries of St Helena 4 December 1993 Flowers 19 March 1993 WWF – Wirebird 16 August 1993 Birds Definitive 26 August 1993 Christmas – Toys 1 October 1994 Children’s Artworks 6 January 1994 Pets 18 February 1994 Endemic Fish 6 June 1994 Butterflies 9 August 1994 Christmas – Carols 10 October 1994 Flowers Part II 15 December 1995 Emergency Services 2 February 1995 Harpers Earth Dam 6 April 1995 50th Anniversary - End of WWII 8 May 1995 Endemic Invertebrates 28 August 1995 Orchid Singapore – Harpers Earth Dam 1 September 1995 Christmas – Children’s Paintings 17 October 1996 Union Castle Mailships - Part 1 8 January 1996 100th Anniversary - Marconi Radio Telecom 28 March 1996 70th Birthday – HM QEII 22 April 1996 Postal Transport – Capex ’96 8 June 4 1996 Napoleonic Sites 12 August 1996 Christmas – Season’s Greetings 1 October 1997 Diana’s Peak National Park - Endemic Plants 7 January 1997 Hong Kong ’97 3 February 1997 500th Anniversary - Discovery of St Helena Part 1 29 May 1997 Hong Kong Returns to China 20 June 1997 Golden Wedding – HM QEII & Prince Philip 10 May 1997 Christmas –25th Anniversary - DOEAWS 29 September 1998 Union Castle Mailships – Part II 1 January 1998 Diana – Princess of Wales 4 April 1998 500th Anniversary - Discovery of St Helena Pt II 2 July 1998 Maritime Heritage Definitive 28 August 1998 Christmas – Island Crafts 28 September 1999 Australia ’99 5 March 1999 Philex France’99 5 May 1999 500th Anniversary - Discovery of St Helena Pt III 12 July 1999 The Wedding of HRH Prince Edward/ Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones 19 June 1999 Queen Mother’s Century 3 September 1999 100 Years - Cable & Wireless 26 November 1999 Union Castle Line – Centenary Voyage 23 December 2000 Kings & Queens throughout the Ages 29 February 2000 Boer War – Part I 10 April 2000 500th Anniversary - Discovery of St Helena – Pt IV 23 May 2000 Royal Birthdays 4 August 2000 Christmas – Pantomimes 10 October 2001 Hong Kong 2001 1 February 2001 Age of Victoria 24 May 2001 500th Anniversary- Discovery of St Helena Pt V 19 July 2001 Royal Naval Ships 20 September 2001 Christmas – Tammy Wynette 11 October 2001 Napoleon’s Earlier Years 1 November 5 POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1898 POST OFFICE (RATES OF CHARGE) ORDER, 2013 (Section 3(a)) Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the Post Office (Rates of Charge) Order, 2013, and comes into force on 1st April 2013. Rates for external mail 2. The rates of postage and other charges on postal packets sent to external destinations from the Post Office of St Helena are those set out in the First Schedule to this order. Internal postage rates 3. The rates of postage and other charges on postal packets sent from the Post Office to internal destinations of St Helena are those set out in the Second Schedule to this order. Revocation 4. Omitted FIRST SCHEDULE (Para. 2) EXTERNAL POSTAL RATES AND OTHER CHARGES PART I - SURFACE MAIL International Ascension £ £ (i) Letters— For the first 20 grammes or part thereof 0.40 0.25 above 20g up to 50g 0.75 0.65 above 50g up to 100g 1.10 0.45 above 100g up to 250g 1.25 1.00 above 250g up to 500g 2.20 2.00 above 500g up to 1000g 3.50 2.75 above 1000g up to 1500g 4.50 3.75 above 1500g up to 2000g 6.50 5.25 (Maximum weight 2kg) (ii) Postcards— 0.40 0.25 (iii) Printed matter— For the first 20 grammes or part thereof 0.40 0.25 above 20g up to 100g 0.70 0.50 above 100g up to 250g 1.10 0.70 6 above 250g up to 500g 1.60 1.10 above 500g up to 1000g 1.95 1.60 above 1000g up to 2000g 3.10 2.10 each additional 1000g 1.00 0.60 (Maximum weight: papers 2kg, books and pamphlets 5kg) (iv) Small packets— For the first 100 grammes or part thereof 0.70 0.60 above 100g up to 250g 1.10 0.80 above 250g up to 500g 1.60 1.30 above 500g up to 1000g 1.85 1.60 above 1000g up to 2000g 3.35 2.10 (Maximum weight 2kg) (v) Special Charges— a. Registration fee 0.70 0.70 b. Insurance premium 70p per £20 of the insured value or part thereof plus registration fee (Maximum insured value £1000) c. Redirection (International) 1 Month £20.00 3 Months £45.00 6 Months £65.00 12 Months £100.00 (vi) Parcels— Great Britain or South Africa Ascension Other Countries Falkland Islands £ £ £ Rate of postage to Great Britain or South Africa (as the case may be) plus the onward postage therefrom to the country of destination a. Weight up to 3kg 6.20 5.20 3.20 above 3kg up to 4kg 8.20 7.20 5.20 above 4kg up to 5kg 10.20 9.20 7.20 above 5kg for each additional 1kg or part thereof (Maximum weight 30kg) above 4kg up to 5kg 2.50 2.00 1.50 b. Insurance (via Great Britain only): 70p per £20 of the insured value or part thereof (maximum insured value £1000). PART II - AIR MAIL To all destinations: (i) Letters up to 100g— £ For the first 10g or part thereof 0.60 Above 10g up to 20g 0.80 For each additional 20g or part thereof (up to 100g total weight) 0.35 (ii) Letters over 100g— For letters over 100g up to 120g 2.20 For each additional 20g or part thereof (over 120g total weight) 0.40 7 (Maximum weight 2kg) (ii) Postcards— 0.50 (iii) Printed matter— For the first 20 grammes or part thereof 0.50 For each additional 20g or part thereof 0.30 Maximum weight 2kg. 5kg for Books & Pamphlets) (iv) Small packets— For the first 100 grammes or part thereof 1.30 For each additional 20g or part thereof 0.40 (Maximum weight 2kg) (v) Aerogrammes— 1.00 SECOND SCHEDULE (Para. 3) INTERNAL POSTAGE RATES AND OTHER CHARGES (i) Letters, Postcards, Printed Matter and Small Packets— For the first 25 grammes or part thereof 0.15 each additional 50g or part thereof 0.10 (Maximum weight 2kg) (ii) Special charges— a. Registration fee 0.70 b. Recorded delivery Next business day £1.35 plus fee in par. (i) Within three business days 75p plus fee in par. (i) c. Private Post Box Annual fee £10 d. Redirection (Local) 1 Month £5.00 3 Months £10.00 6 Months £20.00 12 Months £30.00 e. Keepsake Up to 17 days £5.00 Up to 24 days £8.00 Up to 31 days £10.00 Up to 66 days £20.00 8 POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, 1898 POSTAGE AND REVENUE STAMPS (INVALIDATION) ORDER 2026 (Section 3(b)) In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3(b) of the Post Office Ordinance 1898, the Governor on the advice of the Executive Council makes the following Order: Citation and commencement 1. This Order may be cited as the Postage and Revenue Stamps (Invalidation) Order 2026, and comes into force on 1 July 2026. Invalidation of postage and revenue stamps 2. (1) The postage and revenue stamps of St Helena listed in the Schedule cease to be valid with effect from 1 July 2026. (2) A period of six months from 1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026 will be allowed for holders of these stamps to exchange them for St Helena postage or revenue stamps of equivalent value and in current use. (3) Applications for exchanges under paragraph (2) should be made to the Post Office, Jamestown, St Helena, South Atlantic Ocean. SCHEDULE YEAR STAMP ISSUE TITLE RELEASE DATE 2015 Paintings of Main Street 9 November 2015 2015 Christmas 2015 – Santa Claus 21 November 2015 2016 Airport Part 2 1 January 2016 2016 Christmas 2016 – Carolling on Our Island 1 November 2016 2017 Post Box Walks 28 November 2017 2017 Christmas 2017 – Flowers at Christmas 28 November 2017 2018 Royal Wedding – Harry and Meghan 18 June 2018 2018 Farewell RMS St Helena 18 June 2018 2018 Christmas 2018 – The Light Parade 4 September 2018 2018 Airport Part 3 10 October 2018 2019 Jonathan, World’s Oldest Animal 19 September 2019 2020 Seven Wonders of St Helena 6 February 2020 2020 Christmas 2020 – The Nativity of Jesus 1 September 2020 2021 Bicentenary of the Death of Napoleon 8 February 2021