there is reason to believe that prohibited matter is contained in a sealed letter, the exchange office will endorse the cover "supposed to contain matter prohibited importation" and forward it to the post office of destination. Letters received bearing such endorsement, or any foreign letter not so endorsed but suspected of containing prohibited matter, shall be held and treated as follows: (a) Complete and mail Form 2921, Held Mail Notice-International, to the addressee requesting authorization to open the letter and examine its contents. The form may be endorsed "Lottery Matter" when it is believed the letter contains such matter. If the volume of such mail or other considerations warrant, an explanatory letter may be sent in lieu of Form 2921. (b) When authorization to open is given by the addressee, the letter shall be opened and examined in his presence, if he has appeared in person, or, if he does not appear, in the presence of two designated postal employees. (c) If the addressee fails to authorize the opening of the letter, endorse the cover "Unclaimed" and return, unopened, to its origin. (a) Mailable matter. If the contents of a letter opened pursuant to § 262.1 are found to be mailable and the examination has taken place in the presence of the addressee, immediately deliver the letter to him. If the addressee is not present, mail the letter to him under official cover. (b) Prohibited matter. If the contents of a letter opened pursuant to § 262.1 are found to be prohibited they shall be disposed of as follows: (1) Transmit lottery matter to the local postal inspector in charge. (2) Report other prohibited matter to the Mailability Division, Office of the General Counsel, with a sample of the contents, and await instructions as to disposition. (a) Exchange offices. Submit packages containing plant material to the local plant quarantine inspector. Dispatch packages bearing a yellow and green special-mailing tag and those addressed to the Department of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine Division, to the quarantine station to which directed. (b) Distribution offices. Submit packages containing plant material to a quarantine inspector at the most accessible of the offices mentioned in paragraph (g) of this section. Dispatch under seal addressed to the postmaster, marking "For plant quarantine examination." (c) Plants admitted without restriction. Plants and plant products ordered by, intended for, and addressed to the Plant Quarantine Division, or the Crops Research Division, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. (d) Plants admitted under restrictions. Except for those listed in paragraph (e) of this section as prohibited, and some which are importable by private individuals, most plants and plant products are admitted under various restrictions. For information, patrons should address inquiries to the Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Plant Quarantine Division, Washington, D.C. 20250. (e) Plants prohibited-(1) Cuttings, buds, cions, etc. Subject to some exceptions, importation by mail is prohibited from all countries and localities, of all plants, including cuttings, buds, cions, bulb roots, tubers, seeds, etc.; fruits and vegetables in the raw or unprocessed state; and other plant products. (2) Plants and plant products as packing materials. The importation as packing material is prohibited of rice straw, hulls and chaff; cotton and cotton products; sugarcane, including bagasse; bamboo leaves and small shoots; leaves of plants; forest litter; soil with an appreciable admixture of vegetable matter; and all parts of corn and allied plants, unless coming from Mexico and the countries of Central America, the West Indies, and South America. However, the plant materials mentioned may be admitted if in the judgment of an inspector of the U.S. Department of Agriculture the risk of carrying infectious insects and dis eases has been eliminated by the manner of preparation, processing, or manufacturing to which the material has been subjected. (f) Failure to receive quarantine inspection. Should a package containing plant material be observed at or en route to the office of address without having received quarantine inspection, forward it under seal to the postmaster at the most accessible of the offices mentioned in paragraph (g) of this section. Mark "For plant quarantine examination." (g) Inspection stations. Inspectors of the Plant Quarantine Division, Department of Agriculture, are stationed at the following offices: Agana, Guam. Atlanta, Ga. Del Rio, Tex. Sec. Laredo, Tex. Wilmington, N.C. PART 271-INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS 271.1 Inquiries encouraged. 271.2 Nondelivery. 271.3 Incomplete return receipts. 271.4 Charges for inquiries. § 271.1 Inquiries encouraged. Patrons are urged to report losses, nondelivery, or mistreatment of mail, as these reports may serve to improve the postal service. Inquires and complaints are to be made at, or addressed to, the local post office. They are accepted within 1 year, counting from the day following the date of mailing. § 271.2 Nondelivery. If an article has failed to reach the addressee within a reasonable time, after it should in regular course have been delivered, the post office will, on request, institute an inquiry with the foreign postal administration. Inquiry may be made even though the article was mailed in another country. If the sender is unable to submit the registry (mailing) receipt for a registered article, he must make complaint at the office of mailing. § 271.3 Incomplete return receipts. If the sender receives a return receipt not properly completed (see § 242.5 (d) of this chapter), the receipt with the complaint is transmitted to the International Service Division, Bureau of Transportation and International Services, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. 20260. § 271.4 Charges for inquiries. (a) When applicable. No charge is made for an inquiry or complaint concerning the nondelivery of a piece of international mail if the sender has failed to receive a return receipt for which the required fee was paid or if he can show that loss or other irregularity has occurred apparently through fault of the Postal Service. Such a showing is satisfied either by exhibiting a letter from the addressee a reasonable time after the article involved would normally have been delivered; or satisfactorily explaining the failure to exhibit such a letter or report. Otherwise, a charge of 20 cents is made, postage stamps to cover the fee being affixed to the inquiry form and canceled. The inquiry or complaint is transmitted by airmail, if practicable. (b) When several articles involved. Only one fee is collected for inquiries or requests for information concerning several articles mailed simultaneously by the same sender to the same addressee. (c) Telegraph inquiry. If the sender desires that the inquiry be sent by telegraph or cable, his request must be ac companied with an amount sufficient to pay the telegraph or cable charges, and if a reply by telegraph or cable is desired, the sender must pay the charges both ways. Such request should be forwarded to the postal inspector in charge of the division in which the office of mailing or address is located. § 271.5 Processing. (a) Mail exchanged with Canada(1) Registered and ordinary—(i) Mailed in United States. (a) Inquiries as to disposition or complaints of loss are reported on Form 1510. Enter dispatch particulars (except ordinary parcels) from mailing office on back of the form, and send it to the postmaster at the office of address in Canada. (b) Complaints of rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery are reported on Form 1510, suitably altered, to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607, with the envelope or wrapper, if available. (ii) ailed to United States. (a) Inquiries as to disposition or complaints of loss are reported on Form 1510 and sent to the postmaster at the office of mailing in Canada. If the registry receipt is not available, ask the complainant to have inquiry made at the office of mailing. (b) Complaints of rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery are reported on Form 1510, suitably altered, to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607, with the envelope or wrapper, if available. (iii) Inquiries of Canadian origin. Post offices will return Canadian inquiries, appropriately endorsed with the result of their findings, to the point in Canada from which received. If loss of mail to or from Canada is disclosed, report the matter on Form 1510 to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607. In the case of mail from Canada, the necessary information should be obtained from the Canadian inquiry form before it is returned. (2) Insured parcels-(1) Mailed in United States-(a) Inquiries as to disposition (sender has no report of nonreceipt from addressee). Complete Form 2855 and send to postmaster at the office of address in Canada. If delivery is disclosed, the endorsed form will be returned to the office of mailing so that the sender may be informed accordingly and the case closed. If loss, rifling, or damage is disclosed, Canadian officials will send Form 2855 to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607. Should a form, disclosing loss, rifling, or damage, be sent by mistake to the postmaster at the office of mailing, send it promptly to the postmaster in Chicago. (b) Complaints of loss (sender has report of nonreceipt from addressee), rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery. Complete Form 2855 and send, with the correspondence received by the sender from the addressee, and wrapper if available, to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607. (c) If application for indemnity is received on Canadian Form 43A, bearing information supplied by the addressee and the Canadian Postal Service for damage or rifling, complete the Form 43A, in lieu of Form 2855, and forward to the Postmaster, Chicago, Ill. 60607. (ii) Mailed to United States. (a) If a complaint of loss, rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery originates in the United States, complete Form 1510 and send parts II and III of the original to the postmaster at the mailing office in Canada with the packing of the parcel if available. If the packing has been destroyed or otherwise disposed of, the complaint shall be endorsed accordingly. If complaint is of loss or rifling, send a copy of part II of Form 1510, endorsed to show disposition of the original, to the postal inspector in charge of the division in which the office of destination is located. (b) On receipt of a Canadian indemnity form, it shall be properly completed and returned to the Canadian District Director of Postal Service from whom the form was received. If obtainable in cases of rifling or damage, the packing of the parcels shall be transmitted to the Canadian Administration with the indemnity form. If the packing has been destroyed or otherwise disposed of, the form shall be endorsed accordingly. (b) Mail exchanged with countries other than Canada-(1) Registered mail-(i) Mailed in United States—(a) Inquiries as to disposition or complaints of loss. Report on Form 542. Insert particulars of dispatch from the office of mailing and send form to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter. (b) Complaints of rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery. Report on Form 1510, suitably altered, to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting ex (b) Complaints of rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery. Report on Form 1510, suitably altered, to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter, with the envelope or wrapper, if available. (2) Insured parcels-(i) Mailed in United States—(a) Inquiries as to disposition (sender has no report of nonreceipt from addressee) and delay. Report inquiries as to disposition on Form 542 and insert particulars of dispatch from the office of mailing. Report complaints of delay on Form 1510, suitably altered, with the wrapper if available. Send forms to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter. (b) Complaints of loss (sender has report of nonreceipt from addressee), rifling, damage, or wrong delivery. Report on Form 2855, and send, with the correspondence received by the sender from the addressee, and wrapper if available, to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2 (f) of this chapter. (ii) Mailed to United States-(a) Inquiries as to disposition and delay. Report inquiries as to disposition on Form 542. Report complaints of delay on Form 1510, suitably altered, with the wrapper if available. Send forms to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter. (b) Complaints of loss, rifling, damage, or wrong delivery. When complaint is made at the office of address, enter mailing particulars on Form 2855, complete declaration of postmaster-office of address portion-and obtain declaration of addressee. Forward form and any re lated papers, including cover, if available, to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter. (3) Ordinary mail mailed in or to United States—(i) Inquiries as to disposition or complaints of loss. Report on Form 540 (parcel post) and on Form 541 (postal union mail). Send forms to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in § 272.2(f) of this chapter. (ii) Complaints of rifling, damage, delay, or wrong delivery. Report on Form 1510, suitably altered, to the postmaster at the appropriate adjusting exchange office shown in 272.26, with the envelope or wrapper, if available. § 271.6 Use of Form 673, Report of Rifled Parcel. Report on Form 673, Report of Rifled Parcel. § 271.7 Use of Form 3760, Wrapper Found Without Contents. Use Form 3760 to inform the sender if parcel is of domestic origin; otherwise, send the form appropriately modified to the addressee. the country of origin of the article and is made as follows: (1) Canada. Indemnity may be paid not to exceed $100, based on actual value, for loss (contents and wrapper). When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made up to $100 based on actual value for damage or rifling of contents, if responsibility rests with the United States, or it is not possible to determine in which country the damage or rifling occurred. (2) P.U.A.S. countries (see § 272.1(a)) except Canada. Indemnity may be paid in any amount claimed not exceeding $3.27 for loss (contents and wrapper), regardless of value. When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made up to $3.27 on the basis of actual value for damage or rifling of contents (including instances when money in cash, banknotes, or values payable to bearer are prohibited by international agreements), if responsibility rests with the United States, or it is not possible to determine in which country damage or rifling occurred. (3) Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Israel and Switzerland. Indemnity may be paid in any amount claimed not exceeding $8.17 for loss (contents and wrapper), regardless of value; and, on the basis of actual value, for rifling or "Total" damage of an article in a registered packet, but not exceeding $8.17. When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made for partial damage, but not exceeding $8.17, if responsibility rests with the United States or it is not possible to determine in which country the damage occurred. (4) Australia. Indemnity may be paid in any amount claimed not exceeding $8.17 for loss (contents and wrapper), regardless of value; and, on the basis of actual value, for rifling of an article in a registered packet, but not exceeding $8.17. When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made for damage, but not exceeding $8.17, if responsibility rests with the United States or it is not possible to determine in which country the damage occurred. (5) All other countries. Indemnity may be paid in any amount claimed not exceeding $8.17 for loss (contents and wrapper), regardless of value. When mailed in the United States, payment may also be made up to $8.17 on the basis of actual value for damage or rifling of contents (including instances when money in cash, banknotes, or values payable to bearer are prohibited by international agreements), if responsibility rests with the United States or it is not possible to determine in which country the damage or rifling occurred. (b) Registered parcel post-(1) Cape Verde Islands and Portuguese West Africa. Indemnity may be paid up to $16.33, based on actual value, for loss, rifling, or damage. (2) Cuba. Indemnity may be paid up to $10 for loss (contents and wrapper), based on actual value. (3) Ecuador. Indemnity may be paid up to $50, based on actual value, for loss, rifling, or damage. (4) Other countries. Although parcels may be registered to Bermuda, British Honduras, Congo (Kinshasa), Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago, and Turks Islands, there is no provision for payment of indemnity in case of loss, rifling, or damage of such parcels. (c) Insured parcel post-(1) General provisions. Indemnity may be paid for loss, rifling, or damage, based on actual value. (2) Forwarded or returned to third country. The mailer may be paid only such indemnity for loss, rifling or damage occurring after redispatch by the original country of address to a third country as the country in which the mistreatment occurred is willing or obligated to pay under any agreement between the countries involved. (3) Canada. Indemnity may be specially paid as provided in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph for loss, rifling, or damage of insured parcels addressed to Canada containing articles prohibited insurance. See country item "Canada" in Directory of International Mail. (d) Principal exceptions. Indemnity may not be paid: (1) In excess of the limit prescribed for the insurance or registry fee paid or greater than that corresponding to the actual amount of loss (except registered 66-086-67-20 |