Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 2.djvu/609

 58 STAT.] PALESTINE-PARCEL POST- SePt. 6,1 1529 May-i1, 194 1529 but the country responsible for the loss, rifling, or damage may pay indemnity in respect of such parcels without recourse to the other Administration. ARTICLE XXIII. Termination of responsibility. The two Administrations shall cease to be responsible for parcels which have been delivered in accordance with their internal regula- tions and of which the owners or their agents have accepted delivery without reservation. Responsibility is, however, maintained when the addressee or, in case of return, the sender makes reservations in taking delivery of a parcel the contents of which have been abstracted or damaged. ARTICLE XXIV. Payment of compensation. The payment of compensation shall be undertaken by the Admin- istration of origin except in the cases indicated in Article XXI, Section 1, where payment is made by the Administration of destina- A"t P. 1527 . tion. The Administration of origin may, however, after obtaining the sender's consent, authorize the Administration of destination to settle with the addressee. The paying Administration retains the right to make a claim against the Administration responsible. ARTICLE XXV. Periodfor payment of compensation. 1. Compensation shall be paid as soon as possible and, at the latest, within one year from the day following the date of the inquiry. 2. The Administration responsible is authorized to settle with the claimant on behalf of the other Adcninistration if the latter, after being duly informed of the application, has let nine months pass without giving a decision in the matter. 3. The Administration responsible for making payment may, excep- tionally, postpone it beyond the period of one year when a decision has not yet been reached upon the question whether the loss, damage, or abstraction is due to a cause beyond control. ARTICLE XXVI. Incidence of cost of compensation. 1. Until the contrary is proved, responsibility shall rest with the Administration which, having received the parcel from the other Administration without making any reservation and having been furnished with all the particulars for investigation prescribed by the regulations, cannot establish either proper delivery to the addressee or his agent, or other proper disposal of the parcel. 2. When the loss, rifling, or damage of an insured parcel is detected upon opening the receptacle at the receiving exchange office and after it has been regularly pointed out to the dispatching exchange office, the responsibility falls on the Administration to which the latter office

�