OpenLegislation

Post Office Act 1908

Edw7/8 c. 48 · Enacted 21 December 1908

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise this item, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

An Act to consolidate Enactments relating to the Post Office.

[21st December 1908]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Contents

  1. DUTIES OF POSTAGE
  2. 1Postal packets subject to charge
  3. 2Power of Treasury to fix rates of postage
  4. 3Payment of postage by addressee or sender
  5. 4Power of Treasury to carry into effect postal arrangements with foreign states
  6. 5Postage on petitions and addresses to His Majesty or to Parliament, and on votes and parliamentary proceedings
  7. 6Exemption of letters of seamen and soldiers
  8. 7Recovery of postage
  9. 8Post Office mark evidence of refusal, &c
  10. 9Official mark to be evidence of amount of postage
  11. 10Provision for stamps
  12. 11Stamping paper for envelopes, &c. provided by private persons
  13. CONDITIONS OF TRANSIT OF POSTAL PACKETS
  14. 12Regulations as to postal packets
  15. 13Liability for loss of postal packets
  16. 14Power to authorise collection and delivery of letters otherwise than by post
  17. 15Despatch and delivery of book packets, &c
  18. 16Regulations for preventing sending by post indecent articles, &c
  19. 17Dealing with postal packets not sent in conformity with Act
  20. 18Postal packets with contraband goods
  21. 19Decision as to postal packets
  22. NEWSPAPERS
  23. 20Publications which may be registered as newspapers
  24. 21Registration of newspapers at Post Office
  25. 22Newspapers under arrangement or convention
  26. MONEY ORDERS
  27. 23Money orders
  28. 24Special provisions as to postal orders
  29. 25Liability of bankers in respect of postal orders
  30. SHIP LETTERS
  31. 26Duties of masters of outward-bound vessels as respects mail bags
  32. 27Duties of masters of inward-bound vessels as respects postal packets
  33. 28Penalty for master of vessel opening mail bag
  34. 29Duties of officers of customs as to delivery of letters by masters of vessels
  35. 30Shipowners' letters
  36. 31Gratuities to masters of vessels
  37. 32Retention of ship letters after delivery of letters to Post Office
  38. POSTMASTER-GENERAL AND OFFICERS
  39. 33Appointment of Postmaster-General
  40. 34General powers and rights of Postmaster-General
  41. 35Execution of instruments of Postmaster-General
  42. 36Proof of Post Office regulations
  43. 37Power of deputy of Postmaster-General to give notice, or make claim, distress, &c
  44. 38Exemption of Postmaster-General from stamp duty
  45. 39Alienation of Post Office duties by Crown
  46. 40Post Office expenses
  47. 41Post Office accounts
  48. 42Power to appoint officers
  49. 43Exemption of officers of Post Office from certain offices
  50. 44Surrender of clothing by officer of Post Office on ceasing to be officer
  51. LAND
  52. 45Holding of lands by Postmaster-General
  53. 46Power of Postmaster-General for purchase of land
  54. 47Power of Postmaster-General to sell or exchange lands
  55. EXTENSION OF POSTAL FACILITIES AND ACCOMMODATION
  56. 48Indemnity on account of extending post office accommodations
  57. 49Power for local authority to contribute towards new post office, or undertake to pay loss on extra postal facilities
  58. POST OFFICE OFFENCES
  59. 50Stealing mail bag or postal packet
  60. 51Unlawfully taking away or opening mail bag sent by vessel employed under Post Office
  61. 52Receiver of stolen mail bag or postal packet
  62. 53Fraudulent retention of mail bag or postal packet
  63. 54Criminal diversion of letters from addressee
  64. 55Stealing, embezzlement, destruction, &c. by officer of Post Office of postal packet
  65. 56Opening or delaying postal packets
  66. 57Carelessness, negligence, or misconduct of persons employed in carrying or delivering mail bags, postal packets, &c
  67. 58Issuing money orders with fraudulent intent
  68. 59Forgery and stealing of money order
  69. 60Punishment of offences in relation to postal orders, and the poundage thereon
  70. 61Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter boxes
  71. 62Prohibition of affixing placards, notices, &c. on post office letter box, &c
  72. 63Prohibition of sending by post explosive, inflammable, or deleterious substances, or indecent prints, words, &c
  73. 64Prohibition of imitation of post office stamps, envelopes, forms, and marks
  74. 65Prohibition of fictitious stamps
  75. 66Prohibition of false notice as to reception of letters
  76. 67Obstruction of officers of Post Office
  77. 68Provision against obstruction in neighbourhood of General Post Offices in London and Dublin
  78. 69Endeavouring to procure the commission of any felony or misdemeanor
  79. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
  80. 70Recovery of fines and forfeitures
  81. 71Summary proceedings
  82. 72Venue
  83. 73Provisions as to form of proceedings
  84. 74Evidence of thing being postal packet
  85. 75Application of fines
  86. 76Power to compound actions
  87. 77Saving clause as to liability
  88. 78Recovery of sums from officers of Post Office
  89. EXEMPTION FROM TOLLS
  90. 79Exemption from toll
  91. POST OFFICES AND LETTER BOXES
  92. 80Notices in post offices
  93. 81Regulation as to Post Office letter boxes
  94. REGULATIONS AND WARRANTS
  95. 82Regulations and warrants
  96. 83Signature of Treasury warrants, consents, &c
  97. EXTENT OF ACT
  98. 84Application of Act to British possessions
  99. 85Power of legislature of British possession to establish posts
  100. 86Cesser of powers of Postmaster-General in British possession
  101. 87Arrangements with British possessions and foreign countries as to money orders
  102. 88Channel Islands and Isle of Man
  103. DEFINITIONS, CONSTRUCTION, COMMENCEMENT, REPEAL, SHORT TITLE
  104. 89Definitions
  105. 90Meaning of “in course of transmission by post” and “delivery to or from a post office”
  106. 91Construction of reference to Post Office Acts
  107. 92Repeal of Acts in schedule
  108. 93Commencement of Act
  109. 94Short title
  110. Schedule FIRSTDeclaration by Master of Vessel
  111. Schedule SECONDActs repealed