{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed/section-79",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed/section-79.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/36",
  "legislation_title": "Post Office Act 1953 (repealed)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/post-office-act-1953-repealed",
  "path": "section/79",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "79",
  "heading": "Surrender of clothing by officer of Post Office on ceasing to be officer.",
  "text": "(1) Where a person engaged in the business of the Post Office vacates his office (whether by reason of dismissal, resignation, death or otherwise) he, or if he is dead his personal representative or the person acting as his personal representative, shall deliver to the Post Office all articles (whether uniform, accoutrements, appointments or other necessaries) which have been issued to the officer vacating his office for the execution of his duty and are not the property of that officer, and shall deliver the articles in good order and condition, fair wear and tear only excepted.\n(2) If any person fails to comply with the provisions of this section he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £2, and also to pay such further sum not exceeding £2 as the court may determine to be the value of the articles not delivered, or, if the articles have been delivered but not in good order and condition, of the damage done to the articles.\n(3) Any justice of the peace and in Scotland any sheriff or magistrate of a burgh may issue a warrant by virtue of which a constable may search for and seize any articles not delivered as required by this section, in like manner as if they were stolen goods and the warrant were a warrant to search for stolen goods.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Post Office Act 1969 (c. 48), Sch. 4 para. 2(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Post Office Act 1969 (c. 48), Sch. 4 para. 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 79(2): Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45, SIF 39:1), s. 31(5)(6)(9) (increase of fines) and Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 (substitution of references to levels on the standard scale) apply (E.W.); Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c.21, SIF 39:1), ss. 289F (increase of fines), 289G (substitution of references to levels on the standard scale) apply (S.) and S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), arts. 6 (increase of fines) and 5 (substitution of references to levels on the standard scale) apply (N.I.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Functions of magistrate of a burgh now exercisable by justice of the peace: District Courts (Scotland) Act 1975(c. 20), s. 1(2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/36/section/79",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:16:39.685380+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}