Post Office Act 1908

CONDITIONS OF TRANSIT OF POSTAL PACKETS

12 Regulations as to postal packets

All postal packets shall be posted, forwarded, conveyed, and delivered subject to such provisions, conditions, prohibitions, and restrictions respecting the time and mode of posting and delivery, and of the payment of postage and other sums in respect thereof chargeable under this Act or any warrant or regulations made under this Act, and respecting the registration of, and giving receipts for, and giving and obtaining certificates of posting and delivery of, any postal packet, and the sums to be paid in addition to any other postage for that registration, receipt, or certificate, and respecting stamps, covers, form, dimensions, maximum weight, inclosures, the use of packets (other than letters) for making communications, and otherwise, as may be directed by Post Office regulations.

13 Liability for loss of postal packets

The registration of or giving a receipt for a postal packet, or the giving or obtaining of a certificate of posting or delivery of a postal packet, shall not render the Postmaster-General or the Post Office revenue in any manner liable for the loss of the packet or the contents thereof.

14 Power to authorise collection and delivery of letters otherwise than by post

The Postmaster-General, with the consent of the Treasury, may, either generally or in the case of any particular person, authorise—

(a) letters or other postal packets to be sent, conveyed, and delivered otherwise than by post; and

(b) the collection otherwise than by an officer of the Post Office of any letters or other postal packets, whether to be so sent or to be sent by post,

but the authority shall be subject in every case to such provisions, conditions, prohibitions, and restrictions as are specified in Post Office regulations.

15 Despatch and delivery of book packets, &c

Where the despatch or delivery from a post office of letters would be delayed by the despatch or delivery therefrom at the same time of book packets, pattern or sample packets, and post cards, or any of them, those packets, or cards, or any of them, may, subject and according to Post Office regulations, be detained in the post office until the despatch or delivery next following that by which they would ordinarily be despatched or delivered.

16 Regulations for preventing sending by post indecent articles, &c

Post Office regulations may be made for preventing the sending or delivery by post of indecent or obscene prints, paintings, photographs, lithographs, engravings, books, or cards, or of other indecent or obscene articles, or of letters, newspapers, supplements, publications, packets, or post cards having thereon, or on the covers thereof, any words, marks, or designs of an indecent, obscene, libellous, or grossly offensive character.

17 Dealing with postal packets not sent in conformity with Act

If any postal packet is posted or sent by post in contravention of this Act, or of any warrant or regulations made thereunder, the transmission thereof may be refused, and the packet may, if necessary, be detained and opened in the Post Office, and shall be either returned to the sender thereof, or forwarded to its destination, in either case charged with such additional postage at a rate not exceeding the letter rate of postage, or without any additional charge, as Post Office regulations may direct.

18 Postal packets with contraband goods

The Postmaster-General may detain any postal packet suspected to contain any contraband goods, and forward the packet to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs, and those Commissioners, in the presence of the person to whom the packet is addressed, or if, after notice in writing from them, requiring his attendance, left at or forwarded by post to the address on the packet, he fails to attend, then in his absence, may open and examine the packet, and, if they find any contraband goods, may detain the packet and its contents for the purpose of prosecution ; and, if they find no contraband goods, shall either deliver the packet to the person to whom it is addressed, upon his paying the postage, if any, chargeable thereon, or, if he is absent, shall forward the packet to him by post.

19 Decision as to postal packets

If any question arises whether any postal packet is a letter or any other description of postal packet within the meaning of this Act, or any warrant or regulations made under this Act, the decision thereon of the Postmaster-General shall be final, save that the Treasury may, if they think fit, on the application of any person interested, reverse or modify the decision, and order accordingly.