The Post Office Act 1908 (8 Edw. 7. c. 48) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
This was an extensive act covering many aspect of the mail system and some of the main provisions were: reaffirmation of the General Post Office monopoly for the carrying of mail and it gave the power to fix the postage rates to The Treasury with a minimum rate of at least one penny for an inland letter, a half-penny for a postcard, a book packet should not cost more than one halfpenny for every two ounces in weight in addition to other rates. Special rates were to be implemented for postal packets of books and papers impressed for blind people. Unpaid or deficient postage was to be charged at double the deficiency by the addressee and when rejected by the addressee, was to be returned to the sender who should pay the deficiency.
The Treasury was allowed to make regulations concerning mail with foreign countries.
Petitions and addresses to His Majesty or to Parliament, and on votes and parliamentary proceedings were allowed to be sent free though members of parliament could not receive items weighing more than thirty-two ounces postage free.
Postal censorship was permitted under provisions of the act when warrants are issued by a secretary of state in both Great Britain and in the Channel Islands.
Some of the lesser provisions were: To provide postal services (including cash on delivery services) and telecommunication services To provide a banking service of the kind commonly known as a giro system and such other services by means of which money may be remitted (whether by means of money orders, postal orders or otherwise) as it thinks fit To provide data processing services To perform services for Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland or the government of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or for local or national health service authorities in the United Kingdom.
Ireland The act remained as the main legislation governing the postal services under the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs in Ireland after the establishment of the independent state in 1922. The Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1951 repealed and amended several sections of the original act and was presented by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Erskine Childers in Dáil Éireann.
Provisions Repealed enactments Section 92 of the act repealed 35 enactments, listed in the second schedule to the act. CitationShort titleExtent of repeal9 Anne c. 11Post Office (Revenues) Act 1710So much as is unrepealed.7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 32Post Office (Repeal of Laws) Act 1837The whole act.7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 33Post Office Management Act 1837The whole act.7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 36Post Office (Offences) Act 1837The whole act.3 & 4 Vict. c. 96Post Office (Duties) Act 1840The whole act.7 & 8 Vict. c. 49Post Office (Duties) Act 1844The whole act.10 & 11 Vict. c. 85Post Office (Duties) Act 1847The whole act, except sections sixteen and twenty. Section twenty from " and . . . . the following “to ” eighth “year of the reign of Her ” present Majesty."11 & 12 Vict. c. 88Post Office (Money Orders) Act 1848The whole act.12 & 13 Vict. c. 66Colonial Inland Post Office Act 1849The whole act.17 & 18 Vict. c. 94Public Revenue and Consolidated Fund Charges Act 1854So much as relates to charges or payments charged upon the Post Office Revenue.18 & 19 Vict. c. 78Inland Revenue Act 1855Section four.23 & 24 Vict. c. 65Post Office (Duties) Act 1860The whole act.26 & 27 Vict. c. 43Post Office Lands Act 1863The whole act.32 & 33 Vict. c. 73Telegraph Act 1869Section twenty-three to "Provided always that."33 & 34 Vict. c. 79Post Office Act 1870The whole act.38 & 39 Vict. c. 22Post Office Act 1875The whole act.42 & 43 Vict. c. 49Summary Jurisdiction Act 1879In section fifty-three the words "The Summary Jurisdiction Acts shall apply to all informations, complaints, and other proceedings before a court of summary jurisdiction under the statutes relating to the Post Office."43 & 44 Vict. c. 33Post Office (Money Orders) Act 1880The whole act.44 & 45 Vict. c. 19Post Office (Newspaper) Act 1881The whole act.44 & 45 Vict. c. 20Post Office (Land) Act 1881The whole act.45 & 46 Vict. c. 2Post Office (Reply Post Cards) Act 1882The whole act.46 & 47 Vict. c. 58Post Office (Money Orders) Act 1883The whole act.47 & 48 Vict. c. 76Post Office (Protection) Act 1884The whole act, except the first and third paragraphs of section one and sections eleven and seventeen.52 & 53 Vict. c. 34Telegraph (Isle of Man) Act 1889Subsection seventeen of section one.54 & 55 Vict. c. 46Post Office Act 1891The whole act, except sections eleven and fourteen.55 & 56 Vict. c. 24Post Office Act 1892The whole act.58 & 59 Vict. c. 18Post Office Amendment Act 1895The whole act.60 & 61 Vict. c. 41Post Office and Telegraph Act 1897Section two.61 & 62 Vict. c. 18Post Office (Guarantee) Act 1898The whole act.61 & 62 Vict. c. 37Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898Section seventy-five.61 & 62 Vict. c. 59Post Office Guarantee (No. 2) Act 1898The whole act.3 Edw. 7. c. 12Post Office (Money Orders) Act 1903The whole act.4 Edw. 7. c. 14Post Office Act 1904The whole act.6 Edw. 7. c. 4Post Office (Money Orders) Act 1906The whole act.6 Edw. 7. c. 22Post Office (Literature for the Blind) Act 1906The whole act.
Subsequent developments The whole act was repealed by section 91(1) of, and the third schedule to, the Post Office Act 1953 (1 & 2 Eliz. 2. c. 36), which came into force on 31 August 1953.
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