Post Office Act 1908

2 Power of Treasury to fix rates of postage

(1) The Treasury may, by warrant, fix the rates of postage and other sums to be charged in respect of postal packets under this Act, and regulate the scale of weights and the circumstances according to which those rates and sums are to be charged, and the power of the Postmaster-General, with or without the consent of the Treasury, to remit any such rates or sums : Provided that—

(a) The lowest rate of postage in the British Islands for an inland letter shall not be less than one penny ; and

(b) The highest rate of postage in the British Islands when prepaid—

(i) for an inland post card shall not exceed one halfpenny; or, if it is a reply post card (that is to say, a post card of such a description that the person receiving it through the post can, without further payment, again transmit the same or part thereof through the post), double that sum ; and

(ii) for an inland book packet shall not exceed one halfpenny for every two ounces in weight, or for any fractional part of two ounces over and above the first or any additional two ounces ; and

(iii) for each inland registered newspaper, whether with or without a supplement or supplements, and whether single or in a packet of two or more, shall not exceed one halfpenny; but

(iv) for an inland packet of two or more registered newspapers, with or without a supplement or supplements, shall not exceed the prepaid postage for an inland book packet of the same weight; and

(c) The highest rate of prepaid postage on a single newspaper sent by post between the British Islands and places out of the British Islands or between places out of the British Islands whether through the British Islands or not, shall not exceed threepence, exclusive of any additional charge made by any British possession or any foreign country :

(d) A warrant under this section may fix special rates for postal packets consisting of books and papers impressed for the use of the blind, and may specify any special conditions and regulations in respect of the transmission by post of such packets.

(2) Where an inland letter or packet (other than votes or parliamentary proceedings) in the British Islands is not prepaid, or is insufficiently prepaid, the postage charged on the letter or packet shall, subject to any warrant of the Treasury under this Act, be double the amount, if the letter or packet is not prepaid, of the postage otherwise chargeable thereon, and, if it is insufficiently prepaid, of the deficiency.

(3) Post Office regulations may determine—

(a) what circulars or what commercial, legal, and other similar documents; and

(b) what marks or indications referring to the contents of a registered newspaper, when written or printed on the newspaper or on the cover thereof,

shall not be charged with postage as letters.

(4) Post Office regulations may make provisions respecting the re-direction of postal packets, and the transmission of postal packets so re-directed, either free of charge or subject to such postage as may be specified in the regulations.