Post Office Act 1953

1. Introductory Text

2. Postmaster-General and officers

   1. 1. Appointment of Postmaster-General

   2. 2. General powers of Postmaster-General

3. Postmaster-General's privilege

   1. 3. Exclusive privilege of Postmaster-General

   2. 4. Infringement of Postmaster-General's privilege

4. General provisions as to transmission of postal packets

   1. 5. Postage to be charged on postal packets

   2. 6. General provisions relating to postage, etc.

   3. 7. Provisions as to postage etc. not prepaid or insufficiently prepaid

   4. 8. Conditions of transit of postal packets

   5. 9. Decision as to postal packets

   6. 10. Cash on delivery service

   7. 11. Prohibition on sending by post of certain articles

   8. 12. Registration of newspapers at Post Office

   9. 13. Publications registrable as newspapers

   10. 14. Supplements to registered newspapers

   11. 15. Power of Treasury to carry into effect postal arrangements with other countries

   12. 16. Application of customs Acts to postal packets

   13. 17. Power to detain postal packets containing contraband

   14. 18. Recovery of postage

   15. 19. Post Office mark evidence of amount of postage, etc.

5. Money orders

   1. 20. Money orders

   2. 21. Special provisions as to postal orders

   3. 22. Issuing money orders with fraudulent intent

   4. 23. Forgery and stealing of money orders

   5. 24. Arrangements with other countries as to money orders

6. Conveyance of mail bags by ships and aircraft

   1. 25. Outward bound ships

   2. 26. Inward bound ships and aircraft

   3. 27. Owners' letters

   4. 28. Retention of postal packets after delivery of part thereof to Post Office

   5. 29. Carriage of parcels by coasting ships

   6. 30. Remuneration of owners and masters or commanders of ships or aircraft

   7. 31. Exemption of certain ships from harbour rates, etc.

   8. 32. Penalty for opening of mail bag by master or commander of ship or aircraft

7. Conveyance of mail bags by railway undertakers

   1. 33. Power to require provision of regular mail trains

   2. 34. Additional provisions as to regular mail train services

   3. 35. Remuneration for regular mail train services

   4. 36. Alteration of regular mail train services

   5. 37. Review of agreements and awards as to regular mail train services

   6. 38. Conveyance of mail bags by railway otherwise than as part of regular mail train services

   7. 39. Bye-laws, etc. of railway undertakers

   8. 40. Service of notices on railway undertakers

   9. 41. Offences relating to conveyance of mails by railway

   10. 42. Conveyance of mail bags on ships used by railway undertakers

   11. 43. Extension of meaning of expression " railway "

8. Conveyance of mail bags by tramways and public service vehicles

   1. 44. Power to require services by tramways and certain public service vehicles

   2. 45. Additional provisions as to conveyance of mail bags by tramways and public service vehicles

9. Land

   1. 46. Holding of land by Postmaster-General

   2. 47. Power of Postmaster-General to acquire land

   3. 48. Power of Postmaster-General to dispose of land

   4. 49. Consent of Treasury to acquisition or disposal of land

10. Extension of postal facilities and accommodation

    1. 50. Indemnity on account of extending Post Office accommodation

    2. 51. Power of local authority to contribute towards new post office or extra postal facilities

11. General Offences

    1. 52. Stealing mail bag or postal packet

    2. 53. Unlawfully taking away or opening mail bag

    3. 54. Receiver of stolen mail bag or postal packet

    4. 55. Fraudulent retention of mail bag or postal packet.

    5. 56. Criminal diversion of letters from addressee.

    6. 57. Stealing, embezzlement, destruction, etc., by officer of Post Office of postal packet

    7. 58. Opening or delaying of postal packets by officers of the Post Office

    8. 59. Carelessness, negligence or misconduct of persons employed in carrying or delivering mail bags, postal packets, etc.

    9. 60. Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter boxes or telephone kiosks

    10. 61. Prohibition of affixing placards, notices, etc., on post office letter boxes, etc.

    11. 62. Prohibition of imitation of post office stamps, envelopes, forms and marks

    12. 63. Prohibition of fictitious stamps

    13. 64. Prohibition of false notice as to reception of letters, etc.

    14. 65. Obstruction and molestation of officers of the Post Office

    15. 66. Prohibition of sending offensive or false telephone messages or false telegrams, etc.

    16. 67. Provision against hawking opposite General Post Office

    17. 68. Endeavouring to procure the commission of any felony or misdemeanour

12. Legal Proceedings

    1. 69. Summary proceedings

    2. 70. Venue

    3. 71. Provisions as to form of proceedings

    4. 72. Evidence of thing being postal packet, and of consent of Postmaster-General to prosecution

    5. 73. Power to compound actions, etc.

    6. 74. Application of fines

    7. 75. Offences also punishable at common law or under some other Act

    8. 76. Recovery of sums from officers of Post Office

13. Miscellaneous and General

    1. 77. Exemption from toll

    2. 78. Provision as to post office letter boxes

    3. 79. Surrender of clothing by officer of Post Office on ceasing to be officer

    4. 80. Post Office expenses

    5. 81. Post Office regulations and warrants

    6. 82. Signature of Treasury warrants, consents, etc.

    7. 83. Exercise of powers on behalf of Postmaster-General

    8. 84. Exemption of Postmaster-General from stamp duty

    9. 85. Alienation of Post Office duties by Crown

    10. 86. Exemption of officers of Post Office from certain offices

    11. 87. Interpretation

    12. 88. Application to Northern Ireland-general

    13. 89. Application to Channel Islands-general

    14. 90. Application to Isle of Man-general

    15. 91. Repeals and savings

    16. 92. Short title

14. SCHEDULES

    1. FIRST SCHEDULE

       Provisions with respect to acquisition of land in the United Kingdom by the Postmaster-General

       1. 1. Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the Lands Clauses...

       2. 2. In construing the said Acts for the purposes of this...

       3. 3. The bond required by section eighty-five of the Lands Clauses...

       4. 4. The provisions of the Lands Clauses Acts with respect to...

       5. 5. At least three months before an application is made to...

       6. 6. At some time after the service of the said notice,...

       7. 7. If after the said inquiry has been held the Treasury...

    2. SECOND SCHEDULE

       Section sixty-five of the Post Office Act, 1908, as originally enacted

    3. THIRD SCHEDULE

       Enactments Repealed