A BILL [AS AMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE] To regulate the Mode of sending Parliamentary Power of Franking to certain Officers of The [N. B.―The Clause marked (A.) was added by the Committee.] HEREAS it frequently becomes necessary to send and Preamble: receive numerous Circular Letters and Packets to and from different parts of the United Kingdom, containing Orders of the Two Houses of Parliament, and Committees thereof respectively, and 5 Returns to such Orders which cannot be franked by the Clerks of the said Houses of Parliament in the usual manner without great delay and inconvenience, and which also frequently exceed the Weight which the said Clerks are now authorized by law to send and receive free of Postage; and it is expedient that such Letters or Packets be delivered 10 Free of Expense; Be it therefore Enacted, by The KING's most Excellent MAJESTY, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, THAT it shall and may be lawful for His Majesty's Postmaster-General for the time being, 15 upon the application of The Clerk of the House of Commons, as far as respects The House of Commons, and of the Clerk of the Parliaments, when executing the duties of his office in person, and at other times of the Clerk Assistant, so far as regards The House of Lords, to order and direct, by writing under his hand, that Letters and Packets required to 20 be sent in pursuance of any Order of either House of Parliament, or of any Committee thereof, may be sent by the Post from the General Post Office in London, to the several Post Towns in the United Kingdom of The Postmaster-Gene ral may direct that Letters and Packets sent in pursuance of either House may be sent Order of of Parliament free of the Duty of Postage. Such Letters and Packets to the matter in respect of which such Order shall be made. Great Britain and Ireland, and from the several Post Towns in the said United Kingdom to London free of the Duty of Postage, under such restrictions and regulations as the Postmaster-General may deem expedient, and as shall be specified in any such Order or Direction; and all such Letters and Packets shall be delivered free of the Duty of Postage. 5 Provided always, and be it further Enacted, That such Letters and to relate solely Packets shall relate solely and exclusively to the matter or business in respect of which the Order of the House of Parliament by which it was made shall have been made, and shall on no account contain any 10 Enclosure, save and except a Copy of such Order, and a Form and Directions for making a Return thereto, or a Return to any such Order; nor shall it contain any Private Communication whatsoever; and that it shall be lawful for His Majesty's Postmaster-General, or any of his Deputies, to examine such Letter or Packet which may 15 be suspected to contain any other Enclosure or Private Communication; and in case it shall be discovered that any other Enclosure or Private Communication shall be contained therein, the sender thereof shall forfeit and pay the Sum of One Hundred Pounds for every such Offence. Application of Penalty. Regulations The House of 20 And be it further Enacted, That the said pecuniary Penalty shall be payable to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and shall be recovered, with full costs, at the Suit of His Majesty's Postmaster-General, or of any Person authorized by him, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record at West- 25 minster for Offences committed in that part of the United Kingdom called England, and in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record for Offences committed in Ireland, and before the Sheriff or Stewart Court of the Shire or Stewartry within which the Party offending shall reside, or the Offence shall be committed, for Offences committed in Scotland; 30 and in any such Action, Bill, Plaint or Information, no Essoign, Protection, Privilege or Wager of Law shall be admitted. AND whereas it is expedient that the Privilege of sending and receiving Letters and Packets free of the Duties of Postage should be extended to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, the Serjeant at 35 Arms, and the Deputy Serjeant at Arms, attending The House of Commons, the Additional Clerk Assistant and the Assistant Reading Clerk of the House of Lords, and the Secretary of The Speaker of the House of Commons, who by virtue of their offices necessarily send and receive many Letters and Packets relating to the business of Parliament; 40 BE it further Enacted, That the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, the Serjeant at Arms, and the Deputy Serjeant at Arms, attending the House of Commons, the Additional Clerk Assistant, and the Assistant Reading 5 Reading Clerk of the House of Lords, and the Secretary of The Speaker of the House of Commons, for the time being, shall and may send and receive Letters and Packets free from the Duty of Postage, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in the same manner and under the same Rules, Regulations and Restrictions as any of the Clerks of the Two Houses of Parliament are now authorized to send and receive the same. AND whereas it is expedient that the sending of Printed Votes and Proceedings in Parliament by the Post free of the Duty of Postage, should 10 be placed under further regulations; BE it therefore Enacted, That so much of an Act made and passed in the Forty-second year of the reign of his late Majesty King GEORGE the Third, intituled, "An Act to authorize "the sending and receiving Letters and Packets, Votes, Proceedings “in Parliament, and Printed Newspapers by the Post, free from the Duty of Postage, by the Members of the Two Houses of Parliament "of the United Kingdom, and by certain Public Officers therein named, and for reducing the Postage on such Votes, Proceedings "and Newspapers when sent by any other Persons," as relates to the sending of Printed Votes and Proceedings in Parliament by the Post 20 free from the Duty of Postage, shall be and the same is hereby Repealed. 15 66 And be it further Enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act, it shall and may be lawful to send Printed Minutes, Votes, Bills and Proceedings in Parliament, and Papers printed by Order of either 25 House of Parliament, free of the Duty of Postage, in like manner and under the same regulations as Stamped Newspapers are now sent by the General Post free of the Duty of Postage, provided such Minutes, Votes, Bills and Proceedings in Parliament and Printed Papers, together with the Covers respectively containing the same, shall not 30 severally exceed the weight of Eight Ounces of avoirdupoise weight, and that the words "Parliamentary Proceedings," or "Par. Pro." be written or printed on the outside of the same if sent without Cover, or upon the outside of the Cover, leaving the ends open. And be it further Enacted, that it shall and may be lawful to and 35 for each and every Member of the Two Houses of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the respective Clerks and Officers of the Two Houses of Parliament who have the privilege of sending and receiving Letters and Packets free of the Duties of Postage under any former Act or this Act, to send 40 the General Post to Places within the United Kingdom, free from the Duty of Postage, during the Sitting of any Session of Parliament, or within Forty days before or Forty days after any Summons or Prorogation of the same, any Printed Proceedings in Parliament, so as by Printed Pro-' ceedings in Parliament to be forwarded and received by Members and Clerks of both Houses postage free. |