Number 7 of 1937.

POST OFFICE (EVASION OF POSTAGE) ACT, 1937.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 7 of 1937.

POST OFFICE (EVASION OF POSTAGE) ACT, 1937.

Definitions.

1.—In this Act—

the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs;

the expression “postal packet” has the same meaning as it has in the Post Office Act, 1908.

Postal packets to which this Act applies.

2.—(1) Save as is otherwise provided by this section, this Act applies to every postal packet which—

(a) is posted outside Saorstát Eireann, and

(b) is addressed to the addressee at an address in Saorstát Eireann, and

(c) purports to come from or to be sent by or on behalf of a person residing or carrying on business in Saorstát Eireann.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing sub-section of this section, this Act shall not apply to a postal packet which purports to come from or to be sent by or on behalf of a person who carries on business both in and outside Saorstát Eireann unless such postal packet purports to come or be sent only from an address, or all the addresses, of such person in Saorstát Eireann.

Evasion of postage on postal packets to which this Act applies.

3.—(1) Whenever the sum equivalent in Saorstát Eireann currency at par to the postage paid on a postal packet to which this Act applies is less than the postage which would have been payable on such postal packet if it had been posted in Saorstát Eireann, the Minister may, at his discretion, either return such postal packet to the country in which it was posted, or charge upon and recover by civil action from the person from whom such postal packet purports to come or by whom or on whose behalf it purports to have been sent the postage which would have been payable on such postal packet if it had been posted in Saorstát Eireann.

(2) Whenever the Minister proposes to charge and recover, under the power conferred by this section, any sum in relation to a postal packet to which this Act applies, the Minister may retain such postal packet until such sum has been paid to or recovered by him.

Power of Minister to require returns.

4.—(1) Whenever a postal packet to which this Act applies is discovered by the Minister in course of post, the Minister may by notice in writing require the person from whom such postal packet purports to come or by whom or on whose behalf it purports to be sent to furnish to the Minister within a time (not less than three days from the service of such notice) specified in such notice a return stating—

(a) the place at which such postal packet was posted, and

(b) the name and address of the person by whom such postal packet was posted, and

(c) the number of similar postal packets to which this Act applies which were posted on a date or during a period specified in such notice.

(2) A notice under this section shall be served on the person thereby required to furnish a return and may be so served by sending it by prepaid post addressed to such person at the address or any of the addresses of such person stated in the postal packet to which such notice relates.

(3) If any person who is required by a notice under this section to make a return to the Minister fails to make such return within the time specified in that behalf in such notice or makes in such return a statement which is false or misleading in any material respect, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds.

Saving for other statutory powers of the Minister.

5.—Nothing in this Act shall derogate from or prejudice any power vested in the Minister by the Post Office Act, 1908, or any warrant or regulations made thereunder.

Short title, citation, and construction.

6.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Post Office (Evasion of Postage) Act, 1937.

(2) The Post Office Acts, 1908 to 1920, and this Act may be cited together as the Post Office Acts, 1908 to 1937.

(3) This Act shall be construed as one with the Post Office Act, 1908.

Uimhir 7 de 1937.

ACHT POST-OIFIGE (POSTAS DO SHEACHAINT), 1937.

[4adh Márta, 1937.]

Mínithe.

1.—San Acht so—

cialluíonn an abairt “an tAire” an tAire Puist agus Telegrafa;

tá an brí céanna leis an abairt “pacáid phuist” atá leis an abairt “postal packet” sa Post Office Act, 1908.

Pacáidí puist le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so.

2.—(1) Lasmuich de chás dá bhforáltar a mhalairt leis an alt so baineann an tAcht so le gach pacáid phuist—

(a) a postáltar lasmuich de Shaorstát Éireann, agus

(b) a dírítear go dtí an seolaí ag seoladh i Saorstát Éireann. agus

(c) a bheireann le tuisgint í do theacht o dhuine no do bheith á cur ar aghaidh ag duine no thar ceann duine chomhnuíonn no 'na mbíonn gnó ar siúl aige i Saorstát Éireann.

(2) D'ainneoin éinní atá sa bhfo-alt san roimhe seo den alt so, ní bhainfidh an tAcht so le pacáid phuist do bheireann le tuisgint í theacht o dhuine no í bheith á cur ar aghaidh ag duine no thar ceann duine 'na mbíonn gnó ar siúl aige laistigh agus lasmuich de Shaorstát Éireann mara dtugann an phacáid phuist sin le tuisgint gan í theacht no bheith á cur ar aghaidh ach o sheoladh, no o sheolta uile, an duine sin i Saorstát Éireann.

Postas do sheachaint ar phacáidí puist le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so.

3.—(1) Pé uair a bheidh an tsuim is có-ionann in airgead reatha Shaorstáit Éireann ar pár leis an bpostas do híocadh ar phacáid phuist le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so níos lugha ná an postas do bheadh iníoctha ar an bpacáid phuist sin dá mba i Saorstát Éireann do postálfaí í, féadfaidh an tAire, fé mar is rogha leis, an phacáid phuist sin do chur thar n-ais chun na tíre inar postáladh í, no an postas do bheadh iníoctha ar an bpacáid phuist sin dá mba i Saorstát Éireann a postálfaí í d'éileamh ar an duine agus do bhaint tré aicsean shíbhialta den duine go dtabharfaidh an phacáid phuist sin le tuisgint í theacht uaidh no í bheith curtha ar aghaidh aige no thar a cheann.

(2) Pé uair a bheartóidh an tAire aon tsuim maidir le pacáid phuist le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so d'éileamh agus do bhaint amach fén gcomhacht a bronntar leis an alt so, féadfaidh an tAire an phacáid phuist sin do choinneáil go dtí go mbeidh an tsuim sin íoctha leis no bainte amach aige.

Comhacht don Aire chun tuairisceáin d'éileamh.

4.—(1) Pé uair a thiocfaidh an tAire ar phacáid phuist le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so i gcúrsa an phuist féadfaidh an tAire, le fógra i scríbhinn, a cheangal ar an duine go dtabharfaidh an phacáid phuist sin le tuisgint í theacht uaidh no í bheith curtha ar aghaidh aige no thar a cheann tuairisceán do thabhairt don Aire laistigh d'am (nach giorra ná trí lá o dháta sheirbheála an fhógra san) a luadhfar sa bhfógra san, tuairisceán ina luadhfar—

(a) an áit inar postáladh an phacáid phuist sin, agus

(b) ainm agus seoladh an duine do phostáil an phacáid phuist sin, agus

(c) an méid pacáidí puist den tsórt chéanna le n-a mbaineann an tAcht so do postáladh ar dháta no i rith tréimhse a luadhfar sa bhfógra san.

(2) Déanfar fógra fén alt so do sheirbheáil ar an duine ar a gcuireann san mar cheangal tuairisceán do thabhairt uaidh agus féadfar é sheirbheáil amhlaidh tré n-a chur tríd an bpost roimhíoctha agus é dírithe chun an duine sin ag seoladh no ag aon cheann de sheolta an duine sin a bheidh luaidhte sa phacáid phuist le n-a mbainfidh an fógra san.

(3) Má thárlann do dhuine ar bith, go gceangailfear air le fógra fén alt so tuairisceán do thabhairt don Aire, go dteipfidh air an tuairisceán san do thabhairt uaidh laistigh den am a luadhfar chuige sin sa bhfógra san no go gcuirfidh sa tuairisceán san ráiteas a bheidh bréagach no mí-threorach in aon phonc táchtach, beidh an duine sin ciontach i gcionta fén alt so agus ar a chiontú ann ar an slí achmair dlighfear fíneáil ná raghaidh thar cúig púint fhichead do chur air.

Cosaint do chomhachta reachtúla eile de chuid an Aire.

5.—Ní bhainfidh éinní san Acht so o aon chomhacht ná ní dhéanfaidh dochar d'aon chomhacht a dílsítear san Aire leis an Post Office Act, 1908, no le haon bharántas no rialacháin atá déanta fén Acht san.

Gearr-theideal, luadh agus léiriú.

6.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht Post-Oifige (Postas do Sheachaint), 1937, do ghairm den Acht so.

(2) Féadfar na hAchtanna Post-Oifige, 1908 go 1937, do ghairm de sna Post Office Acts, 1908 to 1920, agus den Acht so le chéile.

(3) Léireofar an tAcht so mar éinní amháin leis an Post Office Act, 1908.