Committee Reports > List of Committees > Seanad > 1958 > Select Committee on Statutory Instruments > Report No. 01 (1958) - Statutory Instruments [20]

APPENDIX II.

Newspapers (Special Service for Conveyance by Post Office Mail Vans) Warrant, 1957 (S. I. No. 37 of 1957).

Rúnaí,

Roinn Airgeadais.

I am directed by the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments to state that it has had under consideration the Newspapers (Special Service for Conveyance by Post Office Mail Vans) Warrant, 1957 [S.I. No. 37 of 1957] which is purported to be made pursuant to the provisions of sections 14 and 82 of the Post Office Act, 1908.

The Committee notes that the Warrant fixes the scales of charges for the conveyance of bundles of newly published daily newspapers by Post Office mail vans on rural services but it is not clear to the Committee that the authority to fix charges for the conveyance of newspapers is conferred on the Minister by sections 14 and 82 of the Post Office Act, 1908. The Committee would be glad, therefore, to be furnished with a memorandum on this point.

As the Committee wishes to consider the matter at its next meeting I am to request the favour of a reply by 6th January, 1958.

Cléireach an Rogha-Choiste.

7 Nollaig, 1957.

Cléireach an Rogha-Choiste

um Ionstraimí Reachtúla.

I am directed by the Minister for Finance to refer to your minute of 7th December, 1957, regarding the Newspapers (Special Service for Conveyance by Post Office Mail Vans) Warrant, 1957, and to reply as follows:

The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs having secured the sanction of the Minister for Finance for the conveyance of bundles of newly published daily newspapers in Departmental Mail Vans on rural services, subject to the condition that the arrangement could be implemented within the framework of existing authority, sought legal advice from the Attorney General as to the existing statutory powers to arrange for such a service. The then Attorney General advised that it was within the powers contained in the Post Office Act, 1908, to give effect to such an arrangement. The Law Officer was satisfied that bundles of newspapers are postal packets within the ambit of the Act of 1908, and he advised that a warrant under Section 14 was the appropriate means of attaining the Minister’s object and that Regulations could be made fixing fees as charges in lieu of postage. In view of your Committee’s query the papers were recently submitted by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs to the present Attorney General who has stated that he concurs fully in the opinion of his predecessor.

21 Eanáir, 1958.