81 & 32 VIOT, CAP, 110, offices for graph, the postmaster general may, if he think fit, appoint offices or pillar letter boxes to be places of deposit for messages, and the messages deposited therein shall, provided they be written on stamped paper of the depositing proper value, or on paper having stamps of the proper messages. value affixed thereto, be conveyed to the offices of transmission without extra charge, at such times as the ordinary collections of post letters are made from the aforesaid places of deposit, and shall forthwith be despatched by telegraph from the offices of transmission. ing or inter 20. Any person having official duties connected with Punishment the post office, or acting on behalf of the postmaster for disclosgeneral, who shall, contrary to his duty, disclose or in cepting any way make known or intercept the contents or any messages. part of the contents of any telegraphic messages or any message entrusted to the postmaster general for the purposes of transmission, shall, in England and in Ireland, be guilty of a misdemeanor, and in Scotland of a crime and offence, and shall upon conviction be subject to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve calendar months; and the postmaster general shall make regulations to carry out the intentions of this section, and to prevent the improper use by any person in his employment or acting on his behalf of any knowledge he may acquire of the contents of any telegraphic message, messages 21. In every case where an offence shall be committed Property in in respect of a telegraphic message sent by or intrusted telegraphic to the postmaster general, it shall be lawful and suffi- to be laid in cient, in the indictment or criminal letters to be preferred postmaster against the offender, to lay the property of such tele- general. graphic message in her majesty's postmaster general, without specifying any further or other name, addition, or description whatsoever, and it shall not be necessary in the indictment or criminal letters to allege or to prove upon the trial or otherwise that the telegraphic message was of any value; and in any indictment or in any criminal letters to be preferred against any person employed under the post office for any offence committed under this act it shall be lawful and sufficient to state and allege that such offender was employed under the post office at the time of the committing of such offence, without stating farther the nature or particulars of his employment. 22. All land, property, and undertakings purchased Postmaster or acquired by the postmaster general under this act general to pay rates, shall be assessable and rateable in respect to local, muni- &c. cipal, and parochial rates, assessments, and charges at sums not exceeding the rateable value at which such land, property, and undertakings were properly assessed 31 & 32 VICT. c. 110. xvi. 81 & 32 VICT. CAP. 110. Copies of regulations to be laid before parliament. Provision as to payment of costs to act not or assessable at the time of such purchase or acqui sition. 23. Copies of all contracts, agreements, and arrangements from time to time made under the authority of this act shall be laid before both houses of parliament within fourteen days of the commencement of the session next succeeding the making of every such contract, agreement, and arrangement; the copies of all regulations from time to time made under the authority of this act shall be laid before both houses of parliament within fourteen days from the date thereof if parliament be then sitting, and if not sitting then within fourteen days from the next re-assembling of parliament, and all regulations so made shall be binding on the parties interested in the subject matter thereof to the same extent as if such regulations formed part of this act. 24. In case no act shall be passed during this or the next session of parliament, putting at the disposal of the postmaster general such monies as shall be requisite for railway and carrying into effect the objects and purposes of this act, telegraph companies the provisions contained in this act or in the agreements if objects of hereby confirmed relating to the arrangements with carried out. railway and telegraph companies, and all proceedings [Repealed thereunder, shall become void, and the postmaster Vict. c. 66, general shall thereupon pay to the several companies mentioned in such clauses or agreements all reasonable costs and expenses (if any) properly incurred by them respectively in relation to any proceedings taken under this act. by 38 & 39 s. 1.] SCHEDULE to which the foregoing Act refers. 1 An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the Great Western railway company, dated the 9th day of July 1868. 2. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the London and South-western railway company, dated the 10th day of July 1868. 3. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the London, Chatham, and Dover railway company, dated the 9th day of July 1868. 4. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the South-eastern railway company, dated the 14th day of July 1868. 5. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the North-eastern railway company, dated the 8th day of July 1868. 6. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the Bristol and Exeter railway company, dated the 9th day of July 1868. 7. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the submarine telegraph company between Great Britain and the continent of Europe and the submarine telegraph company between France and England (Société and Carmichael and company), dated the 11th day of July 1868. 8. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and Reuter's telegram company (limited), dated the 14th day of July 1868. 9. Agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the Atlantic telegraph company and Anglo-American telegraph company (limited), dated the 8th day of July 1868. 10. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the North British railway company, dated the 16th day of July 1868. 11. An agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the Caledonian railway company, dated the 16th day of July 1868. 12. Articles of agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the universal private telegraph company (limited), dated the 14th day of July 1868. 13. Heads of agreement between her majesty's postmaster general and the London and provincial telegraph company (limited), dated the 16th day of July 1868. Short title, Interpre tation of terms. Uniform accounts, &c. to be kept, REGULATION OF RAILWAYS, 1868. 81 & 32 Vict. Cap. 119. An Act to amend the Law relating to Railways. [31st July 1868.] BR it enacted by the queen'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, as follows: PRELIMINARY. 1. This act may be cited as the Regulation of Railways Act, 1868. 2. In this act The term 66 The term 66 company" means a company incorporated, either before or after the passing of this act, for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, or working a railway in the United Kingdom (either alone or in conjunction with any other purpose), and includes, except when otherwise expressed, any individual or individuals not incorporated who are owners or lessees of a railway in the United Kingdom, or parties to an agreement for working a railway in the United Kingdom: The term "person" includes a body corporate. I. ACCOUNTS, AUDIT, &c. 3. Every incorporated company, seven days at least before each ordinary half-yearly meeting held after the thirty-first day of December one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, shall prepare and print, according to the forms contained in the first schedule to this act, a statement of accounts and balance sheet for the last preceding half year, and the other statements and certi ficates required by the same schedule, and an estimate of the proposed expenditure out of capital for the next ensuing half year, and such statement of accounts and balance sheet shall be the statement of accounts and CAP. 119. balance sheet which are submitted to the auditors of the 31 & 32 Vior. company. Every company which makes default in complying with this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds for every day during which such default continues. The board of trade, with the consent of a company, may alter the said forms as regards such company for the purpose of adapting them to the circumstances of such company, or of better carrying into effect the objects of this section. Accounts, copies dis 4. Every statement of accounts, balance sheet, and co estimate of expenditure, prepared as required by this signed, and act, shall be signed by the chairman or deputy chairman printed of the directors and by the accountant or other officer in tributed. charge of the accounts of the company, and shall be preserved at the company's principal office. A printed copy thereof shall be forwarded to the board of trade, and at all times after the date at which it is required to be printed be given, on application, to every person who holds any ordinary or preference share or stock in the company, or any mortgage, debenture, or debenture stock of the company; and every such person may at all reasonable times, without fee or charge, peruse the original in the possession of the company. Any company which acts in contravention of this section shall be liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds. 5. If any statement, balance sheet, estimate, or re- Penalty for falsifying port which is required by this act is false in any parti- accounts, cular to the knowledge of any person who signs the &c. same, such person shall be liable, on conviction thereof on indictment, to fine and imprisonment, or on summary ponviction thereof to a penalty not exceeding fifty oounds. 6. The board of trade may appoint one or more com- Examination petent inspectors to examine into the affairs of an incor- of affairs by inspecporated company and the condition of its undertaking, tors. or any part thereof, and to report thereon, upon any one of the applications following; that is to say, 1. Upon application made in pursuance of a resolution passed at a meeting of directors: 2. Upon application by the holders of not less than 3. Upon application by the holders of not less than |