25 G. 3. c. 51.

Tickets unaccounted for, how to be valued.

Tickets to be

delivered to persons travelling by the mile or stage.

Travellers to deliver their

tickets at the first turnpike.

§ 12, And shall also cause to be delivered a number of tickets, on which shall be printed or written the words stamp-office, and also the word horses, and 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. or 6. in figures, as the tickets may be intended to denote the numbers; and likewise the word miles, except where the horses are hired for a day or less period of time, and then, instead of the word miles, the words for a day shall be inserted, and also the amount of the duty after the rate of one shilling and nine-pence for each horse, according to the number of horses expressed by figures on such ticket: and if any officer employed in the execution of this act shall refuse or neglect to perform any thing by this act directed to be done by him, whereby any person may sustain any damage, he shall be liable in an action upon this statute to answer to the party grieved all damages, with treble costs.

14. To prevent disputes at what rate such tickets, which may have been delivered to any such licensed person, and may re main unaccounted for by him, such tickets shall be valued in ac count, and paid for in case of any deficiency at the rate of 1s. 9d. for each horse, according to the number of horses marked on such tickets, and in the receipt given by such person for the

same.

§ 15. Every person, licensed as aforesaid, who shall let horse to hire by the mile or stage, shall, previous to the using such horse or horses, receive for the use of the king from the person hiring the same the sum of one penny halfpenny for each mile such horse shall be so hired to travel, and shall at the same time deliver to the person hiring the same one or more of the said stamp-office tickets as occasion shall require; to which such postmaster, in keeper, or other person, shall add, if an innkeeper, the name of his sign or house, if not an innkeeper, his name; and shall also insert the name of the city, town, or place, where such licensed person resides; and the name of the town or place to which such horse may be hired to go; and if to London, the name of the street, square, or place in London; and, in words or figures, the mont and day of the month, and the number of miles for which such horses are hired. And if any person licensed as aforesaid, under pretence of there not being any turnpike on the road through which he may be hired to go, or under other pretence, neglect to demand and receive the said duty of one penny penny a mile from such person hiring such horse or horses, or to deliver to him the ticket filled up as above directed, he sha forfeit 10., and moreover be chargeable for the said duty as i

he had received it.

any

shall

half

§ 16. And every traveller to whom such ticket shall have bee delivered as aforesaid, if he shall pass through any turnpike, sha deliver the same at the first turnpike toll-bar or bridge through which he shall pass to the toll-gate keeper there, who shall de mand, receive, and file the same; and if any traveller so post shall have neglected to take such ticket, or shall not deliver the same, he shall, before the horses be permitted to p the gate-keeper for every such hornine-pence, and the gate-keepe

pass, till he shall have paid th

aforesaid.

um of e

rm

going

25 G. 5. c. 51. shall demand and retain the same to his own use; and where the name of the owner of the carriage shall be marked on the foot board or seat, or pole, shaft, or splinter-bar as aforesaid, then such gate-keeper shall not permit such horse or horses to pass until such travellers shall have paid the same, or left such day ticket, or produced such exchange ticket as aforesaid.

Tickets for less

§ 23. To prevent evasions in filling up the said tickets where than two days. the horses are hired to return in less than two days, and the distance shall be ascertained, it is enacted, that where any person shall let to hire any horse or horses as aforesaid to return in less than two days, and the number of miles, instead of words for a day, shall be inserted in such ticket, such licensed person shall fill up the name of the place to which such horses are hired to go, and the true number of miles, ascertaining the distance both going and returning from the place expressed in such ticket; and in default thereof, he shall forfeit 10l. and moreover shall be chargeable with the said duty.

Hiring horses

for two days or

more.

Penalty on delivering false certificates.

Horses hired

for less than two days, to be deemed hired for a day.

No horses to be

let to travellers but by the mile or stage.

§ 24. And every person, when he lets to hire for two days or more any horses for drawing a carriage on any public road, shall deliver to the person travelling in such carriage or to the driver thereof, a note or certificate, to be supplied from the stamp-office, on which shall be engraved or printed hired for two or more days, adding thereto the day of the month, the name of the place of his abode, and the number of days for which the said horses shall be hired; and the name and place of abode of the person hiring the same; and the person travelling in such carriage, or the driver, shall, at the first turnpike, deliver the said certificate, which the gate-keeper shall receive and file, and in return shall deliver gratis a ticket called the check ticket, to be supplied from the stamp-office, which shall contain the name of the county in which such turnpike shall be, and the words certificate delivered, and also the name of the town or place where such certificate issued, together with some mark or number, denoting the day on which such check ticket was issued, in letters or figures; which said check ticket shall be shewn to the gate-keeper, at every turnpike through which the said horses shall pass; and in default thereof, in every case, every such traveller shall pay for every horse 1s. 9d. before he be permitted to pass any such turnpike, which the gate-keeper shall retain to his own use.

§ 24. And if any postmaster, innkeeper, or other person, shall, in such certificate, insert any false or fictitious name or place of his abode, or wilfully insert therein any fictitious name or place of abode, of the person hiring such horses; or shall in letting out the same by any device or collusion pretend to let out his horses for a longer time than the same were actually hired, with intent to evade the duty, he shall forfeit 201. and the commissioners may refuse him a licence in future.

§ 25. Provided that every horse hired for the purpose of drawing any carriage as aforesaid for any less time than two days shall be deemed, for the purposes of this act, to be hired for a day, and shall be subject to the same regulations as horses hired for a day.

32. To prevent persons evading the duties upon horses hired by the mile or stage, under pretences of letting such horses for a day, or less time, no person, at whose house or other place any

traveller shall change horses, shall let to hire any horses to such 25 G.3. c. 51. traveller, in any other manner than by the mile or stage; on pain of 10%.

furnish horses.

33. And to prevent obstructions to travellers, from the name Where innof the town or place to which such horses may be hired to go, keepers cannot being inserted in the ticket, as aforesaid, any licensed person, at whose house any traveller shall apply to change horses, if he cannot furnish horses to convey such traveller on his journey, shall issue to such traveller requiring the same a fresh ticket, properly filled up, and receive the duty thereon, and charge himself therewith, in the same manner as if such horses had been hired from himself.

accountable for

§ 31. And to prevent evading the payment of the duty, by per- Persons taking mitting carriages conveying persons post to be drawn by horses the hire for which have paid the duty for the stage, under pretence of such horses, shall be horses being upon the return home, every person licensed, who the duty, shall take the hire for such horses by the mile, or from stage to stage, shall be considered as the person to whom the duties shall be paid, and shall be accountable for the same as if he were the actual proprietor of the horses, although the same belong to any other licensed person.

§ 26. Every gate-keeper who shall have received any of the Gate-keeper day tickets or certificates, for two or more days as aforesaid, neglecting his and shall refuse to give gratis to any traveller the ticket to be duty. given in exchange; or who shall deliver the exchange ticket without having received in lieu thereof the stamp-office day ticket, or certificate, or who shall make any alteration in any of the tickets hereby directed to be filed by him, after such tickets have come to his custody; or shall deliver any of the tickets directed to be filed by him to any person other than the person duly authorised to receive the same; - shall for each offence forfeit 40s.

-

27. Every person so licensed shall insert, in the account so Account. delivered to him from the stamp-office, the number of horses used in travelling post, and the number of miles for which they shall have been so used, and the name of the town or place to which such horses were hired to go, and also the number of horses let to hire for a day or less time, and also the certificate so issued by them as aforesaid, and the day of the month on which the said day tickets were used, or such certificate was issued, together with the names of the postillions or drivers; which account shall be signed by such person licensed, and witnessed by the hostler or other servant employed in getting ready such horses; and shall be open, when required, to the inspection of any person authorised under hand and seal by the commissioners. And such person licensed residing in London or Westminster, shall, on the first Tuesday or Wednesday in every month, and such other person residing within five miles of the head office, or within the bills, shall on the first Thursday or Friday in every month, or at such other times as may be appointed by the commissioners, on public notice given in the Gazette, deliver at the head office the accounts herein-before directed for the four weeks ending on the Saturday preceding such day of delivery; and shall at the same time pay the sum due thereon; on pain of 10l. for every default in not de

25 G.3. c. 51. livering such account and double the amount of the money so due for the non-payment thereof.

Postmasters, &c. to enter tickets, &c. in their weekly

account.

Licensed persons defrauding his majesty, forfeit 501.

Accounts to be delivered on

oath.

Reward to the gate-keeper.

Gate-keeper to deliver up

tickets.

$28. 40. Person not residing within the bills shall, on the like pain, at the times and places to be mentioned at the foot of the first licence granted to him when the same shall be delivered, and afterwards at the foot of every receipt given to him by the collector for the money paid in by him, attend, and there deliver in and pass his account for the week ending on the Saturday preceding, and pay the money received by him to the collector under penalty of 101. and double the money so due. Provided, that he shall not be compelled to travel for payment of the said duties, or other cause concerning the same, if he live in a market town, out of the said town, or if he live out of a market town, then to no other place than the nearest market.

§ 29. And such person shall enter in his weekly account the tickets or certificates issued by him on the day in which the same shall be issued: And if he shall date any of the posting tickets, or day tickets, or certificates, by him delivered, in any other manner than the same shall, at the time of such delivery, be entered in his weekly account, he shall forfeit 40s.

30. Every person so licensed, who shall be guilty of any wil ful concealment or other fraudulent contrivance to defraud his majesty of the said duties, or any part thereof, shall forfeit 501.; and the commissioners, if they think fit, may refuse to grant him any licence for the future.

44. Every person licensed shall, at the time of delivering his account at the head office, or the collectors respectively, make oath to the truth thereof, in the form following:

1 A. B. do swear, [or affirm, as the case may require] that the several weekly accounts, now by me delivered, of the duties arising upon horses, which I have let for the purpose of travelling post, or otherwise, from the

day of

to the day of as far as the same have been entered and kept by me, are fair, just and true accounts; and that I have charged therein the duty for the true number of miles, received for the use of his majesty, from the travellers who have hired horses from me; and that I have inserted therein an account of all the day tickets, notes and certificates issued by me; and as far as such accounts have been entered and kept by any other person or persons, I verily believe the same to be true. So help me God.

§ 34. And for the encouragement of and as a compensation to the gate keeper for his trouble, he shall receive from the collector or other person to whom he shall deliver the day tickets and posting tickets by him received, after the rate of 3d. for every pound which the duties upon any such tickets shall amount to; which allowance shall be over and above the money retained by him in respect to travellers not having delivered the tickets to him as aforesaid.

§35. Provided, that for the said compensation he bring the said tickets, if within five miles of the head office then to the said office, or such other place within the bills as the commissioners shall appoint; elsewhere, to such places and at such times as the collector appointed to collect such tickets shall require; and deliver up such tickets to the receiver-general or collector to be appointed as aforesaid.