[Privileges of the Post-Office clerks with regard to newspapers], Companion to the Newspaper, London, March 1834, p. 48.

Feb. 19,



This had an impact on the Inspectors of the Inland Letter-Office, who were allowed to charge (and keep for themselves) an extra 1/2 penny for each newspaper delivered to the Post Office after the regular deadline of 6 pm, but before 7:30 pm.  The authority for this charge was an order of the Postmaster-General, but the exact reference and text seems to have been unknown to both the Inspectors and Parliament.

Here is some data on the income of the Inspectors Benjamin Critchett and Wm. Woods, for the years 1820 to 1826,

• Salary, plus fixed allowance for various duties
• Fees of one halfpenny upon each newspaper brought to the office after 6 p.m.

	Critchett		Woods
	salary	fees	salary	fees
1820		379		379
1821		295		295
1822		252		252
1823		274		274
1824		311		311
1825		292		292
1826	170 + 20 + 50	254	150 + 20 + 25	254

This does not include their income from the Post-Office London Directory, which Critchett regarded as a private matter.

Source: Eighteenth Report of the Commissioners of the Inquiry into the Collection and Management of the Revenue Arising in Ireland and Great Britain, 1829, p. 130, 162-163, 617, 636.