Whereas the Postmasters General hath lately established a Post Office in this Province and employed Riders or Mail bearers at an Expence much exceeding the Amount of the Postage received for the Conceyance of letters and Packets through this Province, for the encouragement of so usefull an Establishment and that mail be not delayed

Be it Enacted by the Governor, Council and Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That every Owner or Keeper of a public Ferry in this Province shall on the arrival of any post Rider or bearer of a Mail from any Post Office in this Province, immediately and with the utmost dispatch transport the said Post Rider or Mail Bearer with his Mail across the Ferry in preference to any other Passenger who may be there and about to cross the said ferry without asking or receiving any gratuity fee or Reward from the said Post Rider or mail Bearer whatsoever. And for the encouragement of the said Ferry men and that they may be the more readily induced to Expedite the Mail

Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every such Ferry man shall, for every time he shall transport any post Rider or Mail Bearer across his Ferry, be allowed double the same allowed by Law for the like service in other instances on producing his Account sworn to before a Justice of the Peace in the County where he resides to the Treasurer of the District, who is hereby required to pay the same, and such Account with a Receipt from the Ferry man, shall be deemed a sufficient Voucher for the Treasurer on his Settlement with the Publick.

And that the Mail be not delayed by reason of any Accident that may befall the said Postrider or Mail Bearer

Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Accident shall at any time happen to a Post Rider or Mail bearer on the Road either by sickness of himself, failure of the Horse or otherwise, it shall and may be lawful for him to apply to such Person as may be nearest resident to the place where such Accident may happen, which Person is hereby required to convey the Mail to the next Stage for which he shall be intituled to receive from the Acting Postmaster General of the Province or his depity at the Stage where the Mail shall be delivered, One shilling per mile for every Mile he may have carried the said Mail on the Delivery thereof.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That this Act shall continue and be in force for Two Years and from thence to the end of the next Session of Assembly.

CO 5/340, fs. 222-223, 226
Disallowed by the Privy Council, May 6, 1772, upon a recommendation from the Board of Trade. The board reported that the postmaster general had considered the payment of one shilling per mile in certain cases to be excessive. Acts of the Privy Council, 5:341-342.