The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-10
NO MORE BRIDES.
England Has a New Anti-Pass and
Anti-Rebate Law.

From Tit-Bits.
With tn new year there will come into
operation the prevention of corruption
act, 1906. 1t is of such great Importance
that we print it verbatim:
| l. If any agent corruptly accepts or
obtains, or agrees to accept or attempts
to obtain, from any person, for himself or
for any other person. for mmsel1 or
Grafton as an inducement or reward Tor
doing of forbearing to do, or for having
after the passing of this act done or for
borne to do, any act in relation to his
principals affairs or business, or Tor
showing or fOrbearing to show favor or
disfavor to any person in relation to his
principals affairs or business: or
II any person co;Tuptly gives or agrees
to give or offers any gift or consideration
to any agent as an inducement or reward
for doing or forbearing to do or for hav
ing after the passing of this act done or
forborne to do, any act in relation to his
principals affairs or business. or Tor
showing or forbearing to show favor or
disfavor to any person in relation to his
principals affairs or business; or
IL any person knowingly gives to any
agent. or If any agent knowingly uses
with Intent to deceive his principal, and
receipt, account, or other document In re-
spect of which the principal is interested,
and which contains any statement which
Is false or erroneous or defective in any
material particular, ana WHICH 10 his
knowledge is intended to mislead the
principal;
| He shall be guilty OF misdemeanor,
and shall be liable on conviction on in
dctment to Imprisonment, with or with
out hard labor, for a term not exceeding
two years. or to fine not exceeding 96OO,
or to both such Imprisonment and such
fine, or on summary conviction to tmpris-
onment, with or without hard labor, for
term of not exceeding four months, or to
a fine not exceeding ESQ, or to both such
| Imprisonment and such fine.
2. For the purpose of this act the ex-
preston consideration includes valu-
able consideration of any kind; the eX-
| preston agent" includes any person
employed or acting for another; and the
expression principal includes an en-
ployer.
3. A person serving under the crown or
under any corporation or any municipal,
borough, county or district council, or
any board of guardiens is an agent with
In the meaning of this act
| Second-1. A prosecution for an offense
under this act shall not be instituted
without the consent in England OF the
attorney general or solicitor general, and
In Ireland OF the attorney general or
solicitor general for Ireland
| 2. Tho vexatious indictments act, 1853,
as amended by any subsequent enact
ment shall apply to offenses under this
act as IL they were included among the
offenses mention in Section l of this act.
8. Every information for any offense
under this act shall be upon OATH
4. The expenses of any prosecution on
! Indictment under this act shall be de-
| frayed as in cases of Indictment for fell
| ony.
8. court OF quarter sessions shall not
| have Jurisdiction to inquire of, hear ana
determine prosecutions on indictments for
offenses under this act.
6. ANY person aggrieved by a summary
| conviction under this act may appeal 10
court of quarter sessions.
A well-known lawyer, commenting on
this act, says:
I'm the act the word 'corruptly' is used
as the equivalent of dishonesty or fraud
ulently. If, for example, butcher gives
cook a Christmas box, this would not
| necessarily be a corrupt, dishonest or
fraudulent gift within the meaning of the
act 1t would be for the jury to say
whether the gift was corruptly made with
object of improperly influencing the COOK
in the butchers favor to the detriment
of her master. 1t Is. however, obvious
that in future very great care will have
to be exercised by those who make pres
ents to the employees of persons with
whom they have been doing business, or
with whom they are anxious to do bust
ness The question will be whether the
gift is bride or not, and the courts are
not likely to view such transactions with
favor"
As doubts have been expressed as TO
whether the giving of a Christmas box to
postmen would render the giver liable
under the new act. the postmaster gen
eral has given the following opinion:
1.-THE acknowledgement has to state
that the gift of a Christmas box to a
postman does not come within the scope
of the prevention of corruption act"