Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 74.djvu/644

 604

so Stat, 479.

PUBLIC LAW 86-682-SEPT. 2, 1960

[74 S T A T.

(2) the loss of funds deposited in National or State banks; (3) the loss of funds remitted in accordance with instructions of the Department in the form of drafts or checks which have been returned unpaid or disallowed by reason of the closing of the bank issuing the drafts or checks; (4) a remittance of funds or accountable papers, made in compliance with instructions of the Department, which are lost, stolen or destroyed— (A) while in transit to a d e s i ^ a t e d depository; or (B) after arrival at the depository, and before the depository has become responsible therefor; and (5) authorized sums of postage and other stamped stock or accountable paper lost while in transit by mail to or from— (A) postmasters or employees; or (B) the Department. (b) Claims of postmasters, Armed Forces postal clerks and assistant Armed Forces postal clerks outside the continental United States for losses occurring while the United States is at war may be presented within two years from the time the loss occurred. All other claims under this section must be presented within six months from the time when the loss occurred. (c) Claims in excess of $10,000 for losses covered by this section may not be paid or credited until an appropriation has been made therefor. (d) This section does not apply to claims for losses— (j) coguizable under sections 134-134h of title 5; (2) by Armed Forces postal clerks or assistant Armed Forces postal clerks for stamps, stamped envelopes, postal cards and other stamped paper supplied them by the Department of Defense and not by the Post Office Department, nor to funds received from the sale of the same. § 2404. Penalty for failure to render accounts When a postmaster neglects to render his accounts for one month after the time and in the form and manner prescribed by law and the regulations of the Postmaster General, he and his sureties shall forfeit and pay double the amount of the gross receipts at his office for the period, estimated on the basis of any previous or subsequent equal period of time. If the postmaster or his sureties fail to pay the amount of the forfeiture, the Postmaster General shall request the Attorney General to bring an action on the bond of the postmaster. If, at the time of trial, no account has been rendered, the postmaster and his sureties shall be liable in double the amount estimated by the court or jury to be the gross postal receipts. § 2405. Deficiency in accounts The Postmaster General shall mail a notice to the last known addresses of the sureties of a postmaster who fails to make good a deficiency discovered in his accounts. Failure to mail the notice to the sureties does not discharge them on the bond. § 2406. Limitation of action against sureties Sureties on the bond of a postmaster may be sued for deficiencies in his account only within three years after settlement of the account. § 2407. Penalties and forfeitures imposed for violations Unless a different disposal is expressly prescribed, one-half of all penalties and forfeitures imposed for violations of law affecting the Department, its revenues or property, shall be paid to the person informing and prosecuting for the same. The other one-half shall be paid into the postal revenues.

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