Telephone Regulations (Amendment) (Cth)

STATUTORY RULES.

1924. No. 54.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901‑1923.

I, THE GOVERNOR‑GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Post andTelegraph Act 1901‑1923 to come into operation on and from 1st April, 1924.

Dated this, eighteenth day of April, 1924

FORSTER,

Governor‑General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

W. G. GIBSON.

Postmaster‑General.

 

Amendment of the Telephone Regulations.

(Statutory Rules 1913, No.349, as amended to this date.)

1. Regulation 1 of the Telephone Regulations is amended by omitting there from the words “Part VI.—Telephone Junction and Trunk Lines and inserting in their stead the words “Part VI.—Trunk Line Calls”.

2. Regulation 5 of the Telephone Regulations is amended—(a)  by omitting sub‑regulation (2) and inserting in its stead the following sub‑regulation

“2. (a) The following shall be the charges payable for each of the different classes of service specified:—

Subscriber connected to Exchanges having access to the following number of subscribers’ lines at the Unit Call Fee.			Annual Ground Rent within Two‑mile Radius.
			For an Exclusive Service			For each Subscriber or instrument on a Two Party Service.			For each Subscriber or Instrument on a Three or More Party Service.
£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
From	1 to 300	............	3	0	0	2	10	0	2	0	0
“	301 to 600	............	3	5	0	2	10	0	2	0	0
“	601 to 1,500	............	4	7	6	3	7	6	2	15	0
“	1,501 to 4,000	............	4	12	6	3	15	0	3	2	6
“	4,001 and upwards	............	5	0	6	3	15	0	3	2	6

Provided that when the number of subscribers’ lines connected to an Exchange or network increases or diminishes to such an extent as to give rise to a higher or a lower rental, as the case may be, such higher or lower rental shall not be charged until the expiration of one year from the end of the month in which the increase or diminution in the number of subscribers’ lines takes place.

C.4911.—Price 3d.

 

 (b) For the purposes of this sub‑regulation subscribers’ lines shall include exclusive services, even when more than one line is owned by the same subscriber, and party lines, but shall not include extensions.

(c) Subscribers connected to Exchanges within a 10‑mile radius of the General Post Office, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, or Hobart, or within a 5‑mile radius of the Newcastle Post Office, shall be allowed service at the unit call fee with other subscribers connected to Exchanges within the same area.

(d) Any subscriber connected to an Exchange, irrespective of whether it is situated in any of the areas specified in the last preceding paragraph, shall be entitled to make calls at the unit call fee to subscribers connected to any Exchange within a 5‑mile radius of the Exchange to which he is connected.

(e) In all cases where submarine cable or other special arrangements are required in the construction of a line, the charges shall be fixed according to circumstances.

(f) For the foregoing charges, the Postmaster‑General will provide and maintain all necessity Exchange equipment, subscriber’s line not exceeding 2 miles in length radially, one telephone wall‑set per subscriber, and one copy of the Telephone List for each telephone provided. Provided that, in cases where the erection of the line by the Postmaster‑General is not financially justified, the applicant may be required to erect the whole or part of the line.

(g) For each effective call originating from a subscriber’s instrument there shall be charged the following unit call fee:—

(a) in respect of calls made by subscribers having access to not more than 600 subscribers’ lines, at the unit call fee—One penny per call; and

(b) in respect of calls made by subscribers having access to more than 600 subscribers’ lines, at the unit call fee— One penny farthing per call.

(h) No charge will be made to the subscriber for calls received by him.

(i) The calls made over each line will be charged for separately,

(j) Calls made on the business of the Postmaster‑General by any duly authorized officer will not be charged for.

(k) Notwithstanding anything contained in this sub‑regulation, the rental charge in respect of a service supplied under an agreement in force at the date of the commencement of this sub‑regulation, shall not be increased until the expiration of the agreement”; and

(b) by inserting in ‘sub‑regulation (2a) after the words “contained in” the words “paragraphs (2) to (j) of”.

3. Regulation 7 of the Telephone Regulations is amended—(a) by omitting the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges or networks with 601 or more subscribers”

and inserting in their stead the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges having access to more than 600 subscribers at the unit call fee”; and

 

(b) by omitting the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges or networks with less than 601 subscribers”

and inserting in their stead the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges having access to not more than 600 subscribers at the unit call fee”.

4. Regulation 47 of the Telephone Regulations is amended by omitting, sub‑regulation (1)—(5) and inserting in their stead the following sub‑regulations:—

(1) The unit call fee for the use of a public telephone to which this sub‑regulation applies shall be uniformly Two pence for a conversation of three minutes or part of three minutes, whether the call be made by a subscriber or a non‑subscriber.

(1a) The public telephones to which the last preceding sub regulation applies are—

(a) those situated within a 10‑mile radius of the General Post Office in any of the capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, or Hobart;

(b) those situated beyond the 10‑mile radius of a General Post Office, and within 2 miles of and connected with an Exchange within a metropolitan network at a capital city; and

(c) those situated within a 5‑mile radius of the Newcastle Post Office, or within 2 miles of, and connected with, an Exchange within that 5‑mile radius.

(2) Public telephones, other than those referred to in sub‑regulation (1) of this regulation situated within a radius of 2 miles of the Exchange to which they connect shall be allowed service at the unit public telephone call fee to subscribers on Exchanges within the 5‑mile radius of the Exchange to which the call office is connected.

(3) All public telephones, other than those specified in sub‑regulations (1a) and (2) of this regulation shall be regarded as trunk line offices, and shall be allowed calls at the unit fee to Exchanges within a 5‑mile radius.

(4) If a person speak from one public telephone to a person at a second public telephone, the fee for the use of each telephone must be paid, except in the case of calls to public telephones specified in sub‑regulation (3) of this regulation, in which case one fee only shall be charged.

(5) For the use of public telephones where the unit public telephone call fee is not applicable, the rates prescribed in regulation 51 shall be paid.

5. The heading to part VI. of the Telephone Regulations is amended by omitting the words “Telephone Junction and Trunk Lines” and inserting in their stead the words “Trunk Line Calls”.

6. Regulation 50 of the Telephone‑Regulations is repealed.

7. Regulation 51 of the Telephone Regulations is repealed and the following regulation, inserted in its stead:—

“51. (1) Trunk line calls, being those to which the unit call fee does not apply, shall be charged for as provided in the following

 

table, the charges being, except in the case of calls between capital cities, based upon the radial distance between Exchanges or trunk‑line offices

Between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.				Between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.
First three minutes		Every additional three minutes.		First three minutes.		Every additional three minutes.
s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Not exceeding 10 miles..............................................						0	2	0	2	0	2	0	2
Exceeding 10 but not exceeding 20 miles						0	4	0	4	0	4	0	3
,,	20	„	„	30	„	0	6	0	6	0	4	0	4
,,	30	„	„	50	„	0	8	0	6	0	4	0	4
„	50	„	„	75	„	1	0	0	0	0	6	0	5
„	75	„	„	100	„	1	4	1	0	0	8	0	6
„	100	„	„	150	„	1	10	1	4	0	11	0	8
„	150	„	„	200	„	2	4	1	9	1	2	0	11
„	200	„	„	250	„	2	10	2	1	1	5	1	1
„	250	„	„	300	„	3	4	2	6	1	8	1	3
„	300	„	„	350	„	3	10	2	10	1	11	1	5
„	350	„	„	400	„	4	4	3	3	2	2	1	8
„	400	„	„	600	„	5	0	3	9	2	6	1	11
„	600	„	„	800	„	5	8	4	3	2	10	2	2
„	800	miles	...................................................			6	4	4	0	3	2	2	5

(2) The charges for trunk‑line calls between Sydney and Melbourne shall be as follows:—

For conversations between 8 a.m. and. 7 p.m.—5s. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For conversations after 7 p.m. and before 8 a.m.—2s. 6d. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For press conversations when the line is not otherwise engaged —2s. 6d. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

(3) The charges for trunk‑line calls between Melbourne and Adelaide shall be as follows:—

For conversations between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.—4s. 8d. for the first three minutes, and 3s. 6d. for every additional three minutes.

For conversations after 7 p.m. and before 8 a.m.—2s. 4d. for the first‑three minutes, and 1s. 9d. for every additional three minutes.

For press conversations when the line is not otherwise engaged —2s. 4d. for the first three minutes, and 1s. 9d. for every additional three minutes.

(4) The charges for trunk line calls between Sydney and Brisbane shall be as follows:—

For conversations between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.—5s. 8d. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For conversations after 7 p.m. and before 8 a.m.—2s. 10d. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For press conversations when the line is not otherwise engaged —2s. 10d. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

 

(5) The charge for trunk‑line calls between Melbourne and Brisbane shall be as follows:—

For conversations between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.—10s. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For conversations after 7 p.m., and before 8 a.m.—5s. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

For press conversations when the line is not otherwise engaged —5s. per three minutes or part of three minutes.

(6) Double the ordinary rates shall be charged for trunk‑line calls other than press conversations or official calls made in connation with Federal referenda), on Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.

(7) No conversation to exceed six minutes if any other person is waiting to converse.

(8) When a public telephone is used for the purpose of making, a trunk‑line call, a fee of One penny per call, in addition to the fee for the trunk line call, shall be charged.”

8. Regulation 54 of the Telephone Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

Press Rates

“54 When telephone trunk lines are used for conversations in the nature of press telegrams as defined in Post and Telegraph Regulation 364, the charge for such use during any hour the trunk line is open for public business shall except in the case of calls between capital cities, be as follows:—

Distance				Rate for Five Minutes’ Conversation
s.	d.
Not exceeding 30 miles			....................................................................................	0	4
„	50	„	....................................................................................	0	6
„	100	„	....................................................................................	0	9
„	150	„	....................................................................................	0	1

And Fourpence additional for each 50 miles or portion of 50 miles beyond 150 miles;

Provided that no conversation to be paid for at press rates shall be allowed to commence, or having commenced, shall be allowed to extend beyond the period then current, if any person is waiting to use the lines or payment of full rates.”

9. Regulation 96 of the Telephone Regulations is amended—(a) by omitting the words—

• “Lines connecting to Exchanges or

   networks with 601 or more subscribers”

and inserting in their stead the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges having access to more than 600 subscribers at the unit call fee”; and

(b) by omitting the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges or networks with less than 601 subscribers:”

and inserting in their stead, the words—

“Lines connecting to Exchanges having access to no more than 600 subscribers at the unit call fee”.

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.