Telephone Regulations (Amendment) (Cth)

statutory rules.

1915. No. 242.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.

(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1915, No. 164.)

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the undermentioned amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this fifteenth day of December, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

R. M. FERGUSON.

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

WILLIAM WEBSTER,

Postmaster-General.

 

Amendment of the Telephone Regulations 1913 (Statutory Rules 1913, No. 349).

1. Regulation 11 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

11. (1) Except in the cases, referred to in Regulation 12, where spare or idle complete lines already exist from the premises of an intending subscriber to the Exchange, telephone lines must be rented for a period certain of one year at least, or for each longer time as the Deputy Postmaster-General decides, and thereafter the renting shall continue unless and until determined by notice in accordance with this Regulation.

(2) On or at any time after the expiration of the period certain, the renting of the line, or of any extension thereof, may be determined—

(a) by the subscriber giving to the Deputy Postmaster-General one month’s previous notice in writing of his intention to discontinue the use of the line or extension; or

(b) by the Deputy Postmaster-General giving to the subscriber one month’s previous notice in writing of his intention to discontinue the service.

(3) Rent will be charged only to the expiration of the notice of discontinuance.

(4) The notice to the Deputy Postmaster-General may be waived in the case of the death of the subscriber if—

(a) the telephone line is an ordinary telephone line; and

C.17036.—Price 3D.

 

(b) a special agreement for the renting of the line for a fixed term is not in force; and

(c) the notice would involve payment of rent for any period beyond the date to which rent has already been paid.

(5) Nothing in this Regulation shall affect the power of the Postmaster-General or a Deputy Postmaster-General to determine the agreement under any other Regulation.

2. Regulation 33 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

33. A telephone line connecting any two offices of the Department, at neither or only one of which a Telephone Exchange has been opened, or a telephone line joining any two offices of the Department, but not available for direct connexion with the subscribers’ lines at either or both ends, may be used for conversations by the subscribers or by the general public, subject to the following conditions, and on payment of the fees set forth hereunder, provided that such use shall not interfere with the ordinary work of the Department:—

(1) When the person to be spoken to can be called by telephone, or in other cases where it is not necessary to send a messenger for the person to be spoken to, a fee of 3d. shall be charged for the additional time during which the trunk line is engaged, irrespective of the success or failure of the attempt to obtain the required person, in addition to the fee specified for conversations on trunk lines.

(2) When it is necessary to send a messenger for the person to be spoken to, the following charges shall be made in addition to the fees specified in the last preceding paragraph:—

(а) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides within the usual radius of free delivery of telegrams, 3d.

(b) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides beyond the radius of free delivery of telegrams, in addition to the fee of 3d., the usual porterage fees charged for the delivery of telegrams shall be made.

At offices where messengers are not provided by the Department, the services specified in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (2) of this Regulation cannot be performed.

3. Regulation 53 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

53. (1) The charges prescribed by this part of these Regulations only shall be made for calls over trunk lines.

(2) Calls over trunk lines or from public telephones will be considered effective, and the time will be calculated from the moment that the number called has answered.

(3) The Department cannot guarantee the attendance of any particular person desired at the number asked for, but all reasonable efforts will be made to obtain the attendance of a particular person at the number asked for if the calling subscriber makes the request

 

at the time he asks for the use of the trunk line. A uniform fee of 3d. shall be charged for this service, in addition to any ordinary trunk or messenger fees incurred, irrespective of the success or failure of the attempt to obtain the required person.

(4) If any person desires that a messenger shall be sent to call any non-subscriber or other person to speak over any trunk line, the service will be performed on payment of the following charges in addition to any other charges for the use of the trunk line:—

(a) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides within the usual radius of free delivery of telegrams, 3d.

(b) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides beyond the radius of free delivery of telegrams, in addition to the fee of 3d., the usual porterage fees charged for the delivery of telegrams shall be made.

At offices where messengers are not provided by the Department, the services specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this sub-regulation cannot be performed.

 

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