Post and Telegraph Rates
No. 62 of 1967
An Act relating to Postal and Telegraphic Charges.
[Assented to 26 September 1967]
BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—
Short title and citation.
1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1967.
(2.) The Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1902–1965 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.
(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1902–1967.
Commencement.
2. This Act shall come into operation on the first day of October, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven.
Articles addressed to “The Householder”.
3. Section 6a of the Principal Act is amended by omitting paragraph (a) of sub-section (2.) and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—
“(a) is—
(i) where each article weighs more than two ounces—an amount equal to two-fifths; or
(ii) in any other case—an amount equal to three-fifths,
of the postage that, but for this section, would be payable in respect of the articles; and”.
4. After section 6a of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—
Reduced rates for bulk postage.
“6b.—(1.) This section applies to articles, not being articles referred to in the last preceding section, that—
(a) are articles to which item 1 or item 4 in the First Schedule to this Act applies; and
(b) comply with, and are posted in accordance with, conditions determined by the Postmaster-General relating to—
(i) the manner of packing, addressing and marking the articles;
(ii) the manner and place of posting the articles; and
(iii) the arrangement of the articles so as to facilitate their sorting,
where more than two thousand five hundred of those articles are posted by any one person during a period determined by the Postmaster-General.
“(2.) Subject to the next two succeeding sub-sections, the amount of postage payable in respect of articles to which this section applies is—
(a) where the number of articles is more than two thousand five hundred but not more than twenty-five thousand—ninety-five per centum;
(b) where the number of articles is more than twenty-five thousand but not more than one hundred thousand—ninety per centum; or
(c) where the number of articles is more than one hundred thousand—eighty-five per centum,
of the amount of postage that would have been payable in respect of those articles if this section had not been enacted.
“(3.) Where—
(a) a person proposes to post more than one hundred thousand articles within the period determined by the Postmaster-General under sub-section (1.) of this section; and
(b) the articles are articles to which item 1 or item 4 in the First Schedule to this Act applies and are not articles referred to in the last preceding section,
the Postmaster-General may enter into an agreement with that person under which—
(c) if the articles comply with, and are posted in accordance with, the conditions determined by the Postmaster-General under paragraph (b) of sub-section (1.) of this section; and
(d) if the person complies with such other conditions (if any) as are set out in the agreement relating to the manner and place of posting the articles and the arrangement of the articles so as to facilitate their sorting and delivery,
the postage payable in respect of the articles shall be reduced, in addition to the reduction provided by the last preceding sub-section, by such amount as is provided in the agreement, not being more than ten per centum of the amount of postage that would have been payable in respect of the articles if this section had not been enacted.
“(4.) Where the amount of postage ascertained in accordance with this section includes a fraction of a cent, that fraction shall be disregarded.
“(5.) An amount of postage payable under this section shall be prepaid by money.”.
First Schedule.
5. The First Schedule to the Principal Act is repealed and the following Schedule inserted in its stead:—
FIRST SCHEDULE. Section 6.
Rates of Postage.
1. Letters, lettercards and postcards—the rate ascertained in accordance with the following table:—
Weight of letter, lettercard or postcard | Rate of postage |
| Cents |
Not more than 1 ounce............................... | 5 |
More than 1 ounce but not more than 2 ounces................ | 9 |
More than 2 ounces but not more than 3 ounces............... | 13 |
More than 3 ounces but not more than 4 ounces............... | 17 |
More than 4 ounces but not more than 8 ounces............... | 21 |
More than 8 ounces but not more than 12 ounces.............. | 25 |
More than 12 ounces but not more than 16 ounces............. | 29 |
More than 16 ounces ................................ | Thirty-three cents or the rate that would be applicable if the letter, lettercard or postcard were a parcel, whichever is the higher |
2. Newspapers and periodicals registered at a General Post Office where the postage is prepaid by money and the articles are posted by— (a) the proprietors thereof to bona fide subscribers, and to newsvendors and agents for the purpose of sale; and (b) newsvendors and agents to bona fide subscribers, and to other newsvendors and agents for the purpose of sale, subject to compliance with the regulations and to such conditions, if any, not being conditions that are inconsistent with the regulations, as are determined by the Postmaster-General, relating to— (c) the manner of packing and marking the articles; and (d) the arrangement of the articles so as to facilitate their sorting | Where the weight of an article— (a) does not exceed one ounce—the amount of postage is One-half of one cent; (b) exceeds one ounce but does not exceed one and one-half ounces—the amount of postage is Three-quarters of one cent; or (c) exceeds one and one-half ounces—the amount of postage is One cent, but where the amount of postage payable by any one person at any one time includes a fraction of a cent, the amount to be paid is the next higher amount that does not include a fraction of a cent Where, in respect of the articles posted by any one person at any one time, the aggregate amount of postage ascertained under the foregoing provisions is less than an amount calculated at the rate of Five cents for each twelve ounces or part of twelve ounces of the aggregate weight of the articles, the amount of postage in respect of those articles is the latter amount | |
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3. Books registered at a General Post Office and periodicals and newspapers registered at a General Post Office and posted otherwise than as specified in the last preceding item, subject to compliance with the regulations | Five cents for the first six ounces or part of six ounces and Four cents for each additional six ounces or part of six ounces | |
4. Articles that are not parcels or articles to which item 1, 2 or 3 applies—the rate ascertained in accordance with the following table:—
Weight of article | Rate of postage |
| Cents |
Not more than 2 ounces..................................... | 5 |
More than 2 ounces but not more than 4 ounces..................... | 9 |
More than 4 ounces but not more than 8 ounces..................... | 13 |
More than 8 ounces but not more than 12 ounces.................... | 17 |
More than 12 ounces but not more than 16 ounces................... | 21 |
More than 16 ounces....................................... | Twenty-five cents or the rate that would be applicable if the article were a parcel, whichever is the higher |
Second Schedule.
6. The Second Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by omitting Part I. and inserting in its stead the following Part:—
“Part I.—Ordinary Telegrams.
1. The rate for telegrams containing not more than twelve words (including address and signature) is Thirty-six cents.
2. The rate for telegrams containing more than twelve words (including address and signature) is Thirty-six cents, together with an amount of Three cents for every word by which the number of words contained in the telegram exceeds twelve.
3. Double the foregoing rates shall be charged for the transmission of—
(a) urgent telegrams; and
(b) telegrams on the public service when required, under section ninety-five of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1966, to be transmitted before other telegrams.
4. The rates specified in this Part are exclusive of porterage charges.”.