STATUTORY RULES.
1915. No. 201.
REGULATION UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.
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 Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this twenty-seventh day of October, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. G. SPENCE,
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Statutory Rules 1913, No. 348).
Regulation 63 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead—
Printed Papers of Every Kind.
63. Packets of printed papers for transmission to the United Kingdom may not exceed 2 feet in length and 1 foot in width or depth except in the case of those sent in the form of a roll, when the maximum dimensions shall be—for printed and commercial papers, 2 ft. 6 in. in length and 4 inches in diameter, and for samples 12 inches in length by 6 inches in diameter. For other countries packets of printed papers may not exceed 18 inches in length, width, or depth. Such packets may not exceed 5 lb. in weight, except in the case of packets consisting of literature embossed for the use of the blind, addressed to the United Kingdom, which packets may weigh up to 6 lb. Printed papers may be placed either in wrappers, upon rollers, between boards, in covers open at both sides or at both ends, or in unclosed envelopes, or simply folded in such a manner as not to conceal the nature of the packet, or tied with a string easy to unfasten, but must be made up in such a manner as to admit of the contents being easily withdrawn for examination. Address cards and all printed matter of the form and substance of an unfolded card may be forwarded without wrapper, envelope, fastening, or fold.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.11448.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1915, No. 201, amended the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913, introducing specific regulations concerning the dimensions and conditions of printed papers that could be transmitted via post. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, the amendment aimed to address inconsistencies in the size and weight allowances for packets of printed papers sent to different destinations, particularly to the United Kingdom and other countries. The policy objective was to streamline postal procedures by establishing clear, uniform guidelines for the transmission of printed materials, ensuring that they could be efficiently managed and examined while in transit.
These regulations sought to rectify the gap identified in the original Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 by providing more detailed specifications for the dimensions and packaging of printed papers. This legislative instrument aimed to facilitate smoother international mail operations by specifying allowable dimensions and weights for printed materials, while also ensuring that such materials could be easily examined by postal authorities.
Scope and Application
This legislative instrument is an amendment to the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913, which are in turn made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913. The amended regulation pertains specifically to the dimensions, weight, and packaging of printed papers for transmission to various destinations, including the United Kingdom and other countries. The regulation applies to any entities or individuals sending printed papers through the postal service, establishing precise limits on the size and weight of such packets, and detailing permissible methods of packaging. This regulation has a national reach, applying throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, and governs conduct and transactions related to the transmission of printed papers via postal services. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within this regulation, and it does not extend or restrict its application through subordinate instruments.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, specifically Regulation 63, outline the permissible dimensions, weight, and packaging requirements for the transmission of printed papers to the United Kingdom and other countries. Regulation 63(1) specifies that packets of printed papers sent to the United Kingdom must not exceed 2 feet in length and 1 foot in width or depth unless they are sent in the form of a roll. For rolled printed and commercial papers, the maximum dimensions are 2 feet 6 inches in length and 4 inches in diameter, while samples can be up to 12 inches in length by 6 inches in diameter. For packets sent to other countries, the maximum dimensions are 18 inches in length, width, or depth. The weight of these packets must not exceed 5 pounds, except for literature embossed for the use of the blind addressed to the United Kingdom, which can weigh up to 6 pounds. Regulation 63(2) also details the acceptable packaging methods for these printed papers, which must be such that the contents can be easily withdrawn for examination.
The obligations imposed by the Act require that printed papers intended for transmission adhere to the specified dimensions and weight limits. Additionally, the packaging must allow for easy examination of the contents by postal authorities. The packaging can include various forms such as wrappers, rollers, boards, covers, envelopes, or simply folded papers, but must not conceal the nature of the packet. Address cards and similar printed matter can be forwarded without additional packaging. These requirements ensure that the transmission of printed materials is regulated to facilitate efficient postal operations and compliance with international postal standards.
Breaches of the regulations outlined in Regulation 63 may result in civil or criminal consequences, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text. Typically, non-compliance with postal regulations could lead to fines or other penalties as prescribed by relevant postal laws. Given that this is an amended regulation, it is advisable to consult the full Post and Telegraph Act and any subsequent amendments for precise details on penalties for non-compliance. The statutory nature of the rule implies that adherence is mandatory, and failure to comply could result in legal action by the relevant postal authority.