Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1916 No. 158, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, address the need to amend existing regulations concerning the supply and delivery of the Mail Notice, a key communication tool of its time. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, the regulation aims to provide a more structured and financially regulated approach to the distribution of this daily publication. The policy objective is to ensure that the provision of Mail Notices is both organised and financially sustainable, catering to private box-holders and individuals collecting from the General Post Office or through letter carriers. This legislative instrument reflects the evolving needs of the postal service and its users during the early 20th century.

Scope and Application

The amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, specified in Statutory Rules 1916, No. 158, pertains to the provision of daily mail notices to private box-holders and other individuals. The regulation applies to private box-holders and any person who requests the mail notice at the General Post Office or through letter carriers. These individuals must pay an annual fee for the service, which is set at five shillings for collection at the post office and ten shillings for delivery by letter carriers. The regulation also stipulates that new subscribers must pay the annual fee in advance, with the fee for the first year calculated from the first day of the month in which the subscription begins. Subsequent renewals are to be paid in advance on the first day of January each year, following the initial subscription period. This legislative instrument operates within the Commonwealth of Australia and is subject to the overarching authority of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916. The regulation’s application is limited to the distribution and subscription fees for the daily mail notices, with no stated exclusions or exemptions within the text. The regulation may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, but these are not detailed in the provided excerpt.

Key Provisions

The primary operative sections of this amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916 are sections 198 (1) and (2), which detail the new arrangements for the supply of the Mail Notice to private box-holders and persons calling for it at the General Post Office, as well as the fees associated with such service (section 198). Section 198 (1) stipulates that one copy of the Mail Notice, published each day, may be supplied to private box-holders or persons who collect it at the General Post Office. The cost for this service is five shillings per annum if collected at the post office, and ten shillings per annum if delivered by letter carriers on their first round. New subscribers must pay the annual fee in advance, with the first payment calculated from the first day of the month they become subscribers (section 198 (2)). After the first year, the renewal fee is calculated from the first day of the month following the close of the first year’s service to the last day of December in the same year. Subsequent renewal fees are due on the first day of January each year. The Act imposes specific obligations on both the Post and Telegraph Department and the subscribers. For the Post and Telegraph Department, it mandates the provision of one copy of the Mail Notice to subscribers who meet the specified criteria and pay the applicable fees. The department must also ensure that new subscribers pay the initial annual fee and renew their subscription annually as per the stipulated schedule. For subscribers, the primary obligation is to pay the specified fees in advance, with the first payment being calculated from the month they become subscribers. They must also ensure that they renew their subscription annually, with the renewal fee calculated from the first day of the month after the close of the first year’s service to the last day of December following. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or consequences for breach outlined in the amended Regulation. However, it can be inferred that failure to pay the specified fees or to renew the subscription as required would likely result in the cessation of the Mail Notice service. The Act does not specify any civil or criminal penalties for non-compliance, but the department may have internal measures to enforce adherence to the payment and renewal requirements.