Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Amendment)

Legislation au C1917L00060 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1917. No. 60.

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901–1916.

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 1901–1916, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this seventh day of March, One thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

WILLIAM WEBSTER,

Postmaster-General.

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Amendment of the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913.

(Statutory Rules 1913, No. 348, as amended by Statutory Rules 1914, No. 65.)

1. Regulation 313 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

Miscellaneous.

313. Telegrams tendered for transmission must be written in a plain and legible manner, and, when practicable, on the proper form, and the address must contain all information necessary to avoid delay and insure delivery Addresses consisting only of two words, representing the addressee and the office of destination, shall not be accepted, except in the case of press telegrams, unless the sender guarantees that the word representing the addressee is a registered code indicator. When a telegram is intended to be delivered to one person in care of another person, the word “care” must be written in the address immediately after the name of the addressee. The signature of the sender need not be transmitted, or a telegram may have an abbreviated signature known to the receiver, but the correct signature of the sender must appear on the back of each telegram as a guarantee of its authenticity, and as subscribing to the conditions under which it is transmitted. In the text of telegrams, amounts or numbers must be written in words only; provided that ordinary telegrams on His Majesty’s service, sent by officers in and belonging to His Majesty’s Navy, may be written in figures only, and, where necessary, figures may be used in the text of telegrams relating to Money Order and Government Savings Bank business, in the text of telegrams from Commonwealth and State Departments generally, and in the text of press telegrams. The use of figures in the addresses of telegrams is also permitted. The sign “&” must always be transmitted as “and”.

C2168.—Price 3d.

2. Regulation 336 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

Abbreviated Telegraphic Addresses.

330. (1) On payment of a fee of Two pounds two shillings, payable in advance on the 1st April in each year, the full address which telegrams received from places within the Commonwealth and bearing abbreviated addresses are to be delivered, shall be registered at any Telegraph Office in the Commonwealth up to 31st March next following inclusive.

(2) This fee shall also cover the abbreviated address for telegrams from beyond the Commonwealth, as provided in Regulation 401 (4).

(3) Where a person or firm desires to register for the first time an abbreviated address for any portion of the year ending 31st March, the charge for each such registration shall be Ten shillings per month or portion thereof, but in no case shall such charge exceed Two pounds two shillings.

(4) Abbreviated addresses registered in any State for telegrams beyond the Commonwealth shall not be used in such State for telegrams within the Commonwealth, unless both registrations are effected by the same person or firm.

(5) The concession mentioned in sub-regulation (3) above shall not be allowed to a person or firm who has previously registered but failed to renew the registration in which case the abbreviated address shall be re-registered only on payment of the full fee of Two pounds two shillings in advance for the balance of the year ending 31st March next following the payment.

3. Regulation 401 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

401. (1) On payment of a fee of Ten shillings and sixpence per annum, payable in advance on the 1st April in each year, the full address at which telegrams received from places beyond the Commonwealth, and bearing abbreviated addresses, are to be delivered, shall be registered at the Chief Telegraph Office of the State of destination up to the 31st March next following inclusive.

(2) Where a person or firm desires to register for the first time an abbreviated address for any portion of the year ending 31st March, the charge for each such registration shall be Two shillings and sixpence per month, or portion thereof, but in no case shall such charge exceed Ten shillings and sixpence.

(3) The concession mentioned in sub-regulation (2) shall not be allowed to a person or firm who has previously registered, but failed to renew the registration, in which case the abbreviated address shall be re-registered only on payment of the full fee of Ten shillings and sixpence in advance for the balance of the year ending the 3lst March next following the payment.

(4) In cases where one and the same abbreviated address is registered by a person or firm for telegrams within the Commonwealth and for telegrams beyond the Commonwealth, the fee of Two pounds two shillings prescribed in Regulation 336 for the registration of abbreviated addresses for telegrams within the Commonwealth shall cover both registrations.

4. Regulation 402 is amended by repealing paragraph (f).

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

Overview

The Post and Telegraph Regulations 1917, enacted under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916, were introduced to refine the administrative procedures and operational standards for the transmission of telegrams within and beyond the Commonwealth of Australia. This legislative instrument was issued by the Governor-General in Council, as part of the regulatory framework governing the Postmaster-General's Department. The primary policy objective of these regulations was to ensure the efficient and unambiguous transmission of telegrams, thereby enhancing communication services across both domestic and international contexts. By specifying detailed requirements for telegram composition, address formats, and the registration of abbreviated addresses, the regulations aimed to prevent delays and errors in telegram delivery. Additionally, the introduction of fees for the registration of abbreviated addresses served to formalise the process and manage the associated administrative costs.

Scope and Application

The Post and Telegraph Regulations 1917, which amend the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913, apply to all persons and entities within the Commonwealth of Australia who engage in the transmission of telegrams. These regulations govern the submission, format, and content of telegrams, including the necessity for plain and legible text, proper addresses, and specific conditions for abbreviated addresses. They also detail the fees associated with registering abbreviated addresses for telegrams sent both within and beyond the Commonwealth, with varying rates depending on whether the telegrams are domestic or international. The regulations extend to all states and territories within Australia and may be further defined or restricted through subordinate instruments as necessary. Any exclusions or exemptions are not explicitly stated within the provided text.

Key Provisions

The Post and Telegraph Regulations 1917, as amended, introduce several key provisions that govern the transmission of telegrams. Under Regulation 313, telegrams must be written in plain and legible manner, using the correct form when possible, with addresses that contain all necessary information to avoid delays and ensure delivery. Addresses consisting of only two words are not accepted unless they are press telegrams with a guaranteed registered code indicator or if the addressee's name is followed by the word "care" when intended for delivery to one person in care of another. Additionally, the sender's signature need not be transmitted with the telegram, but the correct signature must appear on the back as a guarantee of authenticity. The text of telegrams should use words for amounts or numbers, though exceptions exist for certain types of telegrams. Regulation 330 outlines the process for registering abbreviated telegraphic addresses for telegrams within the Commonwealth. A fee of Two pounds two shillings is payable in advance on 1 April each year to register the full address for telegrams bearing abbreviated addresses. First-time registrants can register for any portion of the year at a monthly rate of Ten shillings, capped at Two pounds two shillings. Regulation 401 details the registration process for abbreviated addresses for telegrams from beyond the Commonwealth, with a fee of Ten shillings and sixpence payable in advance on 1 April. First-time registrants can register for any portion of the year at a monthly rate of Two shillings and sixpence, capped at Ten shillings and sixpence. In cases where the same abbreviated address is registered for both within and beyond the Commonwealth, the fee for within the Commonwealth registration covers both. The regulations impose obligations on senders to ensure their telegrams meet the specified standards for clarity and address completeness. They also require payment of registration fees for abbreviated addresses, with penalties for failure to renew registrations on time. While the regulations do not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance with the telegram content requirements, it can be inferred that failure to adhere to these provisions could result in delays or non-delivery of telegrams.

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