STATUTORY RULES.
1916. No. 183.
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REGULATION UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1916.
I, SIR ARTHUR STANLEY, Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies, in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this ninth day of August, One thousand nine hundred and sixteen.
A. L. STANLEY,
Deputy of the 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. 123.)
Regulation 86 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—
General.
86. A newspaper may be sent either with or without a cover, but must be open at both ends, and there shall not be in or upon any such newspaper, or the cover thereof, any communication, character, figure, letter, or number (other than the words “newspaper only”; or a line drawn through any report, article, or paragraph therein; or rates of postage; the printed title of such newspaper, the printed names, occupations, and places of business of the printer, publisher, and vender thereof, the name, occupation, and address of the person to whom it is sent, and the name of the person who sends the same; or, in the case only of newspapers posted by the registered proprietors thereof, the words “If not delivered please return to head office....” (name of town)), nor shall anything other than a supplement be enclosed in, or with, or accompany any such newspaper or cover, otherwise such newspaper shall not be transmitted or delivered:
Provided always that—with the exception of figures indicating the date upon which the subscription will expire, such as “10/12/07,” and figures indicating the number of papers in the package to be transmitted, being allowed to be printed, impressed or stencilled upon covers of newspapers issued from the publishing office of any newspaper within the Commonwealth—any newspaper bearing on the cover or outside of the fold thereof any printed matter not permitted for newspapers may be transmitted at the rate charged for printed papers.
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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.
C.9936—Price 3d.
Overview
The Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, made in 1916, was enacted to amend the existing regulations concerning the transmission of newspapers through the postal service. The Postmaster-General, William Webster, acting under the authority of the Deputy of the Governor-General, Sir Arthur Stanley, issued these regulations with the intent to refine and clarify the conditions under which newspapers could be sent through the mail, ensuring they adhered to the legal standards set forth by the Commonwealth. This amendment was necessary to address any potential loopholes or ambiguities in the previous regulations, ensuring the smooth and compliant operation of postal services concerning newspapers. The regulations aimed to ensure that newspapers are properly marked and contain only permitted content while being transmitted, thereby maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the postal system.
Scope and Application
The Post and Telegraph Regulations 1916, under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, govern the transmission and delivery of newspapers within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations apply to any newspaper that is intended to be sent through the postal service, specifying the conditions under which these newspapers can be sent. This includes details such as the requirement that the newspaper must be open at both ends and cannot have any prohibited content on its cover or within its pages. Notably, the regulations permit certain information such as the printed title, names of the printer, publisher, and vendor, and the names and addresses of the sender and recipient. The regulations also outline specific exemptions, such as the inclusion of dates for subscription expiry and the number of papers in a package, which can be printed on the cover of a newspaper. These regulations have a national scope, applying uniformly across the Commonwealth, and are enforceable through the subordinate legislative instrument. Any amendments to these regulations are made through statutory rules, ensuring that the postal service's standards and operational procedures are consistently applied and updated as necessary.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the amended regulation, specifically Regulation 86, set out detailed provisions concerning the mailing of newspapers. According to section 86, newspapers can be sent either with or without a cover but must be open at both ends. It is explicitly stated that no communication, character, figure, letter, or number (other than certain specified elements) can be present on the newspaper or its cover. Additionally, only a supplement can be enclosed with or accompany the newspaper; otherwise, it will not be transmitted or delivered. A key exception mentioned is the allowance for certain figures on the cover, such as the date of subscription expiry or the number of papers in the package.
The regulation imposes several obligations and requirements on the parties involved. It mandates that newspapers must adhere strictly to the outlined stipulations regarding permissible printed matter on the cover and within the folds. Publishers and vendors are required to ensure that their newspapers meet these criteria to avoid non-transmission or non-delivery. The regulation also specifies permissible printed matter, such as the newspaper's title, the names and addresses of the printer, publisher, and vendor, and the recipient's information. Any deviation from these requirements will result in the newspaper being treated as a printed paper for mailing purposes.
The regulation includes provisions for penalties and consequences for non-compliance. If a newspaper does not meet the specified criteria, it will not be transmitted or delivered. Additionally, if a newspaper bears printed matter not permitted by the regulation, it may be sent at the rate charged for printed papers, thereby incurring higher postage costs. These provisions ensure compliance with the regulation's standards and maintain the integrity of the postal service.