Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Amendment)

Overview

The Post and Telegraph Regulations 1915, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, were enacted to provide a regulatory framework for the transmission and receipt of telegrams outside of usual office hours. This legislative instrument, issued by the Governor-General in Council, aims to facilitate the transaction of urgent telegraphic business when standard office hours are not sufficient. The policy objective is to ensure that telegrams can be sent or received at times of necessity, while imposing a fee structure to manage the additional costs incurred by the Postmaster-General's Department for extended service hours. The regulation also includes provisions to exempt newspaper proprietors from fees under certain conditions, reflecting an understanding of the unique needs of the media sector.

Scope and Application

The amended regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 pertains to the arrangements for keeping official or semi-official offices open for telegram transmission and receipt beyond the usual business hours. This regulation applies to any office where such extended arrangements are made, including newspaper offices that qualify for specific exemptions. The geographic reach of this regulation is nationwide, as it is a Commonwealth regulation. The regulation stipulates that to keep an office open beyond the standard hours, a notice must be given to the officer in charge at least one hour prior to the closing time, and a fee must be paid. The fee for the first hour is 2s. 6d, and 1s. 6d for each subsequent hour or portion thereof. This fee is applicable to each office if more than one is kept open. Notably, newspaper proprietors are exempt from paying these fees on Sundays if the value of their telegraphic business exceeds £1 10s. In cases of urgency where prior notice cannot be given, telegrams may still be transmitted after hours, but the charges remain the same as for scheduled extensions. The regulation also clarifies that only the person who pays the fee is entitled to transact business during these extended hours, though others may do so by paying the stipulated charges. Similar arrangements are permitted at allowance post-offices, subject to the willingness of the postmaster and additional fees up to 1s. per 30 minutes of extended service.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of this amended regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 pertain to the arrangements for keeping official or semi-official offices open for telegram transmission or receipt after the usual office hours (Reg. 378(1)). This provision allows for the opening of offices after hours with a requirement of giving at least one hour's notice to the officer in charge and the payment of specified fees. If multiple offices are kept open, the fees must be paid for each office. Telegrams transmitted during these times must be paid for at the standard rates. Notably, newspaper proprietors are exempt from paying fees on Sundays if their telegraphic business exceeds £1 10s. in value (Reg. 378(1), Proviso). Additionally, in cases of urgency where the stipulated notice cannot be provided, telegrams can still be transmitted after hours, provided the officer in charge is alerted, and the same charges apply (Reg. 378(2)). Only the person who pays for the extended hours can transact business, though others may do so by paying the charges (Reg. 378(3)). Similar arrangements can also be made at allowance post-offices, subject to the postmaster's willingness and payment of a fee of up to 1s. for each 30 minutes (Reg. 378(4)). The regulation imposes several obligations on parties involved. Officials and proprietors of offices must ensure that notice is given at least one hour before the desired extension of business hours unless urgency precludes this (Reg. 378(1), (2)). They must also comply with the fee structure outlined, which includes a base fee of 2s. 6d. for the first hour and 1s. 6d. for each subsequent hour (Reg. 378(1)). In the case of multiple offices, fees must be paid for each office (Reg. 378(1)). Newspaper proprietors are exempt from fees on Sundays if their telegraphic business exceeds £1 10s. in value (Reg. 378(1), Proviso). For allowance post-offices, the postmaster's willingness to provide the service and adherence to the fee structure is required (Reg. 378(4)). Failure to meet these obligations may result in the inability to transact business during the extended hours. There are no explicit provisions detailing offences, penalties, or consequences for breach in the regulation. However, non-compliance with the stipulated fees or notice requirements may result in the office not being kept open for the desired extended hours, thereby preventing the intended business transactions. This could be considered an indirect consequence of non-compliance, as the primary enforcement mechanism is the financial barrier to accessing extended hours. There is no mention of specific maximum penalties in the regulation, implying that the primary form of compliance enforcement is through the financial charges themselves.