Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Amendment) (Provisional)

Legislation au C1915L00168 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1915. No. 168.

 

PROVISIONAL REGULATION UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.

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, do hereby make the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 to come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.

Dated this 15th day of September, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

A. L. STANLEY,

Deputy for 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, as Amended by Statutory Rules 1914. No. 151).

Regulation 372a is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

372a. (1) Letter telegrams shall be accepted for transmission within the Commonwealth, subject to the conditions contained in this Regulation.

(2) Letter telegrams will be forwarded by telegraph during the night to the place of destination, and will be delivered as ordinary letters by first delivery, or despatched by mail in the ordinary way.

(3) Letter telegrams may be exchanged between any of the following offices:—

(a) Offices which are open for the receipt of ordinary business between 7 p.m. and midnight;

(b) Offices which are open for ordinary or press business after 7 p.m.

(4) Letter telegrams may be accepted for transmission viâ the letter telegram offices of destination for further transmission by post within the Commonwealth, in which case the place from which the letter telegram is to be posted must be indicated in the address, (See Sub-Regulation (6)).

C.12017.—Price 3d.

(5) (a) Letter telegrams must be handed in between the hours of 7 p.m. and midnight, except in cases where the office closes after 7 p.m. and before midnight, in which case the letter telegram may be handed in up to the hour of closing.

(b) Subscribers to a Telephone Exchange at which service is given between the hours of 7 p.m. and midnight may transmit during those hours by telephone to the nearest Telegraph Office which is open for the transmission of letter telegrams and which is connected by telephone to an Exchange, messages intended to be further transmitted as letter telegrams, provided they pay the usual cost of such letter telegrams in addition to the rates for transmission through the telephone.

(6) Letter telegrams must be written in English words having a connected meaning, and must bear the word “Letter” before the address, such word to be counted as part of the address and paid for. Where the letter telegram is to be despatched by mail from the letter telegram office of destination, the words “post from              ” must, in addition, be added after the address and paid for as three words. The remarks “Urgent”, “Reply paid”, “Collation”, “Acknowledgment of Receipt”, “Multiple”, and “Registered Addresses” are not allowed in letter telegrams.

The address must be set out as follows:—

Letter—John Brown, 17 Bourke Street, Melbourne; or in the case mentioned in Sub-Regulation (4):—

Letter—John Brown, 17 Smith Street, Templestowe—Post from Melbourne..

Letter—C. Smith, Camooweal—Post from Townsville.

In all other respects the form and the manner in which letter telegrams are written must be in accordance with the Regulations dealing with ordinary telegrams.

(7) Express delivery is not allowed at the place of destination. Should re-direction be required it will be effected by post and without charge.

(8) From the moment the letter telegram is posted at the letter telegram office of destination, the letter telegram shall be regarded and handled as a letter. No guarantee can be given by the Department for the due arrival of the letter telegram, or against mutilation or delay. The charges will only be refunded on demand in the event of the letter telegram having gone astray through fault or negligence of the Department’s officers, or having been delayed to such an extent that the letter telegram is delivered later than it would have been if posted at the time of lodgment as an ordinary letter.

(9) If more than one letter telegram be lodged on the same evening addressed to the same person or firm, and the text indicates that one is a continuation of the other or others, the whole shall be treated as one letter telegram and charged for accordingly.

 

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

Overview

The Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, enacted in 1915, was designed to address the need for a streamlined process in the transmission of letter telegrams within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulation was introduced by the Federal Executive Council, acting on behalf of the Governor-General, and aims to provide clear guidelines for the acceptance, transmission, and delivery of letter telegrams. The primary objective of this regulation was to ensure that letter telegrams are handled efficiently, with specific conditions governing their acceptance and delivery, while maintaining the integrity and security of the communication. The regulation outlines the acceptable hours for submission, the required format for addressing, and the limitations on express delivery and additional services.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 pertains to the transmission of letter telegrams within the Commonwealth of Australia. This regulation applies to individuals and entities seeking to send letter telegrams, which are essentially messages sent via telegraph and subsequently delivered as ordinary letters. The regulation specifies the conditions under which letter telegrams can be accepted and transmitted, such as the permissible hours for submission and the requirement for the message to be written in English and bearing the word "Letter" before the address. Notably, certain designations like "Urgent" or "Reply paid" are prohibited in letter telegrams. The regulation also outlines the charges associated with these services and stipulates that once a letter telegram is posted, it is treated as an ordinary letter, with no guarantees for timely delivery or against potential damage or delay. The regulation is applicable throughout the Commonwealth, as indicated by its reference to "within the Commonwealth," and it does not specify any exclusions or exemptions beyond those already mentioned. The regulation’s scope and application are further governed by the overarching Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, with potential for additional clarifications or modifications through subordinate instruments as deemed necessary by the relevant authorities.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 concern the acceptance, transmission, and delivery of letter telegrams within the Commonwealth of Australia. Regulation 372a outlines the conditions under which letter telegrams can be accepted for transmission (372a(1)), specifying that these telegrams will be forwarded by telegraph during the night and delivered as ordinary letters by first delivery or despatched by mail in the ordinary way (372a(2)). It also details the permissible times for handing in letter telegrams (372a(5)), the requirement for them to be written in English and bearing the word “Letter” before the address (372a(6)), and the manner in which addresses must be set out (372a(6)). Additionally, it specifies that express delivery is not allowed and that re-direction will be effected by post without charge (372a(7) and (8)). The obligations imposed by this regulation on the parties governed by it include the necessity to hand in letter telegrams within the specified hours, ensure they are written in English and properly addressed, and comply with the stipulated format for the address (372a(5) and (6)). Additionally, subscribers who transmit messages via telephone must pay the usual cost of the letter telegrams in addition to the rates for telephone transmission (372a(5)(b)). The regulation also mandates that the Department cannot guarantee the timely arrival of the letter telegram or against mutilation or delay, with charges only being refunded in cases of fault or negligence on the part of the Department’s officers, or if the telegram is significantly delayed (372a(8)). In terms of penalties and consequences for breaches, the regulation does not explicitly state any criminal or civil penalties for non-compliance with the conditions for letter telegrams. However, the regulation does clarify that charges will only be refunded if the Department is at fault for the delay or misdelivery of the letter telegram (372a(8)). The regulation does not provide details on specific penalties for failing to adhere to the stipulated conditions for transmission, address formatting, or language requirements. Therefore, any breaches of the regulation would likely be handled on a case-by-case basis, potentially leading to disputes over refunds or compensation if the Department is found to be at fault.

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