STATUTORY RULES.
1916. No. 2.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901–1913.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913 should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.
Dated this twelfth day of January, One thousand nine hundred and sixteen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
WILLIAM WEBSTER,
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913 (Statutory Rules 1913, No. 348, as Amended by Statutory Rules 1915, No. 239).
Regulation 110a is repealed, and the following Regulation inserted in its stead:—
110a. Postal articles containing papers provided for by the War Census Acts 1915 may be sent by post free of charge if sent by or addressed to the Commonwealth Statistician, Melbourne, or to the Chairman of any Local Recruiting Committee, provided that the envelopes in which such papers are posted bear on the outside the words “War Census.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.18199.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913 were introduced in 1916 to address the logistical challenges posed by the First World War, particularly in relation to the War Census Acts 1915. These regulations were enacted to ensure the efficient and cost-free transmission of census materials, which were critical for national statistics and military planning. The urgency and the need for immediate effect necessitated their promulgation as Provisional Regulations by the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The policy objective was to facilitate the smooth operation of the census process by removing postal charges for specific war-related materials, thereby aiding the Commonwealth Statistician and Local Recruiting Committees in their respective roles. This legislative measure underscores the legislative body's responsiveness to the exigencies of wartime administration.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913 apply to the transportation of postal articles containing papers specified by the War Census Acts 1915. These articles are permitted to be sent by post free of charge, provided they are sent by or addressed to the Commonwealth Statistician in Melbourne, or the Chairman of any Local Recruiting Committee, and the envelopes bear the words "War Census" on the outside. This regulation is specifically aimed at facilitating the conduct of war-related census activities by ensuring that essential documents can be transmitted without postal charges, thereby expediting the collection and processing of war census data. The scope of the regulation is limited to the particular context of war census activities and does not extend to other types of postal communications.
The geographic and jurisdictional reach of these regulations is nationwide within the Commonwealth of Australia. The application of these provisional regulations is immediate and operates under the authority granted by the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913. There are no explicit exclusions or exemptions stated in the text, but the regulations are narrowly tailored to support war census activities. The use of provisional regulations underscores the urgency and specific nature of the measures, which are intended to be in force until further legislative action is taken.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913, as amended, pertain specifically to the handling of postal articles containing papers related to the War Census Acts 1915 (Regulation 110a). This regulation allows for the free mailing of these articles if they are sent by or addressed to the Commonwealth Statistician in Melbourne or the Chairman of any Local Recruiting Committee, with the condition that the envelopes bear the words "War Census" on the outside (Regulation 110a).
The Act imposes certain obligations on the parties involved. Postal articles containing War Census papers must be addressed to the designated officials, namely the Commonwealth Statistician in Melbourne or the Chairman of any Local Recruiting Committee. Furthermore, it is imperative that these articles are clearly marked with the words "War Census" on the outside of the envelope to ensure they receive the benefit of free postage. Failure to adhere to these specifications could result in the articles not being eligible for free postage, thereby incurring regular postal charges.
The Act outlines penalties and consequences for non-compliance with these provisions. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the excerpt provided, it can be inferred that any breach of the stipulated conditions for free postage could result in the articles being subject to standard postal charges. There is an implicit requirement for compliance, as failure to mark the envelopes correctly or address them to the specified recipients could lead to financial penalties for the sender, in addition to the loss of the benefit of free postage.
In summary, the Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1913 provide a specific exemption for the free mailing of War Census papers under certain conditions. These conditions include addressing the articles to the Commonwealth Statistician or the Chairman of a Local Recruiting Committee and marking the envelopes with "War Census." Non-compliance with these requirements would likely result in the standard postal charges applying to the articles, along with any other potential administrative consequences outlined by the relevant postal authorities.