Post and Telegraph Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1921, No. 18, constitute a regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, enacted to address specific issues within the postal and telegraph services. The regulation was made by the Governor-General in Council, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and it came into operation immediately upon its issuance. This legislative instrument sought to amend the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913, particularly concerning the fees and conditions for renting private letter boxes in country towns. The regulation introduced new sub-regulations that set the fees for large, medium-sized, and small boxes and allowed the Postmaster-General to refuse to provide private boxes if there were fewer than ten renters in a town for at least a year. The underlying policy objective was to ensure that the postal service remained financially sustainable and efficiently managed, particularly in rural areas.

Scope and Application

This legislative instrument amends the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913, which are themselves regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916. It applies to individuals or entities renting private boxes in country towns who do not receive two letter deliveries by postmen on at least five days per week, excluding holidays. The geographic scope of the amendment is the entire Commonwealth of Australia, as the underlying Act and Regulations have a national reach. The amendment specifies new fees for the rental of private boxes in country towns, varying by size, and it also sets a condition under which the Postmaster-General may refuse to provide such boxes if there are fewer than ten persons willing to rent them for at least one year in a given town. This regulation does not explicitly state any exclusions or thresholds beyond those mentioned, and it extends or restricts the application of the Post and Telegraph Act through the amendment of existing regulations.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of this regulation, under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, involve the amendment of Regulation 158. Specifically, sub-regulation (2) has been omitted and replaced with new sub-regulations (2) and (2a) (Regulation 158). Sub-regulation (2) now outlines the fees for private boxes in country towns rented by persons who do not receive two letter deliveries by postmen on at least five days a week, excluding holidays. The fees vary depending on the size of the box: large boxes are £1 10s. per annum, medium-sized boxes are £1 per annum, and small boxes are 10s. per annum, all payable in advance. Sub-regulation (2a) stipulates that the Postmaster-General may refuse to provide private boxes in a country town where there are fewer than ten persons willing to rent such boxes for at least one year. These provisions impose several obligations on the parties involved. For those renting private boxes, they must ensure they meet the criteria specified in the amended regulation, such as not receiving two letter deliveries by postmen on at least five days a week. They are also obligated to pay the specified fees in advance, depending on the size of the box. The Postmaster-General, on the other hand, is required to adhere to the new sub-regulations when deciding whether to provide private boxes in a given town. If the criteria in sub-regulation (2a) are not met, the Postmaster-General may refuse to provide these services. Breach of these regulations could lead to various consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the regulation itself, breaches of postal regulations generally can result in both civil and criminal consequences. Civil penalties might include fines, while criminal penalties could lead to imprisonment, depending on the severity and nature of the breach. The exact penalties would be determined by relevant authorities under the overarching Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916.