STATUTORY RULES.
1959. No. 21.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1950.*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950.
Dated this sixteenth day of March, 1959.
W. J. SLIM
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Postmaster-General.
AMENDMENT OF THE POSTAL REGULATIONS.†
Commencement.
1. Regulation 2 of these Regulations shall come into operation on the first day of April, 1959.
2. Regulation 91A of the Postal Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
Special delivery.
“91A.—(1.) The sender or the addressee of a postal article—
(a) in respect of which postage at the rate prescribed for letters by the Rates Act has been prepaid; and
(b) that is addressed for delivery from a post office from which a special delivery service is available,
may, upon payment of the prescribed fee and upon compliance with such other conditions as the Postmaster-General determines, obtain, during such hours as the Postmaster-General determines, the special delivery of the postal article.
“(2.) The prescribed fee, for the purposes of the last preceding sub-regulation, is—
(a) where the number of postal articles to be delivered to the one address in the one delivery does not exceed three—One shilling and threepence for each article;
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 16th March, 1959.
† Statutory Rules 1935, No. 3, as amended to date. For previous amendments of the Postal Regulations, See footnote † to Statutory Rules 1958, No. .
473/59.—PRICE 3D. 9/10.2.1959.
(b) where the number of postal articles to be delivered to the one address in the one delivery exceeds three but does not exceed six—One shilling and threepence for each of the first three articles and Ninepence for each article in excess of three; and
(c) where the number of postal articles to be delivered to the one address in the one delivery exceeds six—One shilling and threepence for each of the first three articles, Ninepence for each of the second three articles and Sixpence for each article in excess of six.
“(3.) Where the addressee of a postal article requests the special delivery of the article after the arrival of a specified mail at a post office, and the article does not arrive in that mail, a fee of One shilling and threepence is payable for informing the addressee that the article did not arrive in that mail.”.
By Authority: A. J. ARTHUR, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1959, No. 21, issued under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950, were enacted to amend the existing Postal Regulations, specifically to update the provisions relating to special delivery services. The Federal Executive Council, acting on the advice of the Governor-General, issued these regulations to formalise and streamline the processes and fees associated with the expedited delivery of postal articles. The overarching objective of these regulations was to provide clarity and structure to the special delivery service, ensuring that both senders and addressees could avail themselves of these services under clearly defined conditions and fees. These regulations came into effect on 1 April 1959.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950, as amended, specifically target the administration and operations of the postal service within the Commonwealth of Australia, encompassing both the delivery and handling of postal articles. These regulations apply to both senders and addressees of postal articles, as well as the Postmaster-General who has the authority to determine the conditions and fees associated with special delivery services. The regulations set forth the procedural and financial requirements for obtaining special delivery, including the prescribed fees for different quantities of postal articles delivered to one address within a single delivery. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, as they are applicable throughout Australia. The regulations do not explicitly state any exclusions or exemptions, but the conditions and fees are contingent on the compliance with the specified criteria, such as the prepayment of postage at the prescribed rate and the availability of a special delivery service from the post office in question. The application of these regulations can be further detailed or restricted through subordinate instruments issued by the Postmaster-General.
Key Provisions
The Statutory Rules of 1959, No. 21, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950, include specific provisions concerning the amendment of the Postal Regulations. Regulation 2 of these regulations, which came into operation on 1 April 1959, notably replaces Regulation 91A with a new regulation concerning the special delivery of postal articles. According to Regulation 91A(1), the sender or the addressee of a postal article that has prepaid postage at the prescribed rate for letters, and which is addressed for delivery from a post office that offers a special delivery service, can request special delivery of the article. This request must be made upon payment of a prescribed fee and compliance with any additional conditions set by the Postmaster-General. Regulation 91A(2) specifies the fees for special delivery based on the number of articles being delivered to one address in one delivery. Regulation 91A(3) states that if an addressee requests special delivery after a specified mail arrives at the post office, and the article does not arrive in that mail, a fee of one shilling and threepence is payable to inform the addressee that the article did not arrive in that mail.
The Act imposes obligations on both the sender and the addressee of the postal article. Firstly, they must ensure that the postage for the article is prepaid at the rate prescribed for letters by the Rates Act. Secondly, they must comply with the conditions set by the Postmaster-General to obtain special delivery, including the payment of the prescribed fee. Additionally, if a request for special delivery is made after the arrival of a specified mail and the article does not arrive in that mail, the addressee must pay the fee for the notification of non-arrival. These obligations ensure that the special delivery service is used properly and efficiently.
Breach of these regulations may lead to civil or administrative consequences. For instance, failure to pay the prescribed fee or comply with the conditions set by the Postmaster-General could result in the denial of special delivery service for the postal article. Additionally, if the sender or addressee does not pay the fee for notification when an article does not arrive in a specified mail, they may not receive the necessary information about the status of their article. While the regulations do not explicitly state maximum penalties for breaches, the consequences of non-compliance are primarily administrative, such as denial of service or non-notification.