Postal Regulations 1935 (Amendment)

Legislation au C1960L00103 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

 

1960. No. 103.

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 29th day of December, 1960.

DUNROSSIL

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

 

Amendments of the Postal Regulations.†

Transmission as articles.

1. Regulation 19 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (1.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(1.) A notice or other document relating to a lottery or other scheme of chance, other than an art union, shall not be accepted for transmission at the rate of postage specified in item 4 of the First Schedule to the Rates Act.”.

Articles for use of the blind transmissible free of postage.

2. Regulation 62 of the Postal Regulations is amended by inserting after the words “literature for the blind” the words “, aids for the teaching of Braille to the blind”.

Recordings for use of the blind transmissible free of postage.

3. Regulation 62a of the Postal Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting all the words before paragraph (a) and inserting in their stead the words “Goods for the use of the blind consisting of any form of speech recording of literature may be sent by post free of charge if—”; and

(b) by omitting paragraph (b) and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—

“(b) the goods are packed in a manner approved by the Postmaster-General;”.

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 29th December, 1960.

† Statutory Rules 1935, No. 3, as amended to date. For previous amendments of the Postal Regulations, see footnote † to Statutory Rules 1960, No. 75.

7513/60.—Price 3d. 10/18.10.1960.


Franking machine impressions: refunds.

4. Regulation 76 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (2.) and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—

“(b) The application must be presented within three months after the date of the impression in respect of which a refund is claimed.”.

Purpose for which franking machines may be used.

5. Regulation 77 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (a) the words “except parcels for places beyond the Commonwealth”.

Redirection of postal articles.

6. Regulation 99 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “, and shall state the places from which correspondence is expected”.

Repurchase of stamps in payment for licences.

7. Regulation 117 of the Postal Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting the words “under the Broadcasting Act 1942-1954” and inserting in their stead the words “or a television viewer’s licence under the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942-1960”; and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the words “or a television viewer’s licence”.

Licences to sell stamps.

8. Regulation 119 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulations (1.) and (2.) and inserting in their stead the following sub-regulations:—

“(1.) A Director may grant to a person a licence to sell postage stamps at a place, or places, specified in the licence.

“(2.) A Director may, at any time, revoke a licence to sell postage stamps.”.

Licensed vendors to exhibit notice.

9. Regulation 120 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (2.).

Purchase of supplies by vendors.

10. Regulation 122 of the Postal Regulations is repealed.

Acknowledgment of receipt.

11. Regulation 174 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the words “, and shall affix to the form postage stamps to the value of Ninepence in payment of the fee”.

Postage on parcels must be prepaid.

12. Regulation 187 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “the addressee” and inserting in their stead the words “a person other than the sender”.

Posting of parcels.

13. Regulation 192 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “the addressee” and inserting in their stead the words “a person other than the sender”.

Acknowledgment of delivery.

14. Regulation 196 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting the words “and shall affix to such form postage stamps in payment of the fee”.


15. Regulation 197 of the Postal Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

Parcels containing valuables.

“197.—(1.) Where a parcel found to contain valuables is to be returned to the sender, the parcel shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office and, from the Dead Letter Office, returned to the sender.

“(2.) A parcel referred to in the last preceding sub-regulation shall be transmitted as if it were a parcel that had been accepted for registration under regulation 157 of these Regulations.

“(3.) In this regulation, ‘valuables’ includes cheques, money orders, postal notes and bank drafts.”.

Demurrage.

16. Regulation 205 of the Postal Regulations is amended by inserting in sub-regulation (5.), after the word “undeliverable”, the words “, and in the case of postal articles (other than parcels) redirected to a destination beyond the Commonwealth”.

Payments to masters of vessels.

17.—(1.) Regulation 258 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting the table and inserting in its stead the following table:—

Conveyance of—

Rate of Payment.

Letters and post cards in harbours and on rivers

Eightpence per pound

Mails (other than letters and post cards) in harbours and on rivers

One shilling and fourpence per hundredweight

Mails to places within the Commonwealth otherwise than in harbours and on rivers

Ten pounds per ton by weight

Mails to places beyond the Commonwealth—

 

Where the mails are to be conveyed up to three thousand miles

Nineteen pounds sixteen shillings and two-pence per ton by weight

Where the mails are to be conveyed over three thousand miles and up to six thousand miles

Thirty-eight pounds nine shillings and eightpence per ton by weight

Where the mails are to be conveyed over six thousand miles

Forty-five pounds and ninepence per ton by weight

(2.) This regulation shall come into operation on the first day of January, 1961.

 

By Authority: A. J. Arthur, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1960, No. 103, which amends the Postal Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950, was enacted to update and refine the regulations governing postal services in Australia. This legislative instrument was made by the Governor-General in accordance with the Federal Executive Council. Among the key changes are restrictions on the transmission of lottery-related materials, the provision of free postage for aids for the blind, and adjustments to the procedures for franking machine refunds and redirection of postal articles. The overall policy objective is to ensure the efficient and equitable operation of postal services while accommodating the needs of special groups, such as the visually impaired.

Scope and Application

The Postal Regulations 1960, as amended by Statutory Rules 1960, No. 103, apply to the regulation and administration of postal services across the Commonwealth of Australia, encompassing both internal and international mail services. These regulations are concerned with the acceptance, transmission, and delivery of postal articles, the use of franking machines, the sale and use of postage stamps, and various other administrative procedures associated with the postal service. The regulations apply to individuals, businesses, and other entities engaged in the sending, receiving, or facilitating of postal services within Australia. Additionally, they govern the conduct of postal workers and the operation of postal facilities. The geographic scope of these regulations is national, covering all states and territories within the Commonwealth. However, the regulations also extend to international mail, particularly in the context of mails conveyed beyond the Commonwealth, as evidenced by specific provisions regarding rates for mails to places outside Australia. There are no explicit exclusions mentioned in the text, but certain types of documents, such as those relating to lotteries or schemes of chance, are specifically restricted from being transmitted at certain rates. The application of these regulations may be further detailed or modified through subordinate instruments, which can provide additional rules or specific conditions under which certain provisions apply.

Key Provisions

The Statutory Rules of 1960, No. 103, under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1950, introduce several amendments to the Postal Regulations, impacting various aspects of postal services. Regulation 19 is amended to exclude certain notices or documents related to lotteries or schemes of chance, other than art unions, from being transmitted at the specified postage rate (Section 1). Additionally, Regulation 62 is amended to allow the free transmission of aids for the teaching of Braille to the blind, alongside literature for the blind (Section 2). Regulation 62a is modified to clarify that speech recordings of literature for the use of the blind can be sent free of charge if packed in an approved manner (Section 3). These regulations impose specific obligations on postal service providers and users. For example, they must adhere to the new rules regarding the transmission of certain documents, ensuring compliance with the amended regulations. Furthermore, the Postmaster-General is responsible for approving the packaging of goods for the blind, ensuring they meet the necessary standards for free transmission (Sections 2 and 3). The amendments also affect the procedures for franking machine impressions, redirection of postal articles, repurchase of stamps, and licenses to sell stamps. Regulation 76 specifies that applications for refunds must be submitted within three months of the date of the impression (Section 4). Regulation 99 removes the requirement to state the places from which correspondence is expected when redirecting postal articles (Section 6). Regulation 119 outlines the conditions under which a Director may grant or revoke a license to sell postage stamps (Section 8). Violations of these regulations may lead to civil or criminal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the text, breaches of postal regulations can generally result in fines or other sanctions as prescribed by the relevant laws. For instance, non-compliance with the transmission rules or packaging requirements could lead to penalties. The regulations ensure that postal services operate efficiently and fairly, with clear guidelines for both service providers and users.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.