STATUTORY RULES.
1939. No. 66.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1934 AND THE POST AND TELEGRAPH RATES ACT 1902-1931.*
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 1901-1934 and the Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1902-1931.
Dated this twenty-third day of August, 1939.
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Postmaster-General
Amendment of the Postal Regulations.†
1. Regulation 34 of the Postal Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
Inscription on registered periodicals.
“34. The publisher of a registered periodical shall print on the outside of the front cover (or page, where the periodical has no cover) of each copy issued the words ‘Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission by post as a periodical’, or, alternatively, ‘Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical’.”.
2. Regulation 40 of the Postal Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
Inscription on registered newspapers.
“40. The publisher of a registered newspaper shall print on the outside of the front cover (or page, where the newspaper has no cover) of each copy issued the words ‘Registered at the General Post Office for transmission by post as a newspaper’, or, alternatively, ‘Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a newspaper’.”.
Registration of books.
3. Regulation 43 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—
“(2.) When registration is granted, the words ‘Registered at the General Post Office,......, for transmission through the post as a book’, or, alternatively, ‘Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a book’ shall be printed or stamped on the title leaf of the publication.”.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1939.
† Statutory Rules 1935, No. 3, as amended by Statutory Rules 1935, Nos. 53, 70, 80 and 95; 1936, Nos. 50 and 113; 1937, Nos. 13, 35, 37 and 48; 1938, Nos. 2, 55, 94 and 100; and 1939, Nos. 44 and
By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
4023.—8/17.7.1939.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1939 No. 66, enacted under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934 and the Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1902-1931, address the need to standardise and clarify the procedures for the registration of periodicals, newspapers, and books for postal transmission. This legislative instrument was introduced by the Governor-General in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, to ensure consistency and accuracy in the labelling of such materials. The policy objective is to streamline the process for publishers and maintain clear identification of registered materials, thereby facilitating their transmission through the postal system. The regulations mandate specific inscriptions for registered periodicals and newspapers, as well as for books, to ensure they are correctly identified and processed by postal authorities.
Scope and Application
The Postal Regulations, as amended by these statutory rules, pertain to the publishers of periodicals, newspapers, and books, requiring them to inscribe specific phrases on the respective items to indicate their registration status for transmission through the post. This requirement applies to all publishers of registered periodicals, newspapers, and books within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulations mandate that the inscriptions 'Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission by post as a periodical' or 'Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical' be printed on the front cover of each copy of registered periodicals, similarly 'Registered at the General Post Office for transmission by post as a newspaper' or 'Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a newspaper' for registered newspapers, and 'Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission through the post as a book' or 'Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a book' on the title leaf of registered books. These regulations apply across the Commonwealth and are not limited to specific states or territories. There are no exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds specified in the text of these statutory rules, implying a broad application to all entities involved in the publishing of the mentioned materials within the Commonwealth. The application of these regulations may be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments as deemed necessary by the relevant authorities.
Key Provisions
The main provisions of this legislative instrument (C1939L00066) concern the amendments to the Postal Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934 and the Post and Telegraph Rates Act 1902-1931. Regulation 34 outlines that the publisher of a registered periodical must print the words "Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission by post as a periodical" or "Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical" on the outside of the front cover of each copy issued. Similarly, Regulation 40 specifies that the publisher of a registered newspaper must print the words "Registered at the General Post Office for transmission by post as a newspaper" or "Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a newspaper" on the outside of the front cover of each copy issued. Regulation 43 has been amended to state that when registration is granted, the words "Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission through the post as a book" or "Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a book" shall be printed or stamped on the title leaf of the publication.
These regulations impose obligations on publishers of registered periodicals, newspapers, and books to ensure that each copy they issue bears a specific inscription. For periodicals and newspapers, this inscription must appear on the outside of the front cover or page. For books, the inscription must be on the title leaf. These inscriptions serve to certify the registration of the publication for postal transmission and ensure that the publication qualifies for the associated postal rates.
Failure to comply with these requirements may result in legal consequences. Although specific offences, penalties, or consequences are not detailed in the text, breaches of postal regulations can generally lead to administrative actions or penalties as prescribed under the relevant Acts. Non-compliance could potentially affect the eligibility of the publication for preferential postal rates, leading to higher costs for transmission.