Postal Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1950L00049 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1950. No. .

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1949.*

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 1901-1949.

Dated this sixteenth day of August, 1950.

W. J. McKell

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Postmaster-General.

 

Amendments of the Postal Regulations.†

Printed matter.

1. Regulation 21 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation :—

“ (2.) The limit of weight of an article transmissible as Printed Matter shall be 6½ pounds, or, in the case of an article consisting of a package containing a single volume, 11 pounds.”.

Books transmissible as third class mail matter.

2. Regulation 29 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (2.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation :—

“ (2.) To be eligible for transmission at the rate of postage prescribed for Third Class Mail Matter, a package of books shall not exceed 6½ pounds in weight, or, in the case of a package containing a single volume, 11 pounds in weight.”.

Periodicals transmissible as third class mail matter.

3. Regulation 32 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the figure “ 5 ” and inserting in its stead the figures “ 6½ ”.

Newspapers transmissible as third class mail matter.

4. Regulation 37 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the figure “ 5 ” and inserting in its stead the figures “ 6½ ”.

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1950.

† 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; 1939, Nos. 44, 57 and 66; 1940, Nos. 1 and 232; 1942, Nos. 5, 313, 439 and 554; 1943, Nos. 57, 94, 122, 237 and 286; 1944, No. 145; 1945, No. 194; 1946, Nos. 131 and 149; 1947, Nos. 92 and 114; 1948, No. 62; and 1949, Nos. 23, 30, 38 and 106.

2722.—Price 3d. 12/20.6.1950.


Civilian registration papers.

5. Regulation 61a of the Postal Regulations is repealed.

6. After regulation 62 of the Postal Regulations the following regulation is inserted :—

Talking-book records transmissible free of postage.

“ 62a. A talking-book record prepared solely for the use of the blind may be conveyed without charge when posted in the Commonwealth for delivery therein if—

(a) it is posted by or addressed to a person, institution, or organization authorized for the purpose by the Postmaster-General ;

(b) it is packed in the manner determined by the Postmaster-General and is enclosed in a container specially provided for the purpose by the person, institution or organization referred to in the last preceding paragraph and incorporating a slot for the secure reception of a card for address purposes ;

(c) the card referred to in the last preceding paragraph bears on one side the printed address of the person, institution or organization referred to in paragraph (a) of this regulation and on the other the address of the person to whom the talking-book record is addressed ;

(d) the container referred to in paragraph (b) of this regulation bears an adhesive label bearing the printed words ‘ Talking-book Record—Solely for the use of the Blind ’, the name and address of the person, institution or organization referred to in paragraph (a) of this regulation and a request for return of the package if undeliverable ; and

(e) the weight of the package does not exceed 11 pounds.”.

Insufficiently prepaid postal articles.

7. Regulation 63 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulations (6.) and (7.) and inserting in their stead the following sub-regulations :—

“ (6.) The amount of the surcharge to be made on wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid letters, letter cards and single post cards, transmissible to places beyond the Commonwealth, shall be double the deficiency in postage and shall be indicated in francs and centimes calculated by the application of such formula as is approved by the Postmaster-General.

“ (7.) The amount to be collected on postal articles surcharged in francs and centimes received from places beyond the Commonwealth shall be calculated by the application of such formula as is approved by the Postmaster-General.”.

 

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1950, No. 2722, are Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1949, enacted by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. These regulations aim to amend existing postal regulations to update the permissible weight limits for various types of mail, including printed matter, books, periodicals, and newspapers, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of postal services. Additionally, the regulations introduce provisions for the free transmission of talking-book records for the use of the blind, reflecting a policy objective to support accessibility for visually impaired individuals. The regulations also adjust the surcharge amounts for insufficiently prepaid postal articles, ensuring compliance with postal service fees and international postal standards.

Scope and Application

These Regulations, made under the authority of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1949, provide specific amendments to the Postal Regulations concerning the transmission of printed matter, books, periodicals, newspapers, and talking-book records. The amendments primarily focus on adjusting the weight limits for various classes of mail, allowing for heavier packages under certain conditions, and updating the postage rates for mail sent beyond the Commonwealth. These Regulations apply to individuals and entities involved in the transmission of mail within and beyond the Commonwealth of Australia. The weight limits for printed matter, books, periodicals, and newspapers have been increased, with specific maximum weights set at 6½ pounds, or 11 pounds for a single volume package. Furthermore, these Regulations introduce provisions for the free transmission of talking-book records intended solely for the use of the blind, subject to specific packaging and addressing requirements. The Regulations also detail the surcharges applicable to insufficiently prepaid postal articles sent beyond the Commonwealth, specifying that the surcharge will be double the postage deficiency and calculated in francs and centimes. These amendments are intended to streamline postal services and provide clarity on the transmission protocols and associated costs.

Key Provisions

The Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1949 primarily amend the existing Postal Regulations to modify weight limits for certain types of mail, introduce a new category of mail (talking-book records), and alter the method of calculating surcharges for insufficiently prepaid articles. Regulation 21(2) now specifies that the maximum weight for articles considered as printed matter is 6½ pounds, or 11 pounds for a single volume package (Regulation 1). Similarly, Regulation 29(2) adjusts the permissible weight for packages of books to 6½ pounds, or 11 pounds for a single volume, to be eligible for third-class mail rates (Regulation 2). The weight limit for periodicals and newspapers to be sent as third-class mail has also been increased to 6½ pounds (Regulations 3 and 4). The Regulations impose specific obligations on entities involved in the transmission of mail. For instance, senders of talking-book records must ensure that these records are posted by or addressed to an authorized entity, packed in a manner prescribed by the Postmaster-General, and enclosed in a specially designed container with an address card and an adhesive label indicating the purpose and sender's details (Regulation 62a). Furthermore, authorized entities must comply with the weight restrictions and packaging requirements when posting talking-book records to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria for free postage. Failure to comply with the weight limits or packaging requirements for different types of mail may result in the mail being subject to higher postage rates or refusal of service. Additionally, insufficiently prepaid articles, such as letters and postcards sent beyond the Commonwealth, will incur a surcharge calculated as double the deficiency in postage (Regulation 63(6)). Articles received from places beyond the Commonwealth with insufficient postage will also have the surcharge calculated according to a formula approved by the Postmaster-General (Regulation 63(7)). These provisions are designed to ensure the efficient and equitable operation of the postal service while maintaining the integrity of the pricing structure.

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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.