STATUTORY RULES.
1931. No. 5.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1923.
I, THE person administering the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, to come into operation on the dates specified in regulation 3.
Dated this twenty-first day of January, 1931.
SOMERS
Administering the Government of the
Commonwealth of Australia.
By His Excellency’s Command,
J. A. LYONS
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of Postal Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1927, No. 144, as amended to this date.)
1. Regulation 210 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (d) the figures and signs “1s. 3d.” and inserting in their stead the figures and signs “1s. 9d.”
2. Regulation 210 of the Postal Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (b) the words, figures and signs “3d. for each £1 or fraction of £1 with minimum of 6d.” and inserting in their stead the words, figures and signs “10½ d. for each £1 or fraction of £1”.
3. Regulations 1 and 2 of this Statutory Rules shall be deemed to have come into operation on 10th October, 1930, and 5th November, 1930, respectively.
By Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.
3755.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1931 No. 5, enacted under the authority of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, were introduced to amend the existing Postal Regulations in order to address issues pertaining to the rates and charges associated with postal services. The Federal Executive Council, acting on advice, authorised these amendments to ensure that postal charges were updated to reflect the economic conditions of the time. This legislative instrument was issued by the person administering the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, with the regulations coming into operation on specified dates to provide clarity and continuity in the postal service fee structure.
The purpose of these amendments, as outlined in the regulations, was to adjust the rates for postal services, specifically updating the charge for the delivery of letters and other postal items. By modifying the figures and signs in Regulation 210 of the Postal Regulations, the amendments aimed to ensure that the postal service fees were accurately reflecting the cost of providing these services. This legislative action was taken to maintain the efficiency and fairness of the postal system, aligning it with the economic realities of the period.
Scope and Application
The Statutory Rules 1931 No. 5, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, amend the Postal Regulations to adjust the fees for postal services, specifically modifying the rates for mail delivery. These regulations apply to entities and individuals involved in the transmission and delivery of mail within the Commonwealth of Australia, including postal operators and customers of postal services. The amendments affect the rates charged for the carriage of mail, altering the fees from 1s. 3d. to 1s. 9d. and adjusting the charge from 3d. to 10½ d. for each £1 or fraction of £1, with a minimum charge of 6d. The changes are designed to update the postal fees in line with economic conditions and operational costs. The new rates came into effect on specified dates, with Regulation 1 applying from 10th October 1930 and Regulation 2 from 5th November 1930. The regulations do not exclude any particular entities or transactions from their application, and no specific exemptions are stated within the provided text. The adjustments made by these regulations are specific to the Commonwealth of Australia, impacting all entities and individuals involved in postal transactions within the national jurisdiction.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these regulations are the amendments to Regulation 210 of the Postal Regulations (section 1). Specifically, Regulation 210 is amended to change the figures and signs from “1s. 3d.” to “1s. 9d.” in paragraph (d) and to change “3d. for each £1 or fraction of £1 with minimum of 6d.” to “10½ d. for each £1 or fraction of £1” in paragraph (b). These changes adjust the rates for certain postal services. Additionally, the regulations specify the dates on which certain provisions come into effect, with Regulations 1 and 2 deemed to have come into operation on 10 October 1930 and 5 November 1930, respectively (section 3).
The Act imposes obligations and requirements on parties and entities governed by the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, particularly concerning the revised postal rates outlined in Regulation 210. These obligations include ensuring that the new rates of “1s. 9d.” and “10½ d. for each £1 or fraction of £1” are applied correctly for the specified services. The new rates must be adhered to in all postal transactions from the dates specified, ensuring consistency and compliance with the updated regulatory framework. Compliance with these rates is crucial for the smooth operation of postal services and for maintaining fairness in postal charges.
In terms of consequences for breach, while the regulations themselves do not explicitly outline offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences, it is reasonable to infer that non-compliance with the updated postal rates could lead to regulatory action under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923. Breaches of the Act could potentially result in fines or other penalties as prescribed by the Act. Given the nature of postal services and the importance of adhering to prescribed rates, failure to comply with these regulations could lead to enforcement actions, including but not limited to, financial penalties or other corrective measures to ensure compliance and uphold the integrity of postal services.