STATUTORY RULES.
1906. No. 98.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.
(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rule 1906, No. 64.)
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, namely:—
General Regulations—Holiday Arrangements.
to come into operation on the 17th day of November, 1906.
Dated this twenty-sixth day of October, One thousand nine hundred and six.
(Sgd.) NORTHCOTE,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
(Sgd.) ALFRED DEAKIN.
General Regulations.
Holiday Arrangements.
The Regulations under this head and the amendments thereof made by Statutory Rules 45 and 81 of 1904 shall be repealed and the following substituted in lieu thereof, viz.:—
Holiday Arrangements.
3. On Christmas Day and Good Friday the same arrangements shall be observed as on Sunday; and on other Public Holidays the arrangements shall be as follow:—
— | New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day, and Holidays proclaimed throughout the Commonwealth, or appointed or proclaimed in any State or part of a State, and generally observed in that State or part as Public Holidays. | Other days or half-days appointed or proclaimed as Holidays in any State or part of a State, but not generally observed in that State or part as Holidays. |
General Post Office— The Delivery Office, Registration Office, and office for sale of postage stamps to be open | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
Private boxes to be open as usual. The country mails usually despatched in the afternoon and evening, also the coastwise, Inter-State, and foreign mails, to close | At 12 noon, unless otherwise specially intimated | As on ordinary days |
The first delivery only. to be effected by postmen. The Parcels Office to be open.......... | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
C.12911—Price 3d.
Holiday Arrangements—continued.
— | New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day, and Holidays proclaimed throughout the Commonwealth, or appointed or proclaimed in any State or part of a State, and generally observed in that State or part as Public Holidays. | Other days or half-days appointed or proclaimed as Holidays in any State or part of a State, but not generally observed in that State or part as Holidays. |
General Post Office—continued. | | |
The Money Order Office to be open | From 9.30 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
The Chief Telegraph Office to be open.. | As on ordinary days |
All Post and Telegraph Offices above the 4th Class to be open for telegraphic business | As on ordinary days |
Branch Offices in the cities and suburban and country offices to be open | From 9 a m. to 12 noon, and if they do not ordinarily close at 6 p.m., from 6 to 8 p.m. | As on ordinary days |
The first delivery only to be made by postmen. | | |
The iron pillar receivers and letter boxes in the city and metropolitan suburbs to be cleared | Only at the ordinary hours in the morning | As on ordinary days |
Note.—If British and Foreign Mails arrive, or are despatched on any of the above-mentioned holidays, special arrangements must be made to suit the public convenience.
By Authority: J. Kemp, Acting Government Printer, Melbourne.
Overview
Statutory Rules 1906, No. 98, issued under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, amended the holiday arrangements for postal and telegraph services. Enacted by the Governor-General, with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these regulations were intended to clarify and standardise the operation of postal and telegraph services on public holidays. The policy objective was to ensure that postal services remained accessible to the public on significant holidays while also accommodating the need for rest and observance of these days. The regulations established specific operating hours for various postal and telegraph offices, ensuring that essential services were available while respecting the holiday spirit, thus balancing public service needs with the recognition of public holidays.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, as amended by Statutory Rule 1906, No. 98, establish specific arrangements for holiday operations within the postal and telegraph services across Australia. These regulations apply to the public and private entities involved in postal and telegraph services, including post offices and telegraph offices of various classes, and the staff operating within these services. The regulations cover a national scope, applying to all states and territories within the Commonwealth of Australia. They set out operational hours and service availability on designated public holidays such as Christmas Day, Good Friday, New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day, and any other holidays proclaimed throughout the Commonwealth or within specific states and territories. Notably, the regulations differentiate between holidays generally observed as public holidays and those that are appointed or proclaimed but not generally observed, specifying the extent of services provided on each. The regulations also include provisions for special arrangements when British and Foreign Mails are received or despatched on these holidays.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these regulations (sections 3, 4, and 5) pertain to holiday arrangements for post and telegraph services. Specifically, section 3 states that on Christmas Day and Good Friday, the same arrangements will be observed as on Sunday. For other public holidays such as New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day, and any holidays proclaimed throughout the Commonwealth or in any State or part of a State, the arrangements will differ. The regulations detail the hours of operation for various post and telegraph offices, including the General Post Office, the Delivery Office, the Registration Office, the office for sale of postage stamps, the Parcels Office, the Money Order Office, and the Chief Telegraph Office. Notably, for holidays that are generally observed as public holidays, the offices will generally follow their usual hours of operation, while for holidays that are not generally observed, the offices will have reduced hours, typically from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
These regulations impose specific obligations on the parties involved in post and telegraph services. Post and telegraph offices are required to adhere to the specified opening and closing times, with certain offices maintaining their usual hours on public holidays and others operating on reduced hours for holidays that are not generally observed. Offices are also mandated to make special arrangements if British and Foreign Mails arrive or are despatched on any of the mentioned holidays to suit public convenience. Furthermore, the regulations require that the first delivery of the day be made by postmen, and iron pillar receivers and letter boxes in the city and metropolitan suburbs be cleared only at the ordinary hours in the morning.
Failure to comply with these regulations can result in various consequences. While the specific offences, penalties, or consequences for breach are not detailed in the text provided, it is clear that adherence to the stipulated holiday arrangements is mandatory. Non-compliance could potentially lead to administrative penalties, fines, or other civil or criminal consequences as prescribed by the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 and any relevant laws or regulations. Given the historical context of these regulations, the maximum penalties would likely align with those established under the Post and Telegraph Act and other relevant Australian legislation of the time.