STATUTORY RULES.
1905. No. 62.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.
(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1904, No. 34.)
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the undermentioned Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, namely:—
Transmission of Packets within the Commonwealth, 6, and Newspapers (General), 3,
to come into operation on the 2nd day of October, 1905,
Dated this fourteenth day of April, One thousand nine hundred and five.
NORTHCOTE,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
AUSTIN CHAPMAN.
———
POSTAL REGULATIONS.
———
Terms and Conditions under which Packets may be transmitted within the Commonwealth.
6. All legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of a book or document, or of a portion thereof, is permissible, whether it be loose or attached, as also rollers in case of prints or maps, markers (whether of paper or otherwise in the case of books), or whatever is necessary for the safe transmission of such articles or usually appertains thereto.
In any case where an officer of the Department has good grounds for suspecting any infringement of the foregoing Regulations, he may open the packet; and if any irregularity that does not appear to have been an attempt to defraud has occurred, he must treat the packet as an insufficiently prepaid letter, and charge postage accordingly, Should there be an evident attempt to defraud, or should the contents be such as are not allowed to pass through the post, be must forward the postal article with a report of the circumstance to the Deputy Postmaster-General. Any packet so opened must be securely refastened.
Newspapers.
General.
3. If a newspaper posted at any place within the Commonwealth be found by an officer of the Department to contain writing or any illegal enclosure, it must be forwarded by him with a report of the circumstances to the Deputy Postmaster-General; but any such newspaper posted at a place beyond the Commonwealth shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office.
By Authority: Robt. S. Brain, Government Printer, Melbourne.
Overview
The Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, made in 1905, were introduced to establish specific terms and conditions for the transmission of packets within the Commonwealth and the handling of newspapers. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aimed to ensure the safe and efficient transmission of mail, while also addressing potential issues such as non-compliance or attempted fraud. The policy objective was to maintain the integrity and security of the postal system, while providing clear guidelines for the handling of various types of mail. By specifying permissible binding and covering for books and documents, as well as the protocols for dealing with illegal content in newspapers, these regulations sought to streamline postal operations and uphold the standards set forth by the Post and Telegraph Act 1901.
Scope and Application
The Regulations Under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 apply to the transmission of packets and newspapers within the Commonwealth of Australia. They establish the terms and conditions for the legitimate binding, mounting, covering, and securing of books, documents, prints, maps, and other articles intended for safe postal transmission. The Act applies to any person or entity wishing to transmit packets within Australia and mandates the adherence to specified conditions to avoid postal irregularities. For newspapers, the Act applies to those posted within Australia and requires that any found to contain prohibited content be reported to the Deputy Postmaster-General. Notably, newspapers posted from outside Australia that contain prohibited content are to be sent to the Dead Letter Office. The regulations provide the authority for postal officers to open and examine packets if there is suspicion of infringement, with specific protocols for handling cases of irregularity or fraud. The geographic scope of these regulations is confined to the Commonwealth of Australia, with specific attention to the handling of international mail containing prohibited content. The Act does not explicitly mention exclusions or thresholds but implies that adherence to the outlined conditions for packet transmission is necessary to avoid penalties or sanctions.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 include Section 6, which outlines the terms and conditions for the transmission of packets within the Commonwealth. According to Section 6, legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of books or documents, as well as any necessary components for safe transmission, are permitted. This includes loose or attached items, rollers for prints or maps, and markers for books, whether made of paper or other materials. In cases where a Department officer suspects an infringement of these regulations, they are authorised to open the packet. If there is no apparent attempt at fraud, the packet will be treated as an insufficiently prepaid letter and charged accordingly. However, if fraud is evident or the contents are prohibited, the packet will be forwarded to the Deputy Postmaster-General with a report, and the packet must be securely refastened.
Section 3 pertains to newspapers and states that if a newspaper contains writing or an illegal enclosure, it must be forwarded to the Deputy Postmaster-General with a report of the circumstances if posted within the Commonwealth. Conversely, if the newspaper is posted from beyond the Commonwealth and found to contain prohibited content, it will be sent to the Dead Letter Office. These regulations impose specific obligations on both the senders and the postal service to ensure compliance with postal laws and to maintain the integrity of the postal system.
Breaches of these regulations can result in various penalties and consequences. For instance, if an infringement is detected, and there is no apparent attempt to defraud, the sender may be charged for insufficient postage. However, if fraud is evident or the contents are deemed undeliverable, the packet will be forwarded to the Deputy Postmaster-General, potentially leading to further investigation or legal action. Additionally, newspapers containing prohibited content will be dealt with according to the regulations, which may involve forwarding to the Dead Letter Office or to the Deputy Postmaster-General for further scrutiny. The maximum penalties for such breaches are not explicitly stated in the regulations, but they could involve fines or other legal repercussions depending on the severity of the infringement.