Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1907, No. 48, titled "Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901," were enacted to amend the General Postal Regulations concerning private mail bags. Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1907, No. 11, and dated 8 May 1907, these regulations were made by the Governor-General in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. They came into operation on the first day of June 1907 and address the need for specific postal service charges and conditions for private mail bags. The primary policy objective is to clearly define the charges and conditions for private mail bag services, ensuring a systematic approach to their usage and cost, as well as accommodating institutions and individuals not situated on a mail route.

Scope and Application

The amended General Postal Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 apply to individuals, institutions, and firms that utilise private mail bags for the dispatch of mail, either through postal mail-men or private messengers. The Act specifies the charges for these services, differentiating between the frequency of mail bag dispatch and the method of conveyance, whether by mail-man or private messenger. Additionally, the regulations accommodate those whose premises are not situated on a mail route, allowing them to use private bags conveyed by private messenger, subject to specified annual charges. This regulation extends its jurisdiction across the Commonwealth of Australia, thereby affecting all entities within the country's postal network. Notably, the regulations include provisions for lockers at the General Post Office for private mail bags, with an additional annual rental fee. The amendments also clarify that the charges must be paid in advance and that certain existing regulations apply to these new provisions, ensuring a consistent framework for the administration of private mail bags.

Key Provisions

The amended General Postal Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, introduced by Statutory Rules 1907, No. 48, provide specific guidelines for the charges associated with private mail bags. Regulation 1 outlines that the charge for a private mail bag made up and despatched from a Post Office by a mail-man is £1 per annum if the bag is despatched not more than thrice a week, or £2 per annum if despatched more than thrice a week. If the bag is made up and despatched by a private messenger, the charge is £1 per annum if made up not more than once daily, or £2 per annum if made up more than once daily. These charges must be paid in advance. Additionally, Regulation 8 provides that institutions, persons, or firms whose premises are not situated on a mail route may have private bags made up at an annual cost of £1 if made up not more than once daily, or £2 if made up more than once daily. These bags are to be conveyed only by a private messenger. For bags made up at the General Post Office, lockers for depositing them after ordinary office hours will be provided for an annual rental of £2 per annum. The Regulations impose several obligations on the entities involved. Firstly, those utilising private mail bags must ensure that charges are paid in advance as specified in Regulations 1 and 8. Furthermore, if the bag is made up at the General Post Office, the annual rental for the locker must also be paid. The regulations also specify that the provisions of Regulations 2 to 6 inclusive apply to these private bags. These additional regulations likely cover various aspects such as the format, handling, and delivery of the mail bags, although the specific details of these regulations are not provided in the extract. Breaches of these regulations could lead to various consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text, under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, non-compliance with postal regulations can result in civil or criminal penalties. Typically, civil penalties may include fines, while criminal penalties could involve imprisonment, depending on the severity and nature of the breach. The exact penalties would be determined by the relevant authorities and would be in accordance with the broader provisions of the Act.