Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1911L00040 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1911. No. 40.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.

(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1910. No. 125.)

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the under-mentioned amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, namely:—

Postal Regulations.

Postcards, Packets—Terms and conditions under which Packets may be transmitted within the Commonwealth.—Registration.—Acknowledgment of delivery of Registered articles.

General Postal Regulations.

Miscellaneous.

Parcels Post.

Prohibited Articles.—Customs Declaration to be made by sender in certain cases.

Telegraphic Regulations.

Telegrams Within the Commonwealth.—Inquiries to be paid for.

Telephone Regulations.

Miscellaneous.—Illicit Telephone Lists.

to come into operation on the Twenty-fifth day of March, 1911.

Dated this third day of March, One thousand nine hundred and eleven.

DUDLEY.

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command.

JOSIAH THOMAS.

 

Postal Regulations.

Post Cards.

Regulation 6 under this head (Statutory Rules 1907, No. 30) is amended by inserting the word “exclusively” after the word “reserved” in the fifth line thereof.

Packets—Terms and conditions under which packets may be transmitted within, the Commonwealth.

Regulation 1 under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 239) is amended by adding after the figure and letters “1 lb.” in the second line the following words, “except in the case of packets containing bonâ fide samples of wine which may weigh, inclusive of packing, up to 20 ounces.”

C.4318.—Price 3d.


Registration.

Paragraph (4) of Regulation 4 under this head (Statutory Rules 1909, No. 42) is repealed and the following new Regulation inserted in lieu thereof:—

(4) Provided that in all cases where the sender pays the prescribed fee to obtain an acknowledgment of receipt of the article, as provided by Section 38 (2) of the Act, delivery shall be made only to the addressee. In such cases the sender may indorse the cover of the article with the words “to be delivered to addressee only.”

Acknowledgment of delivery of registered, articles.

Regulation 1 under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 242) is amended by omitting therefrom the words “or other person to whom it is delivered.”

General Postal Regulations.

Miscellaneous.

The Regulations under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 247) are amended by inserting after Regulation 18 the following Regulation:—

“19. All correspondence must be clearly and legibly addressed in the ordinary way, and nothing may be written or printed on the address side of correspondence which, by tending to prevent the easy and quick reading of the address or in any other way, is likely to embarrass the post-office officials in dealing with it. Contravention of this Regulation may result in correspondence being withheld from delivery. The Department will not undertake to deliver correspondence bearing ‘puzzle’ addresses.”

Parcels Post.

Prohibited Articles.

Regulation 1a under this head (Statutory Rules 1910, No. 36) is repealed, and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

“1a. (1) The posting of parcels containing wine, spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages which—

(a) are not bonâ fide samples not exceeding, in the case of wine, 6 ounces in weight, and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, 3 ounces in weight; and

(b) are not securely packed in accordance with the Regulations, and in such a manner that the aggregate weight of the parcel does not exceed, in the case of wines, 20 ounces, and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, 10 ounces,

is prohibited.

(2) When any parcel posted in contravention of this Regulation is found to contain any alcoholic beverage, it shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal.”

Customs Declaration to be made by Sender in certain cases.

Regulation 1 under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 249) is amended by deleting the words “State of Origin” from the first line and inserting in lieu thereof the word “Commonwealth.”


Telegraphic Regulations.

Telegrams within the Commonwealth.—Inquiries to be paid for.

The Regulation under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 259) is repealed, and the following Regulations substituted in lieu thereof:—

“Telegraphic Inquiries to be paid for.

“1. Telegraphic inquiries of any nature, and the replies thereto, concerning telegrams, must be paid for.

“2. Officers shall not make any telegraphic inquiries in respect of telegrams supposed to be incorrectly sent or received, in any other way than that prescribed by the Regulation under the head of ‘Rectification of Telegrams.’

“3. If error on the part of the Department is shown to have occurred, the amount paid for inquiry and reply shall be refunded as prescribed by the Regulation under the head of ‘Rectification of Telegrams,’ on written application being made to the Postmaster or officer in charge.”

Telephone Regulations.

Miscellaneous.—Illicit Telephone Lists.

Regulation 126a under this head (Statutory Rules 1910, No. 35) is repealed.

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by J. Kemp, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1911, No. 40, amended regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, introducing various changes to postal, telegraphic, and telephone services. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aimed to refine and update the operational framework of these services within the Commonwealth. The overarching policy objective was to improve the efficiency, security, and reliability of postal and communication services, addressing specific gaps such as the regulation of packet weights, the conditions under which telegrams and telephone inquiries would be paid for, and the prohibition of certain items in parcels. These amendments sought to enhance the overall service quality and compliance with regulatory standards.

Scope and Application

The Post and Telegraph Act 1901 is regulated by the amended Statutory Rules 1911 No. 40, which pertain to various aspects of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic services within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations govern the terms and conditions under which postcards, packets, and parcels may be transmitted, the process of registration and acknowledgment of delivery of registered articles, and the handling of prohibited articles in parcels. The regulations also address the payment of fees for telegraphic inquiries, the prohibition of illicit telephone lists, and the customs declaration requirements for certain parcels. These regulations apply to individuals and entities sending or receiving mail and telegraphic messages within Australia. They also cover transactions involving the posting of goods, including the restrictions on the weight and type of alcoholic beverages that can be sent. The regulations extend to the entire Commonwealth, thus applying to all states and territories within Australia. There are specific exclusions and conditions, such as the allowance for bona fide samples of wine under certain weight limits and the requirement for clear and legible addressing of all correspondence. The application of these regulations may be further refined or extended through subordinate instruments, enabling the administration to adapt to changes in postal and telecommunication practices and technologies.

Key Provisions

The amended Postal Regulations, under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, introduce several key changes. Firstly, Regulation 6 concerning postcards is amended by inserting the word “exclusively” after “reserved,” likely specifying the exclusive use of certain services or items. Secondly, Regulation 1 under the section on Packets—Terms and conditions under which packets may be transmitted within the Commonwealth—is modified to allow packets containing bona fide samples of wine to weigh up to 20 ounces, inclusive of packing, despite the general limit of 1 pound. Thirdly, Regulation 4(4) under Registration is updated to ensure that delivery of registered articles is made only to the addressee if the sender pays the prescribed fee for acknowledgment of receipt, with an option to mark the cover “to be delivered to addressee only.” Furthermore, Regulation 1 under the section on Acknowledgment of delivery of registered articles is amended to clarify that acknowledgment applies solely to the addressee. These regulations impose several obligations on postal service users. Senders of correspondence must ensure that all addresses are clear, legible, and free from any obstructive writing or printing, as outlined in the new Regulation 19 under General Postal Regulations. For Parcels Post, senders are prohibited from posting parcels containing more than specified quantities of alcoholic beverages unless they are bona fide samples and securely packed, as detailed in the amended Regulation 1a. Additionally, senders must make customs declarations in certain cases, as updated in the amended Regulation 1 under the same section. Violations of these regulations may result in several consequences. Contravention of Regulation 19 could lead to the withholding of correspondence, and parcels that do not comply with the restrictions on alcoholic beverages will be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal. Furthermore, under the Telegraphic Regulations, any inquiries or replies concerning telegrams must be paid for, and failure to comply could result in penalties as outlined in the new Regulations. While specific penalties are not detailed within the provided text, they are likely to be governed by the broader provisions of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 or subsequent amendments.

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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.