Postal, Telegraphic and Telephone Regulations (Amendment) (Provisional)

Legislation au C1907L00102 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1907. No. 102.

 

PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the undermentioned amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, namely:—

Telegraphic Regulations.

Telegrams Within the Commonwealth—Counting and Charging.

Telephone Regulations.

Part IV., Public Telephones.

should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulations to come into operation forthwith as Provisional Regulations.

Dated this twenty-seventh day of September, One thousand nine hundred and seven.

NORTHCOTE,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

SAMUEL MAUGER.

 

TELEGRAPHIC REGULATIONS.

Telegrams Within the Commonwealth.

Counting and Charging.

Regulation 1, under this head, of the Post and Telegraph Regulations, is repealed, and the following Regulation substituted in lieu thereof:—

1. Telegrams may be written—

(a) In plain language, or

(b) In code, or

(c) In cipher, or

(d) In a mixture of plain language, code, and cipher, or of any of them.

1a. The following shall be deemed to be plain language:—

(a) Words contained in Webster’s English Dictionary, whether the words have a connected meaning or not, and,

(b) Words having an intelligible connected meaning, in one or more of the admitted languages (other than English), namely, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Latin, or Japanese, if written with English characters and guaranteed to be without secret meaning.

If there be any doubt on the part of the Receiving Officer that words which do not appear in Webster’s English Dictionary, and which are submitted by the senders as dictionary words, do come within that definition the senders shall be required to show that such words appear in another English dictionary.


1b. The following shall be deemed to be code:—

(a) Words in any admitted language (other than English) having no connected meaning, and

(b) artificial words, pronounceable according to the usage of any of the admitted languages.

1c. The following shall be deemed to be cipher:—

(a) A group of letters, not being a word in plain language or code, or

(b) A group of Arabic figures.

Figure and letter cipher together shall not be allowed in a telegram.

1d. In telegrams in plain language, each word containing not more than fifteen characters shall be counted as one word, and each word containing more than fifteen characters shall be counted as one word for each fifteen characters or part thereof.

1e. In telegrams in code, each word containing not more than ten characters shall be counted as one word, and each word containing more than ten characters shall be counted as one word for each ten characters or part thereof.

1f. In telegrams in cipher, each group of letters or figures shall be counted as one word for each five letters or figures or part thereof.

1g. If a telegram is partly in plain language and partly in code, it shall be charged for as if wholly in code.

1h. If a telegram is partly in plain language or in code and partly in cipher, the part in cipher shall be counted and charged for as cipher and the remainder as code.

1ha. A code or cipher telegram shall be charged for at the rate of one penny per word, but the minimum charge shall be one shilling per telegram.

1hb. Subject to these Regulations, the Regulations as to counting in relation to telegrams beyond the Commonwealth shall apply in relation to telegrams within the Commonwealth.

Telephone Regulations.

Part IV.—Public Telephones—

Statutory Rules 1906, No. 114, are amended by inserting therein, immediately after Regulation 49, the following Regulation:—

49A. Where the estimated revenue therefrom is not equal to the rental payable for a service in accordance with the terms of Part 1. of the Telephone Regulations, a public telephone will be provided on private premises subject to the following conditions: —

(a) The applicant must enter into an agreement to make good to the Postmaster-General any amount by which the revenue from the use of the telephone for any half year falls below the amount of the half-yearly rental which would be payable for a service under Part 1., at the same address.

(b) In addition, the applicant must deposit with the Postmaster-General an amount equal to half of the rental which would be payable for a service under Part I. for six months at the same address.


(c) The deposit shall be held by the Postmaster-General and may be applied in making good any amount payable by the applicant under the agreement and any balance remaining at the expiration of the agreement shall be returned to the applicant.

(d) The agreement must be for one year certain and discontinuance of the service will be subject to Regulation II.

(e) If in any half year the revenue received exceeds the half-yearly rental mentioned in paragraph (a), the excess will be divided equally between the applicant and the Postmaster-General.

(f) All calls originating at the telephone must be paid for at 1d. per call by cash inserted in a coin attachment provided by the Postmaster- General.

(g) All calls inward to the applicant will be allowed free as to an ordinary subscriber.

(h) So far as applicable the provisions of Regulation 49 shall apply to a public telephone under this Regulation.

 

By Authority: J. Kemp, Acting Government Printer, Melbourne.

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1907, No. 102, consist of amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, introduced by the Federal Executive Council and certified by the Governor-General as Provisional Regulations to address immediate operational needs. These regulations pertain to telegraphic services, including the counting and charging of telegrams within the Commonwealth, and telephone services, particularly concerning public telephones. The primary policy objective is to establish clear guidelines for the operation and financial obligations of public telecommunications services, ensuring both the Postmaster-General's revenue requirements are met and the public has access to necessary communication services.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, specifically focusing on Telegraphic Regulations and Telephone Regulations, apply to individuals and entities engaged in the sending and receiving of telegrams and the operation of public telephones within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations establish the methods for counting and charging for telegrams, detailing how telegrams can be written in plain language, code, cipher, or a combination thereof, and prescribing the manner in which they are to be charged based on their content and length. Furthermore, the regulations outline the conditions under which public telephones can be provided on private premises, stipulating agreements and deposits required to cover rental shortfalls and the division of any excess revenue. The application of these regulations is limited to the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring that they govern the internal telecommunications services within the country. Subordinate instruments may extend or modify the application of these regulations as needed.

Key Provisions

The legislative instrument (C1907L00102) amends the existing regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, with a focus on telegraphic communications within the Commonwealth and the provision of public telephones on private premises. Regulation 1 under the Telegraphic Regulations (section 1) now permits telegrams to be sent in various forms, including plain language, code, cipher, or a combination of these, with specific definitions provided for each (sections 1a-1g). It also outlines how telegrams in these different forms are to be counted and charged (sections 1d-1f). Regulation 49A, introduced under the Telephone Regulations (section 49A), sets conditions for the provision of public telephones on private premises where the expected revenue does not cover the rental costs. This includes an agreement by the applicant to compensate for any shortfall in revenue, a deposit equal to half the rental for six months, and specific payment terms for calls originating from the telephone (sections 49A(a)-49A(h)). Under these regulations, parties sending telegrams must ensure compliance with the defined categories of plain language, code, or cipher and be prepared to substantiate any claims about the nature of their message if challenged by the Receiving Officer. For those setting up public telephones on private premises, they must enter into an agreement with the Postmaster-General, making good any revenue shortfalls and paying for all outgoing calls at the specified rate. Additionally, they must adhere to the rules regarding deposits and the return of any remaining balance after the agreement period ends. Breaches of these regulations could lead to various consequences. For example, misrepresentation of the nature of a telegram for the purpose of evading charges could be subject to penalties as outlined in the broader Post and Telegraph Act 1901, although specific penalties are not detailed within the regulations themselves. Similarly, failure to comply with the financial obligations under Regulation 49A could result in disputes over the use of public telephones and potential legal action from the Postmaster-General to recover any unpaid amounts. These provisions ensure that both the senders of telegrams and the providers of public telephones are clearly aware of their obligations and the consequences of non-compliance.

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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.