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

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1911, No. 74, issued under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910, introduces a Provisional Regulation to address the need for urgent amendments to the General Postal Regulations, particularly regarding the payment of postage by the receiver. This regulation was enacted to expedite the process of updating postal regulations without waiting for the formal parliamentary process, reflecting the urgency of the amendments required. The regulation was approved by the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, ensuring that the changes could be implemented immediately. The primary policy objective of this regulation was to facilitate the sending of postal articles to Mr. J.H. Catts, the Member of the House of Representatives and General Secretary of the Amalgamated Railway and Tramway Association, without the prepayment of postage by the sender, while requiring the receiver to pay the postage at prepaid rates upon delivery.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910 pertains to the General Postal Regulations, specifically addressing the payment of postage by the receiver. This regulation applies to postal articles bearing a printed address of Mr. J.H. Catts, who is the Member of the House of Representatives, the Honorary General Secretary of the Amalgamated Railway and Tramway Association, and whose address is the Trades Hall in Sydney. Unlike typical postal transactions, these articles may be sent without the sender prepaying the postage, with the requirement instead that the recipient pays the postage upon delivery at prepaid rates. This regulation is issued under the urgent circumstances acknowledged by the Governor-General, Dudley, and is effective immediately as a Provisional Regulation. The geographic scope of this regulation is national, affecting all postal services within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulation does not explicitly state exclusions or exemptions beyond the specified address, and its application is extended through the statutory rules mechanism under the authority of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910.

Key Provisions

The amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910, specifically the General Postal Regulations, introduces a new provision concerning the postage payment for postal articles addressed to Mr. J.H. Catts, M.H.R., the Hon. General Secretary of the Amalgamated Railway and Tramway Association, at Trades Hall in Sydney. According to this amendment (section 1), postal articles addressed to this specific individual can be sent by post without the sender prepaying the postage. However, the recipient, Mr. Catts, is required to pay the postage at the prepaid rates upon the delivery of the article to him (section 1). The obligation imposed on the recipient, Mr. J.H. Catts, is to pay the postage on postal articles addressed to him at the prepaid rates upon delivery, as specified in the amended Regulation (section 1). This requirement ensures that the sender is not burdened with the responsibility of prepaying the postage, while the recipient bears the obligation of settling the postage fees once the item is delivered. As per the amended Regulation, there are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences outlined for failure to comply with the postage payment requirement. However, it is implied that failure to pay the postage upon delivery could result in the postal service provider refusing to deliver or returning the postal article to the sender. It is essential for Mr. Catts to adhere to the regulation to ensure the smooth delivery of postal articles addressed to him.