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

Legislation au C1911L00135 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1911. No. 135

 

PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1910.

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 1901-1910, namely:—

Telegraphic Regulations.

Telegrams within the Commonwealth—Transaction of Business after usual Office Hours.

Telephone Regulations.

Part XIX.—Miscellaneous—Transaction of Business after usual Office Hours,

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

Dated this 6th day of September, One thousand nine hundred and eleven.

DEMMAN,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

JOSIAH THOMAS.

 

Telegraphic Regulations.

Telegrams within the Commonwealth.

Transaction of Business after usual Office Hours.

The Regulation under this head (Gazette No. 48 of 10th October, 1902, page 516) is repealed, and the following Regulations substituted in lieu thereof:—

1. Arrangements may be made to keep any official or semi-official office open for the transmission of telegrams after the ordinary business hours, upon notice being given to the officer in charge at least one hour before the ordinary time of closing, and upon payment of a deposit of 2s. 6d. for the first hour, or portion thereof, and 1s. 6d. for every subsequent hour, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open. If more than one office is so kept open, these fees shall be payable in respect of each office. All telegrams transmitted must be paid for at the usual rates.

2. In cases of a specially urgent nature, where it is not possible to give the notice stipulated in Regulation 1, telegrams may be transmitted after the ordinary business hours, provided the attention of the officer in charge of the office with which it is desired to transact business can be obtained. The charges for this service will be the same as indicated in Regulation 1.

 

 

 

 

C.14416. —Price 3d.


3. Only the person who pays for keeping an office open after the ordinary business hours is entitled to transact business during such special attendance. Should any other person desire to transact business at such times, he may do so on payment of the above-mentioned charges.

4. Similar arrangements may be made at allowance post-offices, in cases where the postmasters are willing to give the necessary attendance, on payment of a fee not exceeding 1s for each thirty minutes, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open, in addition to the ordinary Departmental charges for the transmission of telegrams.

Telephone Regulations.

Part XIX.—Miscellaneous.

Transaction of Business after usual Office Hours.

Regulation 126 under this head (Statutory Rules 1906, No. 114, as amended by Statutory Rules 1907, No. 103, and 1911, No. 64), is repealed, and the following Regulation substituted in lieu thereof:—

126. (1) Arrangements may be made to keep any official or semi-official office open for the transmission of telephone messages after the ordinary business hours, upon notice being given to the officer in charge at least one hour before the ordinary time of closing, and upon payment of a deposit of 2s. 6d. for the first hour, or portion thereof, and 1s. 6d. for every subsequent hour, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open. If more than one office is so kept open, these fees shall be payable in respect of each office. All telephone messages transmitted must be paid for at the usual rates.

(2) In cases of a specially urgent nature, where it is not possible to give the notice stipulated in the preceding paragraph, telephone messages may be transmitted after the ordinary business hours, provided the attention of the officer in charge of the office with which it is desired to transact business can be obtained. The charges for this service will be the same as indicated in paragraph (1).

(3) Only the person who pays for keeping an office open after the ordinary business hours is entitled to transact business during such special attendance. Should any other person desire to transact business at such times, he may do so on payment of the above-mentioned charges.

(4) Similar arrangements may be made at allowance post-offices, in cases where the postmasters are willing to give the necessary attendance, on payment of a fee not exceeding 1s. for each thirty minutes, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open, in addition to the ordinary Departmental charges for the transmission of telephone messages.

 

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

Overview

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910, enacted in 1911, address the need for urgent communications outside of regular business hours. These regulations, issued by the Governor-General on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, allow for the provision of telegram and telephone services after standard operating hours, provided that notice is given in advance and appropriate fees are paid. This legislative instrument aims to facilitate the transaction of urgent business communications during non-standard hours, ensuring that essential services remain available to the public despite the constraints of regular office hours. The policy objective is to provide a flexible and responsive framework for the operation of post and telegraph services in extraordinary circumstances, thereby enhancing the accessibility and reliability of these services for the Commonwealth.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910, specifically concerning telegraphic and telephone services, apply to official and semi-official offices within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations pertain to the transaction of business beyond usual office hours, requiring prior notice to the officer in charge and payment of specific fees. For telegraphic services, a deposit of 2s. 6d. is required for the first hour of extended service, with a subsequent charge of 1s. 6d. for each additional hour. Similarly, telephone services demand a fee of 2s. 6d. for the initial hour of extended service, followed by 1s. 6d. per additional hour. Telegrams and telephone messages transmitted during these extended hours must be paid at the standard rates. Notably, only the person who pays for the extended service is entitled to transact business, although others may do so by paying the specified charges. Furthermore, similar arrangements can be made at allowance post-offices for a fee of up to 1s. for every thirty minutes of extended service, in addition to the standard departmental charges.

Key Provisions

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910, specifically the Telegraphic and Telephone Regulations, lay out the provisions for conducting business via telegrams and telephones outside of regular business hours. According to the Telegraphic Regulations, official or semi-official offices may remain open for telegram transmissions after usual office hours if notice is given at least one hour prior and a fee is paid. The fee structure is 2s. 6d. for the first hour or part thereof, and 1s. 6d. for each subsequent hour or part thereof (Regulation 1). In cases of urgency where the required notice cannot be given, telegrams can still be transmitted if the officer in charge can be reached, with the same fee structure applying (Regulation 2). Only the person who pays the fee can use the service, though others may do so for an additional fee (Regulation 3). Similar provisions apply to allowance post offices, where a fee of up to 1s. for each thirty minutes or part thereof is charged (Regulation 4). These regulations impose specific obligations on the parties involved. Offices that wish to remain open for telegram transmissions after hours must provide prior notice and pay the requisite fees. Similarly, for telephone transmissions, the same notice and fee requirements apply, along with the condition that only the fee-paying individual is entitled to use the service unless others also pay the fee (Regulations 126(1)-(3)). Allowance post offices must also be willing to provide attendance and adhere to the fee structure outlined in the regulations (Regulation 126(4)). Failure to comply with these regulations may lead to civil or administrative penalties, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the text. The overarching principle is that fees must be paid for services rendered outside of regular business hours, and unauthorized use of these services may incur additional charges. Given the historical context of these regulations, it is likely that non-compliance could result in financial penalties or other administrative actions as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Commercial Law
Instrument
Legislative Instrument
Concepts
Regulatory Standards
Enforcement Powers
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Compliance Obligations

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.