STATUTORY RULES.
1913. No. 255.
________
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901–1912.
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 Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1912, namely:—
Telegraphic Regulations.
Telegrams within the Commonwealth—Re-direction,
should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a provisional Regulation.
Dated this twenty-fourth day of September, One thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
DENMAN,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
AGAR WYNNE.
______
Telegraphic Regulations.
Telegrams within the Commonwealth—Re-direction.
The Regulation under this head (Gazette No. 26 of 5th June, 1902, page 259, as amended by Statutory Rules 1911, No. 127) is repealed, and the following regulation is inserted in its stead:—
Re-direction.
A telegram may, on the written request of the addressee or his agent, be re-directed and re-transmitted from one office to another within the Commonwealth; such telegram shall, on re-transmission, be charged half rate, with a minimum of 6d., which must be paid before delivery.
A telegram addressed to a hotel or house at which lodgers are received, may, if the addressee has left such hotel or house, be returned, if unopened, to the office from which it was delivered, with an indorsement on the cover containing instructions as to its further transmission; such instructions must be signed and dated by the proprietor of such hotel or house, or his servant, who, for the purpose of this regulation, shall be deemed to be the agent of the addressee of such telegram.
A telegram intended for delivery from an office within the metropolitan area of a capital city, and wrongly addressed to the capital city instead of to the office of intended delivery, and any re-directed telegram, the original and second addresses of which are within a radius of three miles from a General Post Office, may be re-directed and delivered or re-transmitted and delivered without additional charge.
_____________________
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. By Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.14094.—Price 3d.
Overview
Statutory Rules 1913 No. 255, known as the Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1912, was introduced to address the need for more efficient and flexible handling of telegrams within Australia. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations aimed to provide a provisional framework that allowed for urgent changes to existing telegraphic regulations. The primary policy objective was to streamline the re-direction and re-transmission of telegrams, ensuring that they could be more effectively managed within the Commonwealth. This was particularly important in situations where the addressee had moved or in cases of misaddressed telegrams, thereby reducing unnecessary costs and improving service efficiency.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, specifically the Telegraphic Regulations concerning the re-direction of telegrams, apply to telegrams within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations allow for the re-direction of a telegram upon written request from the addressee or their agent, facilitating its re-transmission from one office to another within the Commonwealth. The re-directed telegram is subject to a half-rate charge, with a minimum charge of six pence, payable prior to delivery. Additionally, if a telegram is addressed to a hotel or house with lodgers and the addressee has departed, it can be returned unopened to the original office for further instructions, provided these instructions are signed and dated by the proprietor or their servant acting as the addressee's agent. Furthermore, telegrams mistakenly addressed to a capital city instead of the intended metropolitan office, or those within a three-mile radius from a General Post Office, can be re-directed or re-transmitted without incurring additional charges. The provisions of these regulations are enforced through subordinate instruments which may further define or amend the application of these rules.
Key Provisions
The main provisions of the Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1912 pertain to the re-direction of telegrams within the Commonwealth (section 1). This regulation allows for the re-direction and re-transmission of telegrams from one office to another within the Commonwealth upon a written request from the addressee or their agent. The regulation specifies that such telegrams must be charged half the normal rate, with a minimum charge of six pence, and this fee must be paid before delivery (section 1). Additionally, if a telegram addressed to a hotel or house where lodgers are received is not claimed by the addressee and they have left, it can be returned unopened to the delivering office. The proprietor or their servant must then sign and date instructions on the cover detailing how the telegram should be further transmitted (section 1).
The obligations imposed by this Act on the parties involved, primarily the addressees of telegrams, are to provide a written request for re-direction and ensure that the required fees are paid before the telegram is delivered. The proprietors or servants of hotels and houses where lodgers are received must also provide signed and dated instructions if a telegram is returned unopened (section 1). The postal service is obligated to facilitate these re-directions and re-transmissions as requested and to adhere to the specified charge structure.
The consequences for non-compliance with the regulations are not explicitly detailed within the text of the legislation. However, it can be inferred that failure to adhere to the provisions regarding re-direction and re-transmission could potentially result in administrative penalties or refusal of service. Given the regulatory context, non-compliance might also lead to civil liabilities or actions for any resultant damages or costs incurred due to improper handling of telegrams. There is no mention of specific criminal penalties within the text, but it is understood that breaches of postal regulations can lead to legal actions under the broader framework of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1912.