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

Legislation au C1907L00016 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1907. No. 16.

 

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:—

Money Orders,

should come into operation on 2nd April, 1907, and make the amended Regulations to come into operation on that date as Provisional Regulations.

Dated this fifth day of March, One thousand nine hundred and seven.

NORTHCOTE,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

AUSTIN CHAPMAN.

 

Money Orders.

Regulation 4, made by Statutory Rules, 1906, No. 40, is repealed, and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

4. The rates of commission chargeable for the issue of Money Orders shall be—

If Payable in—

For Sums—

Not exceeding £2.

Exceeding £2 but not exceeding £5.

Exceeding £5 but not exceeding £7.

Exceeding £7 but not exceeding £10.

Exceeding £10 but not exceeding £12.

Exceeding £12 but not exceeding £15.

Exceeding £15 but not exceeding £17.

Exceeding £17 but not exceeding £20.

 

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The Commonwealth.........

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6

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1

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6

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6

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2

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New Zealand and Fiji........

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6

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6

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United Kingdom, other British Possessions, and Foreign Countries 

 

6d. for each pound or fraction of a pound.

Regulations 3, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, of the Postal Regulations (published in the Commonwealth Gazette of the 5th June, 1902) under the head “Money Orders” are repealed, and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

3. Money orders shall be issued and paid as under—

At the Chief Money Order Office of each State—Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.

C.3711—Price 3d.


At all other Money Order Offices within the Commonwealth daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; but offices may be opened and closed at other hours when deemed necessary by the Postmaster-General.

6. No single order payable in the Commonwealth, the United States of America, or Italy, may be issued for more than £20, nor for more than £40 to the United Kingdom (and places viâ the United Kingdom), Germany (and German Protectorates), Canada, Fiji, New Zealand, Cape Colony, Orange River Colony, The Transvaal, Natal, Hong Kong, India, Ceylon (and places viâ Ceylon), the Straits Settlements, and Tonga; to all other places the limit is £10. Two or more orders may be obtained when it is desired to remit larger amounts. No order may contain a fraction of a penny.

14. An order once issued shall not be cancelled, and if repayment, alteration of name of payee, correction of error in name of remitter or payee, or transfer of payment to a different office be required, application must be made on a form provided for the purpose, and obtainable at any money order office. Every such application must be accompanied by postage stamps or a postal note to the value of 6d. in the cases of alteration or correction of name, and to the value of the amount of commission chargeable on an order for a like sum in the cases of repayment or transfer of payment.

15. The remitter of a money order may apply at the issuing office for an alteration in the name of the payee or remitter, and it may be granted, provided the application is in writing, and accompanied by the prescribed fee, and the issuing officer is satisfied that the applicant is the remitter. If a telegraph order, the alteration shall only be sent by post.

16. If it be desired to stop payment of an order payable in the Commonwealth, notice, accompanied by a fee of 6d., must be sent to the office at which the order is payable.

17. If a money order payable in the Commonwealth be lost, a duplicate may be obtained on application to the Chief Money Order Office in the State of payment (or, if the order was issued in the Commonwealth, at the Chief Money Order Office in the State of issue or payment), and on payment of a fee of 6d. Printed forms of application may be obtained at any Money Order Office. In the case of an order payable beyond the Commonwealth, application must be made by the payee to the Chief Money Order Office of the country in which the order is payable.

18. The transfer of a money order payable at any Money Order Office in the Commonwealth to any other Money Order Office in the Commonwealth may be arranged on the following conditions:—

(a) The application must be made by the payee in writing, and be accompanied by the prescribed fee, and must contain the names of the payee and remitter;

(b) The money order must be enclosed, and be correctly receipted by the payee;

(c) If a telegraph order, it shall only be transferred by post, and on receipt of remitter’s message to payee with an instruction to transfer, or a receipt written thereon properly signed by the payee.


19. Repayment of a money order issued in the Commonwealth may be applied for by the remitter. Application must be made in writing, and be accompanied by the prescribed fee, and should be made to the issuing office, if convenient; if not, it may be made direct to the Chief Money Order Office of the State or country of payment. It must be stated on the application if the remitter has the Money Order; but if it be a telegraph order it must be so stated, and the original receipt given by the officer who issued it must be sent with the application. As repayment cannot be made until payment has been cancelled at the office on which the money order was drawn, sufficient time for this must be allowed by the applicant.

 

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

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1907, No. 16, titled "Provisional Regulations Under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901," were enacted in response to the urgent need to revise the rates of commission for money orders and to establish detailed regulations for their issuance and handling. The enactment was carried out by the Governor-General in Council, reflecting the Commonwealth's authority to regulate postal services and facilitate financial transactions across the nation. The primary policy objective was to streamline and standardise the processes for issuing money orders, ensuring efficiency and clarity in the handling of such financial instruments. These provisional regulations came into effect on 2 April 1907, addressing the immediate need for updated monetary order regulations without the delay associated with formal parliamentary processes.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, specifically addressing Money Orders, apply to the issuance, payment, and management of money orders across various jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the United Kingdom, other British possessions, and foreign countries. The regulations are designed to govern the operational aspects of money orders, such as the rates of commission charged for their issuance, the maximum amounts that can be remitted through a single order, and the procedures for altering, stopping, or repaying money orders. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, extending to the entire Commonwealth of Australia, and international, covering various territories and foreign countries. The regulations also outline the fees and conditions for obtaining duplicates, transferring payments, and making alterations to money orders. The regulations include specific exclusions and thresholds regarding the maximum amounts that can be remitted via a single money order, with varying limits depending on the destination. Furthermore, the application and scope of these regulations can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments as deemed necessary by the Postmaster-General.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 detail the rates of commission for issuing money orders, specify the issuance and payment hours for money orders, and outline the limits on the amount payable via a single money order, among other things. Regulation 4 sets out the rates of commission for money orders payable in various locations, while Regulation 3 details the hours for issuing and paying money orders. Regulation 6 limits the amount payable via a single money order, and Regulations 14 to 19 outline the processes for cancelling, altering, repaying, stopping payment, or transferring money orders. The obligations and requirements imposed by these regulations on the parties involved include ensuring that money orders are issued and paid within the specified hours and limits. The Postmaster-General has the authority to adjust these hours as necessary. Additionally, the regulations require that applications for altering, repaying, stopping payment, or transferring money orders be accompanied by the appropriate fees and submitted on the correct forms. Breach of these regulations may result in various consequences. For instance, attempting to issue a money order exceeding the specified limits or submitting an application without the required fee may be considered an offence. The maximum penalties for such breaches are not explicitly stated in the text, but they could potentially include fines or other civil or criminal penalties as prescribed by the relevant laws. Furthermore, failure to adhere to the stipulated processes for altering, repaying, stopping payment, or transferring money orders could lead to the denial of such requests by the authorities.

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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.