STATUTORY RULES.
1931. No. 70.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1923.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following amendment of the Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this fifth day of June, 1931.
ISAAC A. ISAACS
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
A. E. GREEN
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of the Telegraph Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1927, No. 142, as amended to this date.)
1. Telegraph Regulation 45 is amended by omitting from sub-regulation (4.) the word “Receipt” and inserting in lieu thereof the word “Delivery”.
2. Telegraph Regulation 46 is omitted and the following new regulation inserted in its stead:—
“46. Where a messenger is not employed at the office of destination prompt delivery cannot be guaranteed, but every effort shall be made to effect delivery as early as practicable. If special arrangements for delivery are desired and can be made, the actual cost of such delivery shall be charged.”
3. Telegraph Regulation 57 is repealed and the following new regulation inserted in its stead:—
“57. (l.) A telegram may be re-directed and re-transmitted from one office to another within the Commonwealth, on the written request of the addressee or his representative, or in the absence of any such request the telegram may be re-directed officially when it is learnt by the Department’s officers that the addressee has moved to a new address. A telegram for re-transmission shall bear the remarks “Re-transmitted from” followed by the name of the office re-directing the telegram. These words shall be counted and charged for.
(2.) The charges for re-transmission by telegraph shall be at the prescribed rates for telegrams from the office re-transmitting the telegram to the new office of destination.
(3.) The charges prescribed for re-transmission shall be paid before the telegram is delivered.
1244.—Price 3d.
(4.) A person may request in writing that telegrams addressed to him be re-directed and forwarded by post to another address within the Commonwealth. No postage shall be charged on such telegrams.
(5.) A telegram intended for delivery from an office within the metropolitan area of a capital city or within the town area of any town and wrongly addressed to any telegraph office within that area shall be re-transmitted and delivered without additional charge.
(6.) If re-transmission by telegraph is not involved, no extra charge shall be made for re-direction of a telegram from one address to another.
(7.) Written notice of removal and instruction respecting the delivery of telegrams at hours when the addressee’s place of business is closed shall be registered free of charge.
(8.) The re-transmission of a Commonwealth telegram to a place outside the Commonwealth shall be subject to the sender or the addressee having prepaid the charges involved.”
By Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1931, No. 70, introduced amendments to the Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, with the intention of improving the efficiency and flexibility of telegraph services within the Commonwealth. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, the regulations sought to address the need for more efficient re-direction and delivery of telegrams. The policy objective was to ensure that telegrams could be re-directed and delivered as effectively as possible, with appropriate charges for services rendered, while also accommodating special requests for delivery timing and destination changes. This legislative instrument was designed to provide clearer guidelines and charge structures for the re-transmission of telegrams, ensuring both the postal service's operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Scope and Application
The Statutory Rules 1931, No. 70, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1923, detail amendments to the existing Telegraph Regulations. These amendments apply to persons and entities within the Commonwealth of Australia and pertain to the conduct and transactions involving the re-transmission and delivery of telegrams. The geographic scope of the Act is limited to the Commonwealth, thereby affecting the delivery and re-transmission of telegrams across Australia. Specific exclusions include situations where re-transmission of a telegram to a place outside the Commonwealth is not subject to these regulations unless prepaid by the sender or addressee. The regulations also introduce new provisions concerning the costs and procedures for re-transmission and delivery, and provide for certain exemptions, such as the free registration of written notices of removal and instructions for delivery outside business hours. These amendments are to come into operation immediately, reflecting the intent to swiftly update and clarify the existing framework governing telegram services.
Key Provisions
The primary sections of this statutory rule amendment pertain to the adjustment of existing regulations under the Telegraph Regulations, particularly focusing on the re-direction and re-transmission of telegrams. Regulation 45 now requires the delivery of telegrams to be confirmed instead of receipt (Regulation 45(4)). Regulation 46 establishes that while prompt delivery cannot be guaranteed if a messenger is not employed at the destination office, efforts will be made to deliver as soon as possible. It also allows for special delivery arrangements, which will incur additional charges (Regulation 46). Regulation 57 has been amended extensively to outline new procedures for re-directing telegrams, including the ability to re-direct and re-transmit telegrams within the Commonwealth upon request or official notice of a change of address (Regulation 57(1)). The charges for re-transmission must be paid before delivery (Regulation 57(3)), and there are specific provisions for re-transmitting telegrams to other addresses within the Commonwealth, either by telegraph or post, with associated costs and conditions (Regulation 57(4) and (5)).
The amended regulations impose several obligations on both the Postmaster-General's Department and the public. The Department is required to make every effort to deliver telegrams as early as practicable, even if a messenger is not employed at the destination office (Regulation 46). When a request is made for re-direction or re-transmission of a telegram, the Department must comply with the request or act upon official notice of a change of address (Regulation 57(1)). The Department must also ensure that all charges for re-transmission are paid before delivery (Regulation 57(3)). On the other hand, individuals and entities sending telegrams must ensure they provide written instructions for re-direction or re-transmission when necessary and must pay any applicable charges for such services.
Breach of the provisions outlined in these regulations can lead to various consequences. For instance, if charges for re-transmission are not paid before delivery, this may result in delays or refusal of service. Additionally, if special delivery arrangements are requested without the appropriate charges being paid, the Department may not fulfil those requests. There are no explicit penalties stated in the regulations for non-compliance, but failure to adhere to the stipulated procedures could lead to service disruptions or additional costs for the sender. It is important to note that while the regulations do not specify maximum penalties, any breaches of these provisions could potentially lead to civil or administrative consequences as determined by the applicable laws and policies of the time.