Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1916 No. 108, which amended the Telephone Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, was enacted to establish and regulate the charges for private telephone line services connected with telegraph offices. This legislative instrument was made by the Governor-General, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, and it aimed to provide clear guidelines on the fees associated with private telephone communications, including those for messengers and conversation durations. The Postmaster-General, William Webster, played a key role in the issuance of these regulations. The primary policy objective of these regulations was to standardise and formalise the charges for telephone services, ensuring that there was transparency and fairness in the billing practices for both the callers and the service providers.

Scope and Application

The amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 pertains to charges for conversations over private telephone lines connected with a telegraph office. This regulation applies to conversations between a licensee and any other person, as well as between two persons who use the line with the licensee's consent. The charges include a fee for a messenger sent to call a person to the office, additional porterage charges for calls beyond the free delivery radius of telegrams, and a charge for each three-minute conversation. These charges are payable by the caller regardless of whether the recipient answers. The regulation also specifies that no charges other than those outlined may be made for these conversations. Furthermore, it exempts the licensee and bona fide employees from charges when speaking over their private line from the Post Office. Notably, subscribers as of a specified date are restricted from charging more than a certain amount without the Postmaster-General's authority until a designated future date. This regulation is applicable on a national level as it is a Commonwealth legislative instrument.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this amended Regulation pertain to the fees associated with using private telephone lines connected to telegraph offices. Under Regulation 86(1), a charge of 3d is stipulated for a messenger sent to call a person residing within the usual radius of free telegram delivery. If the person is beyond this radius, the usual porterage charges are added to the 3d. These charges are payable by the caller regardless of whether the person answers the call. For each three-minute conversation, or a portion thereof, a further charge of 2d is imposed. Regulation 86(2) specifies that these charges apply to conversations between the licensee and any other person, as well as between any two persons who use the line with the licensee's consent, though only the specified charges may be applied. Regulation 86(3) allows the licensee or any bona fide employee of the licensee to speak over the private line from the Post Office free of charge. Furthermore, Regulation 86(4) mandates that subscribers who were already subscribers on 15 September 1915 cannot charge more than 1d for the use of their telephone until 10 December 1915 without the Postmaster-General's authority. The amended Regulation imposes specific obligations and requirements on licensees and subscribers of private telephone lines connected to telegraph offices. Licensees must adhere to the outlined fees for messenger services and conversation durations as specified in Regulation 86(1). Subscribers, including those who allow others to use their line with consent, must also comply with these charges. Additionally, Regulation 86(3) provides an exception allowing the licensee or their bona fide employees to use the line without incurring charges. Regulation 86(4) further imposes a restriction on subscribers who were active on 15 September 1915, limiting their charge to 1d until 10 December 1915 unless they obtain the Postmaster-General's authority. Breach of the Regulation may result in civil or criminal consequences. Specifically, charging more than the stipulated amounts without proper authority, as outlined in Regulation 86(4), may be considered an offence. The exact penalties are not specified within the Regulation itself but would be defined under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913. Non-compliance with the fee structures and usage limitations may lead to financial penalties, legal action, or other consequences as determined by the relevant authorities.