Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1938, No. 4, issued under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934, amends the existing Telephone Regulations to update the charges for specific services within the telephone directories. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, this legislative instrument responds to the need for updated fee structures in response to changes in postal and telegraph services. The primary objective of these amendments is to ensure the continued financial viability of the directory services provided by the postal service while keeping the charges transparent and accessible to the public. The changes in the fees reflect an effort to adapt to the evolving nature of communication services and to maintain the accuracy and completeness of the directories.

Scope and Application

The regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934 primarily apply to subscribers who wish to have their names, occupations, or addresses inserted in the Telephone Directory, with specific amendments to the fees for such services. These regulations govern the charges for subscribers who choose to have their entries in block type instead of ordinary type, as well as the additional fees for extra words and entries. The changes affect the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmanian, and country telephone directories, each with specified charge structures for different scenarios. These regulations extend across the Commonwealth, impacting all subscribers within the territories covered by the respective directories. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions in the provided text, and the application of these regulations is direct, without mention of subordinate instruments extending or restricting their scope.

Key Provisions

The legislative instrument C1938L00004, issued under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934, introduces specific amendments to the Telephone Regulations. Most notably, Regulation 77 (paragraph 1) is repealed and replaced with new provisions that allow subscribers to have their names, occupations, or addresses inserted in block type in the Telephone Directory (Regulation 77). This change comes with specified charges, which vary depending on the city and the number of words or lines involved (Regulation 77). Additionally, Regulation 79 (paragraph 2) is repealed and replaced with updated charges for extra words and additional entries in the Telephone Directory, with differentiated rates for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania, and country directories (Regulation 79). These regulations impose specific obligations on subscribers who wish to have their entries in the Telephone Directory formatted in block type or include extra words and additional entries. Subscribers must pay the prescribed charges as outlined in Regulation 77 for block type entries and in Regulation 79 for extra words and additional entries. Failure to pay these charges could result in the subscriber's entry not being formatted or included as requested. The regulations also clarify that these charges are in addition to the particulars specified in Regulation 75, ensuring that all aspects of the subscriber's request are met upon payment. Failure to comply with these regulations could lead to consequences, although the specific offences, penalties, or consequences are not detailed within the provided text. Generally, non-compliance with postal or telephone regulations might result in administrative actions, such as fines or other penalties, as stipulated by the overarching Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1934. The exact penalties would depend on the nature and severity of the breach and would be determined in accordance with the relevant legal framework at the time.