STATUTORY RULES.
1918. No. 220.
REGULATION UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901–1916.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this twenty-first day of August, 1918.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
WILLIAM WEBSTER,
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of the Telephone Regulations 1913.
(Statutory Rules 1913, No. 349, as amended by Statutory Rules 1916, No. 85.)
Regulation 52 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—
“(5.) Applications for advance booking of calls may be made by subscribers who desire to make a certain number of trunk line calls each day for a period of not less than six consecutive days, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, and may be granted subject to the following conditions:—
(a) The number of advance booked calls allowed to a subscriber shall not exceed two per day per trunk line between any two towns;
(b) One call per day per trunk line may be booked when not less than two trunk line calls are made daily between the same two towns, during the period for which the arrangement is required, and two calls per day per trunk line may be booked in cases where the subscriber’s total trunk line calls between the same two towns amount to four or more daily during that period;
(c) Due notice in writing must be given to the Telephone Manager of the calls which it is desired to book in advance, the times at which it is desired to make the calls, and the period for which the arrangement is required;
(d) No guarantee will be given in respect of calls booked in advance, but the Department will endeavour to effect them at the time desired, or as soon thereafter as the circuit is disengaged;
(e) If the call be not accepted by the subscriber when offered, he shall pay the usual trunk line fee, notwithstanding that the call is not effected;
(f) Subject to the next succeeding paragraph, the subscriber shall pay the charges for two or four trunk line calls daily, as the case may be, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, notwithstanding that such calls may not have been effected;
(g) When advance booked calls cannot be made owing to the line being interrupted, the subscriber will be advised by the Department and the fees for such calls shall not be charged.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by H. J. Green, Acting Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
Overview
The Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to regulate the provision of postal and telegraph services across the nation. This legislative instrument, Statutory Rules 1918, No. 220, amends the Telephone Regulations 1913 to address the growing demand for efficient management of trunk line call bookings. The regulation introduces a structured system for advance booking of calls, imposing specific limits and conditions to ensure fair and equitable access to telephone services. The policy objective is to streamline call bookings, thereby improving service reliability and subscriber satisfaction, while maintaining the integrity and operational efficiency of the telephone network. The amendments were made by the Governor-General in Council, acting on the advice of the Postmaster-General, reflecting the federal government’s commitment to updating and enhancing communication services.
Scope and Application
The amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916, specifically addressing the Telephone Regulations 1913, applies to subscribers who wish to make advance bookings for trunk line calls. This regulation pertains to the Commonwealth of Australia and is intended to manage and organise the advance booking process for telephone calls between specified towns, ensuring a structured approach to handling trunk line communications. The regulation imposes certain conditions and limitations on the number of calls that can be booked in advance, with a cap of two calls per day per trunk line between any two towns, and provisions for additional bookings based on the volume of daily calls between those towns. The regulation also includes stipulations regarding the requirement for written notice, the lack of guarantee for the booked calls, and the payment obligations in cases where calls are not accepted or cannot be completed due to line interruptions. The regulation does not specify exclusions or exemptions, and its application is not extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, as detailed in the statutory rules.
Key Provisions
The amended Regulation 52 under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916 introduces provisions for the advance booking of trunk line calls, as detailed in the new sub-regulation (5). Subscribers can apply to make a certain number of trunk line calls each day for a period of at least six consecutive days, excluding Sundays and public holidays. This service comes with specific conditions: subscribers are limited to a maximum of two calls per day per trunk line between any two towns (section 52(5)(a)). If a subscriber makes at least two calls daily between the same two towns during the booking period, one call can be booked in advance, or two calls can be booked if the subscriber makes four or more daily calls between the two towns (section 52(5)(b)). Subscribers must provide written notice to the Telephone Manager, detailing the calls they wish to book, the desired times, and the required period (section 52(5)(c)). Importantly, there is no guarantee that the calls will be connected as scheduled, but the Department will endeavour to connect them at the specified time or as soon as the circuit is available (section 52(5)(d)). If a booked call is not accepted by the subscriber when offered, they are still required to pay the usual trunk line fee (section 52(5)(e)). Subscribers will also be charged for the booked calls, regardless of whether they are successfully connected (section 52(5)(f)). In the event that the line is interrupted and the booked calls cannot be made, subscribers will be notified by the Department, and no fees will be charged for those calls (section 52(5)(g)).
The obligations imposed by these regulations on subscribers include the need to provide written notice of their advance booking requests, detailing the calls, times, and duration. Subscribers must also be prepared to pay for the booked calls, irrespective of whether they are successfully connected. Furthermore, if a subscriber does not accept a booked call when offered, they must still pay the trunk line fee. In cases where the line is interrupted, subscribers must accept that their booked calls cannot be made and that no fees will be charged for those calls.
Failure to comply with the terms of the advance booking may lead to civil consequences, including the obligation to pay fees for booked calls that are not accepted or are not connected due to line interruptions. While the regulations do not explicitly detail criminal penalties for breach, any failure to adhere to the conditions could potentially lead to disputes or liabilities under the broader terms of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901–1916. The exact penalties for non-compliance are not specified in the regulations themselves but would likely be determined by the Department or through legal proceedings under the Act.