STATUTORY RULES.
1917. No. 148.
REGULATIONS 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 Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this eleventh day of July, One thousand nine hundred and seventeen.
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.)
1. Regulation 35 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—
35. Subject to the provisions of Regulations 36 and 37, and payment of the fees prescribed therein, subscribers may, on giving written notice to that effect, have telegrams addressed to them forwarded by telephone from the Telegraph Office of destination to their telephone address, provided that the Telegraph Office and the subscribers are connected to the same Telephone Exchange or network, and copies of such telegrams will, at the same time, be either posted for delivery to their address, or delivered by messenger, as is most convenient to the Department. Such telegrams will be stamped on the face, “Transmitted by Telephone.”
2. Regulation 40 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—
40. In addition to the rates specified herein, the cost of the telegram must be paid at the usual rates for telegrams, but the use of the telephone for sending or receiving telegrams will be counted and charged as a call in those cases only where the annual fee prescribed by Regulation 37 is paid.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.7762.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1917, No. 148, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, address the need to update the existing regulations concerning the transmission of telegrams by telephone. Enacted by the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these regulations aim to streamline the process for subscribers to receive telegrams via telephone while ensuring proper charges are applied. The policy objective is to facilitate communication by integrating telephone services with telegraphy, providing a more efficient means for subscribers to receive telegrams while maintaining a clear structure for billing and service provision. This legislative instrument seeks to modernise and refine the existing regulatory framework to better suit the evolving communication needs of the time.
Scope and Application
The Statutory Rules 1917, No. 148, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, amend the existing Telephone Regulations of 1913 to refine the procedures and charges associated with the forwarding of telegrams via telephone. The regulations apply to subscribers who wish to have telegrams addressed to them forwarded by telephone, provided that both the telegraph office and the subscriber's location are connected to the same telephone exchange or network. These subscribers must give written notice to effect this service and must also pay the prescribed fees. The changes include the insertion of a new regulation that allows telegrams to be stamped with "Transmitted by Telephone" and stipulates that copies of these telegrams will either be posted or delivered by messenger as per the Department's convenience. Additionally, there is a new regulation that specifies the costs associated with the use of the telephone for telegram transmission, which will be charged as a call if the annual fee is paid, in addition to the usual telegram rates. The regulations are applicable across the Commonwealth of Australia and come into operation immediately upon issuance.
Key Provisions
The primary operative sections of these Regulations concern the forwarding of telegrams via telephone, with the most significant being Regulation 35, which permits subscribers to have telegrams addressed to them forwarded by telephone from the Telegraph Office of destination to their telephone address, provided certain conditions are met (Reg. 35). This includes the necessity for the Telegraph Office and the subscriber's location to be connected to the same Telephone Exchange or network. Additionally, these telegrams must be stamped "Transmitted by Telephone" on the face, and copies of such telegrams will be posted for delivery to their address or delivered by messenger as most convenient for the Department (Reg. 35). Regulation 40 pertains to the payment of the cost of telegrams, which must be paid at the usual rates for telegrams, but charges for the use of the telephone in sending or receiving telegrams will only be counted and charged as a call if the annual fee prescribed by Regulation 37 is paid (Reg. 40).
These Regulations impose certain obligations on parties involved in the transmission of telegrams via telephone. Subscribers must provide written notice if they wish to have telegrams forwarded by telephone (Reg. 35). They must also ensure that both the Telegraph Office and their own telephone are connected to the same Telephone Exchange or network. Furthermore, the Department must ensure that copies of such telegrams are either posted or delivered by messenger, and that the telegrams are appropriately stamped "Transmitted by Telephone" (Reg. 35). Additionally, subscribers must pay the usual rates for telegrams and, if they wish to have the telephone charges counted as a call, they must also pay the annual fee prescribed by Regulation 37 (Reg. 40).
Breach of these Regulations may lead to civil or criminal consequences, although specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the text. However, given the context of statutory regulation, it can be inferred that non-compliance with these provisions might attract penalties under the overarching Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916. These penalties could include fines or other enforcement actions as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities.