Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1915L00242 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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statutory rules.

1915. No. 242.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.

(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1915, No. 164.)

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 Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this fifteenth day of December, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

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 Regulation 11 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

11. (1) Except in the cases, referred to in Regulation 12, where spare or idle complete lines already exist from the premises of an intending subscriber to the Exchange, telephone lines must be rented for a period certain of one year at least, or for each longer time as the Deputy Postmaster-General decides, and thereafter the renting shall continue unless and until determined by notice in accordance with this Regulation.

(2) On or at any time after the expiration of the period certain, the renting of the line, or of any extension thereof, may be determined—

(a) by the subscriber giving to the Deputy Postmaster-General one month’s previous notice in writing of his intention to discontinue the use of the line or extension; or

(b) by the Deputy Postmaster-General giving to the subscriber one month’s previous notice in writing of his intention to discontinue the service.

(3) Rent will be charged only to the expiration of the notice of discontinuance.

(4) The notice to the Deputy Postmaster-General may be waived in the case of the death of the subscriber if—

(a) the telephone line is an ordinary telephone line; and

C.17036.—Price 3D.


(b) a special agreement for the renting of the line for a fixed term is not in force; and

(c) the notice would involve payment of rent for any period beyond the date to which rent has already been paid.

(5) Nothing in this Regulation shall affect the power of the Postmaster-General or a Deputy Postmaster-General to determine the agreement under any other Regulation.

2. Regulation 33 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

33. A telephone line connecting any two offices of the Department, at neither or only one of which a Telephone Exchange has been opened, or a telephone line joining any two offices of the Department, but not available for direct connexion with the subscribers’ lines at either or both ends, may be used for conversations by the subscribers or by the general public, subject to the following conditions, and on payment of the fees set forth hereunder, provided that such use shall not interfere with the ordinary work of the Department:—

(1) When the person to be spoken to can be called by telephone, or in other cases where it is not necessary to send a messenger for the person to be spoken to, a fee of 3d. shall be charged for the additional time during which the trunk line is engaged, irrespective of the success or failure of the attempt to obtain the required person, in addition to the fee specified for conversations on trunk lines.

(2) When it is necessary to send a messenger for the person to be spoken to, the following charges shall be made in addition to the fees specified in the last preceding paragraph:—

(а) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides within the usual radius of free delivery of telegrams, 3d.

(b) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides beyond the radius of free delivery of telegrams, in addition to the fee of 3d., the usual porterage fees charged for the delivery of telegrams shall be made.

At offices where messengers are not provided by the Department, the services specified in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (2) of this Regulation cannot be performed.

3. Regulation 53 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—

53. (1) The charges prescribed by this part of these Regulations only shall be made for calls over trunk lines.

(2) Calls over trunk lines or from public telephones will be considered effective, and the time will be calculated from the moment that the number called has answered.

(3) The Department cannot guarantee the attendance of any particular person desired at the number asked for, but all reasonable efforts will be made to obtain the attendance of a particular person at the number asked for if the calling subscriber makes the request


at the time he asks for the use of the trunk line. A uniform fee of 3d. shall be charged for this service, in addition to any ordinary trunk or messenger fees incurred, irrespective of the success or failure of the attempt to obtain the required person.

(4) If any person desires that a messenger shall be sent to call any non-subscriber or other person to speak over any trunk line, the service will be performed on payment of the following charges in addition to any other charges for the use of the trunk line:—

(a) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides within the usual radius of free delivery of telegrams, 3d.

(b) For a messenger sent to call to the telephone any person who resides beyond the radius of free delivery of telegrams, in addition to the fee of 3d., the usual porterage fees charged for the delivery of telegrams shall be made.

At offices where messengers are not provided by the Department, the services specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this sub-regulation cannot be performed.

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1915, No. 242, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, were enacted to update the existing Telephone Regulations 1913. These amendments were introduced to address the evolving needs of the telecommunication services, ensuring they align with the advancements and operational requirements of the time. The Governor-General, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, issued these regulations to come into operation immediately, reflecting a policy objective to modernise and streamline the telephone service regulations. The regulations aim to provide clearer guidelines on the rental periods, termination of service, and the specific fees for various types of telephone use, including trunk lines and messenger services, while ensuring they do not interfere with the core operations of the Department.

Scope and Application

The amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 apply to individuals and entities intending to subscribe to telephone services provided by the Commonwealth of Australia. This includes subscribers to telephone lines, both for ordinary and special agreements, and those utilising trunk lines for communication purposes. The geographic scope of these Regulations is national, as they are issued under the authority of the Commonwealth and apply across all states and territories. The Regulations are specific in outlining the terms and conditions for renting telephone lines, setting out periods for renting and conditions for termination, as well as fees for using trunk lines and associated services such as messenger calls. The Regulations also stipulate the fees for such services, which are charged irrespective of the success of the communication attempt. Notably, these Regulations do not affect the broader powers of the Postmaster-General or Deputy Postmaster-General to determine agreements under other provisions of the Post and Telegraph Act. The amended Regulations are effective immediately and are intended to clarify and update the terms of telephone services provided by the Department, ensuring they do not interfere with the ordinary work of the Department.

Key Provisions

The amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, as stated in Statutory Rules 1915, No. 242, bring several key changes to the previous Telephone Regulations of 1913 (Statutory Rules 1913, No. 349). Regulation 11 now mandates that telephone lines must be rented for a period of at least one year, or for any longer period determined by the Deputy Postmaster-General. This rental agreement can be terminated by either the subscriber or the Deputy Postmaster-General with one month's written notice (Regulation 11(2)). Additionally, rent will cease upon the receipt of a notice of discontinuance, unless waived in specific circumstances such as the death of the subscriber (Regulation 11(4)). Regulation 33 allows for the use of certain telephone lines for conversations by subscribers or the general public, subject to conditions and fees, provided that such use does not interfere with the Department's work (Regulation 33(1)-(2)). Regulation 53 specifies the charges for calls over trunk lines, with additional fees for messenger services if requested (Regulation 53(1)-(4)). The obligations imposed by these Regulations are primarily on subscribers and the Department. Subscribers must adhere to the rental terms and provide notice when intending to discontinue service (Regulation 11). The Department, on the other hand, must ensure that the use of telephone lines does not interfere with its operations and must make reasonable efforts to connect the desired parties over trunk lines when requested (Regulation 53(3)). Both subscribers and the Department must comply with the specified fees for various services, including additional charges for messenger services (Regulation 33 and 53). Failure to comply with these Regulations may result in civil consequences, particularly regarding the financial obligations for rent and fees. The Regulations do not explicitly state any criminal penalties for non-compliance, but breaches of the terms and conditions could potentially lead to disputes or legal actions related to the unpaid fees or interference with services. The primary enforcement mechanism seems to be the financial disincentives for not adhering to the prescribed terms and conditions, with specific fees outlined for different services.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.