Telephone Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1907L00046 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1907. No. 46.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.

(Issued provisionally as Statutory Rules 1907, No. 12.)

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, namely:—

Telephone Regulations.

Part I., Telephone Exchanges;

Part VI., Telephone Junction and Trunk Lines;

Part VIII., Fire Brigade Lines;

Part XII, Telephone Lines not connected with Exchanges;

to come into operation on the first day of June, 1907.

Dated this eighth day of May, One thousand nine hundred and seven.

NORTHCOTE,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

AUSTIN CHAPMAN.

 

Telephone Regulations.

The regulations under this head, as made by Statutory Rules 1906, No. 114, are amended as follows:—

Part 1., Telephone Exchanges.

Regulation II. is repealed, and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

11. Telephone Lines must be rented for not less than one year, or such longer period as the Deputy Postmaster-General may determine, and the use of any line or any extension thereof may be discontinued on or at any time after the expiration of the period for which the line was first rented, by the subscriber giving not less than three calendar months’ previous notice in writing of his intention to discontinue the use of the line, or extension, or by the Postmaster-General giving three calendar months’ previous notice of his intention to discontinue the service. Rent will be charged only to the expiration of the notice of discontinuance.


Regulation 28 is repealed and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

28. Lines of the same subscriber connecting any Exchange Line with extra Telephones or Bells by switches or other means (usually known as. “Extension Lines”); and which extend beyond the building or premises to which the Exchange Line connects shall be charged separately, and at the rates shown in Part XII. of these regulations.

Where the Exchange Line is metallic circuit, any Extension Line connecting therewith must also be metallic circuit.

Extension Lines within the building or upon the premises to which the Exchange Line from which they are extended connects, will be provided by the Postmaster-General upon the subscriber agreeing to pay the actual cost of labour and material used in installing the wires.

Instruments used on Extension Lines shall be provided and maintained by the Postmaster-General at the rates specified in regulation 30. Such instruments may be used for conversations between other Extension instruments without extra charge, provided that the connection is not effected through the Department’s Exchange.

The Postmaster-General especially reserves the right to refuse to provide any Extension from a line connecting with one Exchange when the additional point to be connected by the Extension Line is within the area served by another Exchange.

Addition to Regulation No. 30, after the line “Head Receiver, double, with cord, 7s. 6d.”—

 

s.

d.

For each translator....................................

3

0

For Breast Pattern Microphone, Head Receiver, single, Cord and Plug, complete for use with suitable existing Wall Sets             

15

0

For Breast Pattern Microphone, Head Receiver; double, Cord and Plug, complete for use with suitable existing Wall-Sets             

17

6

For each two-way switch................................

1

6

Part VI.—Telephone Junction and Trunk Lines.

Regulation 54 is amended by the addition of the following sub-clause:—

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 sub-sections (a) and (b) of this regulation cannot be performed.


Part VIII, Fire Brigade Lines.

Regulation 67 under the above head is repealed and the following substituted in lieu thereof:—

67. In the case of Fire Brigade Lines, an annual rental shall be charged at the rate of 25s. per mile or part thereof, on the aggregate total length of the lines rented.

In this regulation Fire Brigade Lines include only the following lines:—

(a) Lines which connect the Fire Brigade Station with an Exchange and which are used for fire alarm purposes only;

(b) Lines which connect any one Fire Brigade Station with any other Fire Brigade Station under the same management or with the residence of any officer of the Fire Brigade, and which are used for Fire Brigade purposes only; and

(c) Lines which connect a Fire Brigade Station with any fire alarm point where an instrument is available to the public to transmit fire alarms to the Fire Brigade Station.

Part XII., Telephone Lines not connected with Exchanges.

Add the following:—

The Postmaster-General especially reserves the right to refuse to provide or maintain any Private Line between houses, offices, &c., when the points connected or to be connected are more than one mile apart if the applicants can obtain connection by means of lines connecting with Exchanges.

 

By Authority: J. Kemp, Acting Government Printer, Melbourne.

Overview

The Statutory Rules of 1907, No. 46, introduce amendments to the existing regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, aiming to refine the operational and financial aspects of the telephone services provided by the Commonwealth of Australia. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, these regulations address issues such as the rental periods for telephone lines, the separate charging of extension lines, and the specific costs associated with various telephone instruments. The overarching policy objective is to ensure the efficient and orderly management of the growing telephone infrastructure, maintaining both service quality and financial prudence. These regulations are designed to provide clarity and consistency in the administration of telephone services, thereby addressing any gaps in the previous regulatory framework. By clearly defining the rental terms, the conditions for extension lines, and the costs for specialised equipment, the regulations aim to streamline operations while ensuring that users are fully informed of their obligations and the services available to them.

Scope and Application

The amended Telephone Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 apply to persons and entities seeking to rent or use telephone lines within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations govern the rental periods for telephone lines, charging for extension lines, and specific provisions for fire brigade lines. The regulations mandate that telephone lines must be rented for a minimum of one year, with the option for longer periods as determined by the Deputy Postmaster-General. They also detail the separate charges for extension lines that extend beyond the building or premises, as well as specific provisions for metallic circuit extension lines and the provision of instruments used on these lines. Additionally, the regulations set out charges for the use of messenger services to call non-subscribers over trunk lines and establish an annual rental rate for fire brigade lines, which are exclusively used for fire alarm and communication purposes within the fire brigade system. These regulations do not specify exclusions or exemptions but do reserve the right for the Postmaster-General to refuse certain extensions based on distance and availability of exchange connections. The amended regulations came into operation on the first day of June 1907.

Key Provisions

The primary sections of these amended Telephone Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901 (C1907L00046) establish specific requirements and guidelines for the rental, use, and connection of telephone lines. For example, Section 11 mandates that telephone lines must be rented for a minimum period of one year, or a longer period determined by the Deputy Postmaster-General, and stipulates that either the subscriber or the Postmaster-General can give three months’ written notice to discontinue the use of a line (Reg. 11). Furthermore, Section 28 outlines that extension lines, which connect a subscriber's exchange line to additional telephones or bells and extend beyond the building or premises, will be charged separately at rates specified in Part XII of the regulations (Reg. 28). This section also stipulates that extension lines connecting with metallic circuit exchange lines must also be metallic. These regulations impose several obligations on subscribers and the Postmaster-General. Subscribers must give adequate notice before discontinuing the use of a line and are responsible for paying rent until the notice period expires. Additionally, subscribers are required to pay for extension lines that extend beyond their premises, as these are charged separately (Reg. 28). The Postmaster-General, on the other hand, is obligated to provide and maintain certain extension lines within the subscriber’s premises at specified rates, as well as to provide and maintain instruments used on these lines (Reg. 30). The Postmaster-General also reserves the right to refuse to provide certain extensions if the points to be connected are beyond a reasonable distance or if a more practical connection is available (Reg. 30 and Part XII). There are potential consequences for non-compliance with these regulations. While specific offences and penalties are not detailed within the regulations themselves, breaches of the terms under which telephone lines are rented or used could potentially lead to legal action for non-payment of rent or for failure to adhere to the notice requirements. Additionally, the Postmaster-General's reserved rights to refuse certain extensions could result in subscribers needing to seek alternative arrangements, which might involve additional costs or inconvenience. Furthermore, the regulations' stipulations around the use of Fire Brigade Lines and the specific fees for messenger services to call non-subscribers (Reg. 54) imply that any misuse or non-compliance with these services could result in additional charges or denial of service.

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Telecommunications Law
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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.