STATUTORY RULES.
1915. No. 198.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.
I, SIR ARTHUR STANLEY, Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the undermentioned amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulations to come into operation forthwith as provisional Regulations.
Dated this fourteenth day of October, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.
A. L. STANLEY,
Deputy for the Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. G. SPENCE,
Postmaster-General.
Amendment of the Telephone Regulations 1913 (Statutory Rules 1913, No. 349).
1. The following Regulation is inserted after Regulation 34:—
34a. (1). Subscribers to Telephone Exchanges may transmit by telephone to any Telegraph Office which is connected with a Telephone Exchange messages intended to be further transmitted as letter telegrams, provided they pay the prescribed cost of such letter telegrams in addition to the charge for transmitting letter telegrams through the telephone.
(2) The charge for transmitting letter telegrams through the telephone shall be:—
For each 40 words or portion, 3d.
(3) In cases where the letter telegram is required to be transmitted over trunk telephone lines, the rates specified for the use of such trunk lines, calculated on the basis of 3 minutes for each 40 words or portion thereof, must be added.
2. Regulation 41 is repealed and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead:—
41. The transcription of telegrams telephoned by subscribers shall, so far as the Department is concerned, become the original telegrams, but the Department shall not assume, nor be subject to, any liability by reason, or on account of any failure, delay, or mistake, in or about the transmission, receipt, or delivery of any telegram under this arrangement from whatever cause the same may arise. This Regulation applies also in the case of letter telegrams.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.12016.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, enacted in 1915, were introduced to address the urgent need for modifications in the existing telephone regulations. This legislative instrument was issued by Sir Arthur Stanley, the Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General, with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The aim of these provisional regulations was to allow subscribers to telephone exchanges to transmit messages via telephone to telegraph offices connected with telephone exchanges for further transmission as letter telegrams, while ensuring that the Department would not assume liability for any issues arising from this arrangement. These regulations were enacted to streamline communication processes and provide flexibility in the use of telecommunication services at that time.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, as amended by Statutory Rules 1915, No. 198, apply to subscribers of telephone exchanges within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations govern the transmission of messages intended to be further transmitted as letter telegrams, outlining the charges and conditions for such services. Subscribers can transmit letter telegrams to any telegraph office connected to a telephone exchange by paying the prescribed cost of the letter telegrams in addition to the charge for transmitting them through the telephone. The rate for transmitting letter telegrams via telephone is set at 3 pence for each 40 words or portion thereof, with additional rates for trunk lines based on a calculation of 3 minutes per 40 words or portion. Furthermore, the regulations stipulate that the transcription of telephoned telegrams becomes the original telegrams as far as the Department is concerned, and the Department will not be liable for any failure, delay, or mistake in the transmission, receipt, or delivery of telegrams. These regulations provide a framework for the conduct of subscribers in utilising telephone services for telegram transmission, clarifying the financial and operational aspects involved.
Key Provisions
The amended Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913 introduce significant changes to the transmission of letter telegrams through telephone lines. Regulation 34a allows subscribers to telephone exchanges to transmit messages intended to be further transmitted as letter telegrams to any Telegraph Office connected with a Telephone Exchange, provided they pay the prescribed cost of these letter telegrams in addition to the transmission charge. The charge for transmitting letter telegrams through the telephone is set at three pence for each 40 words or portion thereof (Section 34a(2)). For telegrams requiring transmission over trunk telephone lines, additional rates for the use of such lines are to be applied, calculated based on three minutes for each 40 words or portion (Section 34a(3)).
The obligations imposed by these Regulations are primarily on subscribers using telephone exchanges for transmitting letter telegrams. Subscribers must ensure they pay the required charges for both the letter telegrams and the telephone transmission. The Department of Post and Telegraph is not liable for any failures, delays, or mistakes in the transmission, receipt, or delivery of telegrams under this arrangement, as stipulated in Regulation 41. This regulation replaces the previous Regulation 41 and clarifies that the Department’s responsibility ends once the telegram is transcribed from the telephoned message.
Breaching these provisions could result in financial penalties for non-payment of the prescribed charges. While the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the Regulations, it is reasonable to infer that failure to pay the required charges could lead to the denial of service or other administrative consequences. The Regulations are designed to ensure that all parties involved in the transmission of letter telegrams through telephone lines are aware of their financial obligations and the limitations of the Department's liability.