STATUTORY RULES.
1915. No. 234.
PROVISIONAL REGULATION UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1913.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the undermentioned amended Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.
Dated this first 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.)
Regulation 86 is repealed, and the following Regulation is inserted in its stead: —
86. (1) For conversations over any such private telephone line connected with a telegraph office, the following charges shall be made: —
(a) For a messenger sent to call to the office any person residing within the usual radius of free delivery of telegrams 3d.
(b) For a messenger sent to call to the office any person from beyond the radius of free delivery of telegrams, the usual porterage charges in addition to the above-mentioned charge of 3d.
(c) The charges specified in (a) and (b) shall be paid by the caller irrespective of whether the desired person answers the call or not.
(d) For each conversation of three minutes, or portion thereof........ 2d.
(2) This Regulation applies not only to conversations between the licensee and any other person, but also to conversations between any two persons who use the line with the licensee’s consent, but no charges other than the charges specified in these Regulations may be made for those conversations.*
(3) The licensee or any bonâ fide employee of the licensee may, however, speak over his private line from the Post Office with which such line is connected, free of charge.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Regulation, a person who was a subscriber on the 15th day of September, 1915, shall not, without the authority of the Postmaster-General, charge more than 1d. for the use of his telephone until the 10th day of December, 1915.†
* See also Regulation 88. †See section 129 Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.15385.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, Statutory Rules 1915 No. 234, was enacted by the Governor-General in Council on 1 December 1915 to address the urgent need to amend existing regulations concerning telephone charges. The objective of this legislative instrument, issued under the authority of the Postmaster-General, was to revise the charges for telephone conversations over private lines connected to telegraph offices, ensuring that the Postmaster-General could respond swiftly to the changing communication needs of the time. This regulation replaced a previous version from 1913, and it specifies new rates for calling and conversation durations, while also maintaining certain exemptions and limitations on charges for existing subscribers.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulation under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913, which was implemented due to urgency, outlines specific charges for the use of private telephone lines connected to telegraph offices. This regulation applies to licensees who operate private telephone lines, as well as any individuals or entities that use these lines with the licensee’s consent. The charges are applicable to both local and long-distance calls, with additional porterage charges for calls beyond the free delivery radius of telegrams. Notably, these charges apply regardless of whether the intended recipient answers the call. The regulation also specifies that only the defined charges can be applied to conversations, with exceptions for licensees and their bona fide employees who can use the line free of charge. Furthermore, subscribers who were registered as of September 15, 1915, are subject to a temporary cap on charges, not exceeding 1d until December 10, 1915, unless authorised by the Postmaster-General.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the amended Regulation (C1915L00234) concern the charges for using private telephone lines connected to a telegraph office. Section 86(1) outlines specific charges: 3 pence (3d) for a messenger to call a person within the usual radius of free telegram delivery and 3d plus the usual porterage charges for a call beyond that radius, payable by the caller regardless of whether the person answers. It also specifies a charge of 2 pence (2d) for each three minutes or part thereof of a conversation. This Regulation applies to conversations between the licensee and others or between two persons with the licensee's consent, though only the specified charges apply (Section 86(2)). Furthermore, the licensee or their bona fide employee can speak over the private line from the Post Office connected to the line without charge (Section 86(3)). Notably, subscribers as of September 15, 1915, cannot charge more than 1 pence (1d) for their telephone use until December 10, 1915, without the Postmaster-General’s authority (Section 86(4)).
The obligations imposed by the Act include adherence to the specified charges for telephone services. The licensee must ensure that only the charges outlined in the Regulation are applied to telephone conversations, whether between the licensee and another party or between two persons with the licensee's consent. Additionally, bona fide employees of the licensee are permitted to use the private telephone line free of charge, provided they are speaking from the Post Office. The Act also mandates that subscribers who were registered as of September 15, 1915, must not exceed the charge of 1d until December 10, 1915, unless they have the Postmaster-General's approval.
The consequences for breaching the provisions of this Regulation are outlined in the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1913. Any person who charges more than the allowed amount without the Postmaster-General’s authority may face penalties. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the Regulation itself, under the Post and Telegraph Act, penalties can include fines or other sanctions as determined by the courts. These penalties serve to ensure compliance with the legislative intent and protect consumers from overcharging.