Telephone Regulations (Amendment) (Provisional)

Legislation au C1909L00030 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1909. No. 30.

 

PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901.

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 Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, namely:—

Telephone Regulations.

Part I., Telephone Exchanges,

should come into immediate operation, and make the amended Regulations to come into operation forthwith as Provisional Regulations.

Dated this nineteenth day of March, One thousand nine hundred and nine.

DUDLEY,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

JOSIAH THOMAS.

 

Telephone Regulations.

1. In these Regulations Statutory Rules, 1906, No. 114, are referred to as the Telephone Regulations.

2. Regulations 4, 5, and 6 of the Telephone Regulations are hereby repealed.

3. After Regulation 7 of the Telephone Regulations the following Regulations are inserted:—

7a. (1) All telephone lines, instruments, and fittings in connexion with the telephone system, except where otherwise provided by these Regulations, shall be erected and supplied by the Postmaster-General, the cost being borne by the Government, and no persons, except employés of the Department, provided with proper means of identification, are to be allowed to interfere with or make any additions or alterations to any wires, instruments, or fittings under the Department’s control. In the event of any such interference the subscriber concerned will be liable to have his line disconnected.

(2) The following shall be the charges payable for each of the different classes of service specified:—

 

 

Minimum Annual Charge.

In Telephone Networks having a Population of—

Radius of Network with Main Exchange as centre.

For an Exclusive Service.

For each Subscriber or Instrument on a Two-party Service.

For each Subscriber or Instrument on a Three or more Party Service.

 

Miles.

£ s. d.

£ s. d.

£ s. d.

From 1 to 10,000............

5

3 0 0

2 10 0

2 0 0

„ 10,001 to 100,000..........

10

3 10 0

2 15 0

2 5 0

„ 100,001 upwards..........

10

4 0 0

3 0 0

2 10 0


In all cases where submarine cables or other special arrangements are required in the construction of a line, the charges shall be fixed according to circumstances.

For the foregoing charges, the Postmaster-General will provide and maintain all necessary Exchange equipment, subscriber’s line not exceeding 2 miles in length radially, and one telephone wall-set per subscriber.

For all effective calls, the subscriber will be charged at the following rates :—

For calls not exceeding 2,000 half-yearly, two calls for One penny.

For calls above 2,000 half-yearly, three calls for One penny.

Fractions of a penny will be charged as One penny,

No charge will be made to the subscriber for calls received by him.

Calls made on the business of the Postmaster-General by any duly authorized officer will not be charged.

(3) Accounts for calls will be rendered half-yearly, and must be paid within fourteen days. (See also Regulation 14.) A statement of account certified by a responsible officer of the Department as being correct shall be accepted as primâ facie evidence of the number of effective calls originated by the subscriber.

7b. (1) After the 19th day of March, 1909, no new subscriber to a Telephone Exchange shall be accepted at the rates prescribed by Regulation 7, and all new subscribers to a Telephone Exchange shall pay the rates prescribed by Regulation 7a.

(2) Every person other than the persons mentioned in Regulation 34 who is a subscriber to a Telephone Exchange at the 19th clay of March, 1909, shall pay the rates prescribed by Regulation 7a from and after a date to be specified in a notice to be issued to him by the Postmaster-General or by some person authorized by the Postmaster-General.

(3) Such notice shall determine the agreement at present existing between the Postmaster-General and the subscriber from the date specified in the notice, and Regulation 7 shall not thereafter apply to such subscriber.

4. Regulation 25 of the Telephone Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following paragraph :—

This Regulation shall apply only to subscribers who pay the rates prescribed by Regulation 7.

5. After Regulation 25 of the Telephone Regulations, the following Regulation is inserted :—

25a. (1) Persons occupying offices in the same building, or occupying the same private residence, may jointly subscribe under the one Exchange number, on payment (in addition to rental as for one person at the respective rates prescribed by these Regulations) of £1 per annum for each additional subscriber.


(2) This fee covers the insertion of the additional subscriber’s name in the Telephone List.

(3) The original subscriber shall pay to the Postmaster-General all charges in connexion with the line, but may charge to the second subscriber any agreed proportion of such charges.

(4) If additional instruments are required the subscribers shall pay the rates prescribed for Party Lines. (See Regulation 7a.)

(5) This Regulation shall apply only to subscribers who pay the rates prescribed by Regulation 7a.

 

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

Overview

The Provisional Regulations Under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, specifically the Telephone Regulations, were enacted in 1909 by the Governor-General in Council. These regulations were introduced to address the urgent need to update and clarify the management and operation of the telephone system in Australia. The regulations aimed to streamline the operations of telephone exchanges by specifying the roles and responsibilities of the Postmaster-General's Department, including the exclusive provision and maintenance of telephone lines and equipment. The policy objective was to ensure that the telephone system was efficiently operated and maintained by government authorities, while also setting forth clear guidelines for subscriber charges and services. The regulations aimed to provide a structured framework for the provision of telephone services, including setting forth the rates for different classes of service and addressing the charges for calls and equipment.

Scope and Application

The Provisional Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, specifically the amended Telephone Regulations, apply to all telephone lines, instruments, and fittings within the telephone system, except where otherwise specified by these Regulations. The regulations mandate that these elements must be erected and supplied by the Postmaster-General, with costs borne by the Government. Any interference or alterations by unauthorised persons, other than Department employees, will result in the subscriber's line being disconnected. Additionally, the regulations establish specific charges for various classes of telephone services based on the population radius of the telephone network, with rates varying for exclusive, two-party, and three or more party services. The regulations also outline the charges for calls, with different rates applying depending on the number of calls made half-yearly. The regulations extend to subscribers who were existing customers as of March 19th, 1909, and to new subscribers who will be charged according to the revised rates set out in the amended regulations. The regulations also provide for joint subscriptions under one Exchange number by persons occupying the same building or residence, with additional annual fees for each additional subscriber.

Key Provisions

The Telephone Regulations (C1909L00030) set out the framework for the operation of telephone services within Australia, under the authority of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901. Regulation 7a(1) establishes that all telephone lines, instruments, and fittings must be erected and supplied by the Postmaster-General, with costs borne by the Government, and unauthorised interference by non-employees is strictly prohibited, with the potential consequence of line disconnection. Regulation 7a(2) specifies detailed charges for different classes of service based on the population radius of the network, with additional charges applicable for submarine cables or special arrangements. Subscribers are charged for calls based on usage, with specific rates for low and high usage, and no charge for incoming calls. Regulation 7a(3) mandates that accounts for calls are to be rendered and paid half-yearly within fourteen days, with a certified statement of account being accepted as evidence of call usage. The obligations imposed by the Act require subscribers to adhere to the specified rates and conditions set forth in Regulation 7a. New subscribers, as per Regulation 7b(1), must accept the new rates prescribed in Regulation 7a from the date specified in a notice issued by the Postmaster-General. Existing subscribers, as per Regulation 7b(2), will also transition to the new rates upon receiving a notice from the Postmaster-General, terminating the previous agreement from the specified date in the notice. Regulation 25a allows persons occupying the same premises to jointly subscribe under one Exchange number, subject to an additional annual fee and the payment of any agreed proportion of line charges by the secondary subscriber. The Regulations also address potential breaches and associated penalties. Any interference with the telephone system by unauthorised persons, as per Regulation 7a(1), could lead to disconnection of the subscriber’s line. Furthermore, failure to pay the prescribed charges within the stipulated timeframe could result in account discrepancies or additional administrative actions being taken by the Postmaster-General. The specific penalties for non-compliance are not explicitly detailed in the Regulations but are likely to involve service interruptions and possible legal action under the broader provisions of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901.

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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.