STATUTORY RULES.
1913. No. 348.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE POST AND TELEGRAPH ACT 1901-1912.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this 19th day of December, One thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
DENMAN,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
AGAR WYNNE.
POST AND TELEGRAPH REGULATIONS.
SHORT TITLE.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Post and Telegraph Regulations 1913.
REPEAL.
2. All Regulations previously made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, and in force at the commencement of these Regulations, except:—
(a) Regulations for securing the telegraph lines of the Postmaster-General from interference or injurious affection by electric lines or works, and
(b) Telephone Regulations
are hereby repealed save as to any right, privilege or obligation acquired, accrued, or incurred thereunder.
SUNDAY ARRANGEMENTS.
Postal.
3. Country post offices, where mails arrive late on Saturday night or on Sunday, shall, if required by the Deputy Postmaster-General, open for the delivery of correspondence for such time not exceeding one hour as the Deputy Postmaster-General may consider will meet local requirements.
Telegraphic.
4. An officer must be in attendance at the Chief Telegraph Office of each State throughout the day and night to attend to inquiries. He will receive telegrams for transmission to similar offices within the Commonwealth at ordinary rates for press and double the ordinary rates for other telegrams; to certain principal offices in each State to be specified by the Deputy Postmaster-General, which are in call at 9 p.m., at the foregoing rates; to New Zealand, Great Britain, and Foreign Countries at ordinary rates. Telegrams may also be handed in at 9 p.m. at the principal offices before-mentioned for transmission at the rates quoted above.
C. 14098.—Price 1s. 9d.
HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS.
5. On Christmas Day and Good Friday the same arrangements shall be observed as on Sunday; and on other Public Holidays the arrangements shall Be as follow:—
— | New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Boxing Day, and Holidays proclaimed throughout the Commonwealth, or appointed or proclaimed in any State or part of a State, and generally observed in that State or part as Public Holidays. | Other days or half-days appointed or proclaimed as Holidays in any State or part of a State, but not generally observed in that State or part as Holidays. |
General Post Office— The Delivery Office, Registration Office, and office for sale of postage stamps to be open | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
Private boxes to be open as usual. The country mails usually despatched in the afternoon and evening, also the coastwise, Inter-State, and foreign mails, to close | At 12 noon, unless otherwise specially intimated | As on ordinary days |
The first delivery only to be effected by letter carriers. The Parcels Office to be open........... | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
The Money Order Office to be open | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
The Chief Telegraph Office to be open..... | As on ordinary days | |
All Post and Telegraph Offices above the 4th Class to be open for telegraphic business | As on ordinary days | |
Branch Offices in the cities, and suburban and country offices to be open | From 9 a.m. to 12 noon | As on ordinary days |
The first delivery only to be made by letter carriers. |
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The iron pillar receivers and letter boxes in the capital cities and suburbs will be cleared | Only at the ordinary hours in the morning, or alternatively in the evening, as may be arranged | As on ordinary days |
Note.—If British and foreign mails arrive, or are despatched, on any of the above-mentioned holidays; special arrangements must be made to suit the public convenience.
LOITERING IN POST OR TELEGRAPH OFFICES.
6. Any person who loiters in a Post Office or Telegraph Office shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5, and any person found so loitering may be ejected.
POSTAL REGULATIONS.
LATE FEES.
7. The late fee on all unregistered postal articles except newspapers and parcels posted in the Commonwealth, for delivery therein, shall be 1d. each; and on such articles posted for transmission to places beyond the Commonwealth—each a single rate of postage.
UNPAID OR INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID LETTERS, POST CARDS AND PACKETS.
Within the Commonwealth and to Papua, New Zealand and Fiji.
8. (I) Wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid letters, letter cards, post cards or packets posted in the Commonwealth for delivery therein and in Papua, New Zealand and Fiji, shall be charged double the deficiency or delivery.
Beyond the Commonwealth.
(2) Wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid letters, letter cards or post cards, and insufficiently prepaid packets, posted in the Commonwealth for delivery in places beyond the Commonwealth shall be charged double the deficiency on delivery. Wholly unpaid packets addressed to places beyond the Commonwealth shall not be transmitted.
LETTERS.
9. No letter may be of inconvenient form or dimensions, or contain any article likely to injure any person or the contents of the mail-bags.
LETTER CARDS.
10. Letter cards provided by private individuals and bearing impressed or adhesive stamps shall be allowed to pass through the post at the rate of postage prescribed for letters, but reply letter cards so provided may be so transmitted only within the Commonwealth.
11. Postage stamps may be impressed or printed on such letter cards under the same conditions as are set forth in the Regulations relating to “impressing or printing stamps on private post cards,” except that paragraph (a) of Regulation 25 under the latter head shall not apply to such letter cards.
POST CARDS.
12. Single post cards, and reply or double post cards, may be transmitted to places in and beyond the Commonwealth at the rates prescribed and in force in the Commonwealth.
13. Single post cards must bear at the head of the front side the words “post card” or their equivalent in any language. This provision, however, is not compulsory in the case of private post cards.
14. The dimensions of post cards must not exceed 5½ inches in length by 3½ inches in breadth, nor be less than 4 inches in length by 2¾ inches in breadth.
15. Post cards must be made of ordinary cardboard not thicker than the material used for the thickest official post card, nor thinner than the material used for the thinnest official post card.
16. Post cards may only be sent at post card rate if posted unenclosed, that is to say, without wrapper or envelope. Single cards bearing the printed inscription “Post Card,” or its equivalent in any language, may, however, be sent in envelopes at the packet rate of postage, provided that they conform to the Regulations, relating to commercial or printed papers; otherwise, enclosed post cards shall be subject to letter rate of postage.
17. Postage stamps must be affixed in the right top corner of the front side of post cards posted in the Commonwealth. The name and address of the addressee and service indications (Registered Acknowledgment of Receipt, &c.), must also appear on the front, of which the right half at least is reserved exclusively for such purpose. The sender may, subject to the terms of Regulation 18 following, use the back and the left part of the front for correspondence.
18. in addition to the stamps tor prepayment of postage, it is permitted to attach to a post card a gummed label not exceeding ¾ of an inch by 2 inches, bearing the name and address of the addressee, and the name and address of the sender; vignettes or photographs on very thin paper may also be affixed to the back and to the left part of the front, provided that they adhere completely to the card. In the case of post cards to and from the United Kingdom, newspaper cuttings may be affixed under the same conditions. The public are prohibited from joining or affixing to post cards any other object whatever. Cards of the varieties known as “tinselled” and “beaded,” and cards with “pearling” decorations, are not permitted to pass through the post unless enclosed in envelopes. (See Regulation No. 16, above.)
19. In the international service reply or double post cards must bear at the head of the front side of the first half the words “Post Card with Reply Paid,” and in the same position on the second half the words “Reply Post Card,” or their equivalent in any language. Each of the two halves must, however, fulfil the other conditions laid down in these Regulations for single post cards, and they must not be closed up in any manner whatsoever.
20. The sender of a reply post card may indicate his name and address on the face of the “Reply” half, either in writing or by attaching a label, as provided in Regulation 18.
21. The prepayment of the “Reply” half by means of the postage stamp of the country which has issued the card is valid only if the two halves of the post card with reply paid were attached to one another when received from the country of origin, and if the “Reply” half is addressed to that country. Otherwise it shall be treated as an unpaid post card.
22. Post cards not fulfilling, so far as the prescribed conditions in regard to dimensions, external form, &c., are concerned, the conditions laid down in these Regulations, shall be treated as letters.
23. Private cards (single and reply) bearing adhesive postage stamps, may also be transmitted as post cards, at the same rates of postage as those prescribed and in force for post cards. Except as provided in Regulation 13, they must, in all respects, conform to these Regulations.
24. The stamp impressed on a post card may be used only in prepayment of postage on the post card on which it is impressed.
Impressing or Printing Stamps on Private Post Cards.
25. One penny and one penny half-penny postage stamps may be impressed or printed under the following conditions, on cards supplied by the public; but application, accompanied by a specimen card, must first be made, in writing, to the Deputy Postmaster-General:—
(a) The cards may not measure more than 5½ x 3½ inches, nor less than 4 x 2¾ inches, or exceed the thickness of the post card issued by the Department, and must be of approved colour.
(b) Not less than 500 cards of one size and in suitable sheets shall be received for stamping at any one time.
(c) There is no fee for stamping, but the value of the stamps must be paid in advance.
(d) No commission shall be allowed on the value of stamps impressed or printed on post cards for licensed vendors.
PACKETS.
Definition of Packets.
26. Packets may consist of Commercial Papers, Printed Papers, or Patterns, Samples, and Merchandise as hereinafter defined.
Within the Commonwealth and to Papua, New Zealand and Fiji.
Commercial Papers.
27. Commercial papers include all papers and documents not wholly printed, which have not the character of actual or personal correspondence, such as—
Acceptances.
Accounts, Invoices, and Receipts. The remark “With thanks,” and advice as to when or how the goods are forwarded shall be allowed on those documents, which may also bear the ordinary trade notices (whether printed or impressed with a rubber or other stamp) such as “All empties returned must be advised”; “When remitting please return the statement to be receipted”; “Terms, cash in advance”; “Terms, 2½ per cent. discount for cash”; “This settles your account up to date.”
Ballot papers.
Bankers’ packets, when sent from one bank to another.—Such packets may contain cheques, cheque-books, drafts, or orders, provided they are forwarded in covers with the ends sufficiently open to admit of postal officials seeing that nothing in the nature of a letter is enclosed.
Australian (Commonwealth Government) Notes sent from or to the Commonwealth Treasury, or from one bank to another, within the Commonwealth, in sealed packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Australian Notes only,” and Queensland State Treasury Notes sent by Bankers to their Head Offices in Brisbane in sealed packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Queensland Treasury Notes only.”
Bank pass-books—Provided they are enclosed in covers indorsed “Passbook only,” and sufficiently open to admit of postal officials seeing that pass-books only are being transmitted. Pass-books or cards connected with a Society may be transmitted under similar conditions.
Bills of exchange.
Bills of lading.
Cards, single, bearing the printed inscription “Post Card,” or its equivalent in any language, if conforming to the Regulations relating to Commercial Papers.
Cheque forms bound in books.
Drafts.
Drawings.
Examination papers (corrections allowed).
Files of official papers forwarded between Government Departments or between officers thereof, provided the remarks and instructions thereon are at least seven days old at the time of posting.
Insurance documents (policies, &c.).
Invoices (see Accounts).
Legal documents (affidavits, briefs, deeds, depositions, &c.).
Manuscript or forms filled up in writing for printing or publication.
Maps.
Music (written).
Notices of meetings.
Obliterated postage stamps.
Orders for goods, partly printed (instructions as to packing, the route for forwarding, and effecting insurance of the goods may be added).
Pay-sheets.
Plans.
Prices current.
Promissory notes, signed, also those unsigned, but wholly or partly filled in.
Proxy forms or notices. Such particulars as the date, signature, name of proxy, date of meeting, name of shareholder or member, and number of votes may be inserted, but nothing may appear either in writing or print which does not form part of the document as a legal instrument.
Rate notices.
Receipts (see Accounts).
Returns or periodical statements.
Scrip.
Ships’ manifests;
Specifications.
Spent letters—that is, letters which have clearly served their original purpose, and are at least two months old.
Stock sheets.
Travellers’ cards, circulars, or orders. In the case of orders, instructions as to packing, the route for forwarding, and effecting insurance of the goods, may, be added.
Travelling stock notices.
Way-bills, and other similar documents.
28. Except where specified, any writing in the nature of a letter or personal communication is not permissible, and, if any such writing appear on the article, the latter may be charged as an insufficiently prepaid letter.
29. A packet containing a mixture of commercial and printed papers shall be treated as if the whole contents were commercial papers.
30. The following may be allowed on commercial papers:—
(a) To indicate on the outside of the missive the name, commercial style, and address of the sender.
(b) To add in manuscript on printed visiting cards the address of the sender, his title, as well as good wishes, congratulations, thanks, condolences, or other formulas of courtesy expressed in not more than five words or by means of conventional initials (p.f., &c.).
(c) To indicate or to alter in a printed paper in manuscript or by a mechanical process the date of despatch, the signature, and the commercial style and the profession, as well as the address of the sender, and the name and address of the addressee.
(d) To enclose copy with corrected proofs, and to make in those proofs alterations and additions which relate to correction, accuracy, and printing. In case of want of space, these additions may be made on separate sheets.
(e) To correct also errors in printing in printed documents other than proofs.
(f) To erase certain parts of a printed text in order to render them illegible.
(g) To make prominent by means of marks, and to underline words or passages of the text to which it is desired to draw attention.
(h) To insert or correct in manuscript, or by a mechanical process, figures in prices current, tenders for advertisements, stock and share lists, trade circulars and prospectuses, as well as in travellers’ announcements, the traveller’s name and date and place of his intended visit.
(i) To indicate in manuscript in advices of the departure of ships the dates of those departures.
(k) To indicate in cards of invitation and notices of meetings the name of the person invited, the date, the object, and the place of the gathering.
(l) To add a dedication on books, sheets of music, photographs and engravings, Christmas and New Year Cards, as well as to enclose the relative invoice.
(m) In forms of order or subscription for books, newspapers, engravings, pieces of music, to indicate in manuscript the works required or offered, and to erase or underline the whole or part of the printed communications.
(n) To paint fashion plates, maps, &c.
(o) To add in manuscript or by a mechanical process to cuttings from newspapers and periodical publications the title, date, number, and address of the publication from which the article is extracted.
Printed Papers.
31. Printed papers include all wholly printed matter, such as pamphlets, sheets of music (including perforated paper rolls of music for use in playing musical instruments), single visiting cards and address cards, circulars (wholly printed), circulars with reply halves intended to be used as orders for publications, goods, &c., and with or without an impressed postage stamp thereon, proofs of printing, papers impressed with points in relief for the use of the blind, engravings, photographs, and albums containing photographs, pictures, drawings, plains, maps, catalogues (except those wholly set up and printed in Australia), prospectuses, announcements, and notices of various kinds, and similar articles, whether loose or bound; paper patterns, usually sent in or with a journal of fashion, printed in the Commonwealth of Australia from type set up therein, or from stereotyped plates made therefrom, may be considered as part of such journal.
32. The following may also be allowed to pass as printed papers, viz.:—Circulars which are in other respects admissible, but which are printed or lithographed in characters resembling those of the typewriter, or are produced by means of any mechanical process from written or type-written originals, and may be transmitted at the “printed papers” rate of postage, provided they are handed in at the counter of a post office, and at least twenty copies precisely identical are posted at the same time. Each cover must be marked by the sender “20 posted.”
33. All printed matter with additions, corrections, or alterations (in writing, by rubber stamp or any mechanical process) must be sent as commercial papers, but writing in the nature of a letter or personal communication is not permissible, and if any such writing appear on the article, the latter may be charged as an insufficiently prepaid letter.
34. Cards bearing the inscription “Post Card” may be allowed to pass as printed papers if they conform to the Regulations relating to printed papers, and the card bears no other writing than the name and address of the person to whom it is sent, and the name and address of the sender.
Patterns, Samples, and Merchandise.
35. The following and similar articles may be forwarded under this class, viz.:—
Glass.
Merchandise.
Mineral specimens.
Natural history specimens, such as dried or preserved animals or plants, geological specimens, &c., when sent for no commercial purpose.
Liquids, oils, and fatty substances.
Ointments, soft soap, resin.
Dry powders, whether dyes or not.
Paper.
Parchment or vellum.
Patterns.
Live bees, and live but harmless entomological specimens.
Samples.
Seeds.
Wedding cake (securely packed in tin boxes).
36. Patterns and samples may contain the name and commercial style of the sender, the address of the person for whom they are intended, the manufacturer’s or trade mark, numbers, prices, and indications, relative to weight or measurement and dimensions, or to the quantity to be disposed of, or such as are necessary to determine the origin and the nature of the goods.
Books.
37. The following articles shall not be eligible for transmission at the book rate of postage:—
Account books, albums (with or without photographs or pictures), catalogues and all publications issued in book form for the purpose of advertisement, diaries, directories, guide books, journals of fashion, music (bound or loose), pamphlets, pocket books, programmes of competitions, prospectuses, reports of companies and other business concerns or of institutions, &c., stationery of all kinds bound in book form, time-tables, and generally all matter properly coming under the head of “printed papers,” “commercial papers,” or “merchandise.”
Catalogues
38. A printed order form and a printed and addressed envelope may be treated as part of a catalogue if bound or fastened therein.
39. Catalogues posted at the special rate of postage prescribed for catalogues wholly set up and printed in Australia for delivery within the Commonwealth shall bear an imprint showing that they have been wholly set up and printed in Australia, and the name and address of the printer.
Magazines.
40. The term “magazine” includes magazines, reviews, and other similar publications printed and published for sale in numbers at intervals not exceeding three months. Paper patterns usually sent in or with a magazine, as defined by Act No. 24 of 1910, printed in the Commonwealth of Australia from type set up therein, or from stereotyped plates made therefrom, may be considered as part of such magazine. A printed order form and a printed and addressed envelope may be treated as part of a magazine if bound or fastened therein.
Terms and Conditions under which Packets may be transmitted within the Commonwealth.
41. The maximum weight for a packet of commercial papers or printed papers shall be 5 lbs.; and for patterns, samples, and mechandise, 1 lb., except in the case of packets containing bonâ fide samples of wine which
may weigh, inclusive of packing, up to 20 oz. No packet may exceed 2 feet in length, or 1 foot in depth or breadth, or if in a roll 2 ft. 6 in. in length, or be of inconvenient form.
42. A packet containing articles liable to different rates of postage shall be treated as if the whole contents were in the same category, and shall be charged at the highest rate applicable to any portion of its contents.
43. A packet may be sent through the post either without a cover (when it must not be fastened with anything adhesive), or in a cover entirely open at one end or side, or with the flap left unsealed, or fastened with a binder, or tied with string, so as to permit of easy withdrawal of the contents:
Provided that copies of the Police Gazette issued by any of the State Governments within the Commonwealth may be sent through the post at the packet rate of postage in covers indorsed “Police Gazette only” with the ends sufficiently open to admit of postal officials seeing that nothing in the nature of a letter is enclosed:
Provided further that Australian (Commonwealth Government) Notes sent from or to the Commonwealth Treasury or from one bank to another, within the Commonwealth, in packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Australian Notes only,” and Queensland State Treasury Notes sent by bankers to their head offices in Brisbane in packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Queensland Treasury Notes only,” may be sent through the post sealed against inspection.
44. Glass must be securely packed in boxes of wood, metal, leather, or cardboard in such a way as to prevent all danger to the mails or postal officials. Such articles as scissors, knives, razors, forks, steel pens, nails, keys, watch machinery, metal tubing, pieces of metal or ore, must be packed and guarded in so secure a manner as to afford complete protection to the contents of the mails, and to the postal officials. Explosives shall not be transmitted.
45. Liquids, oils, and fatty substances easily liquified must be enclosed in glass bottles hermetically sealed. Each bottle must be placed in a wooden box furnished with sawdust, cotton, or spongy material in sufficient quantity to absorb the liquid in case the bottle should be broken. Finally, the box itself must be enclosed in a case of metal, of wood with a screw top, or of strong and thick leather. Where use is made of perforated wooden blocks of sufficient thickness (at least one-tenth of an inch in the weakest part) to prevent all risk of breakage, packed with a sufficient quantity of absorbent material inside, and provided with a cover, the blocks need not be enclosed in a second case.
46. (1) Pathological specimens addressed to laboratories approved by the Postmaster-General may be accepted for transmission by registered packet post, under the following conditions, viz.:—
On the outside of every such packet there shall be written or printed the words “Specimen for Bacteriological Examination.”
(2) The liquid or substance forwarded for examination must be enclosed in a receptacle hermetically sealed, which receptacle must itself be placed in a strong wooden, leather, or metal case, in such a way that it cannot shift about, and with a sufficient quantity of some absorbent material (such as sawdust or cotton wool) so packed about the receptacle as absolutely to prevent any possible leakage from the packet in the event of damage to the receptacle.
(3) The package must on no account be dropped into a letter-box or be sent by parcel post. Any packet of the kind found in the parcel post, or any packet of the kind, whether registered or not, found in the post, not packed as directed, shall be deemed to be posted in contravention of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912 and dealt with accordingly.
(4) Any person who sends by post pathological specimens otherwise than as provided by these Regulations shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Fifty pounds.
(5) A packet containing any pathological specimens shall not be accepted for transmission, or, if found in the post, shall not be delivered unless addressed to a laboratory which has been granted a permit by the Postmaster-General to receive specimens for bacteriological examination.
47. Wine, spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages shall not be transmitted by post unless—
(a) they consist of bonâ fide samples, .and each sample does not exceed, in the case of wine, 6 ozs., and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, 3 ozs. in weight; and
(b) the samples are packed in the manner in which liquids are by these Regulations required to be packed, and so that each package shall not exceed, in the case of wine, an aggregate weight of 20 ozs., and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, an aggregate weight of 10 ozs.
48. Ointments, soft soap, resin, and fatty substances which are not easily liquefied must be enclosed in an inner cover (box, bag of linen or parchment, &c.), which must itself be enclosed in a second box of wood, metal, or strong and thick leather. Dry powders, being colouring powders or dyes, must be placed in bags of leather, rubber-dressed linen, or oiled paper of stout substance; and dry powders, not being colouring powders or dyes, must be placed in boxes of metal, wood, or cardboard. These bags or boxes must be themselves enclosed in bags of linen or parchment.
49. Live bees, and live but harmless entomological specimens must be secured in strong, safe, and properly-ventilated boxes or cages of wood or metal; the size of the box or cage not to exceed 12 in. x 6 in. x 4 in.; each box or cage to bear a label securely attached, giving name and address of sender, and particulars of contents. Boxes, &c., posted in violation of these conditions, or containing poisonous or dangerous live specimens, or improperly or insecurely packed shall not be transmitted. Specimens enclosed in cardboard boxes or other fragile material shall not be forwarded.
50. Postal officials may examine the contents of packets, in which case they shall securely refasten same; but, if possible, officials must satisfy themselves as to the contents without withdrawing them: Provided that this regulation shall not apply in the cases of Australian (Commonwealth Government) Notes sent from or to the Commonwealth Treasury, or from one bank to another, within the Commonwealth, in sealed packets bearing upon the covering-wrappers the words “Australian Notes only,” and Queensland State-Treasury Notes sent by bankers to their head offices in Brisbane in sealed packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Queensland Treasury Notes only.”
51. The covers of articles entitled to pass at the rate of postage for printed papers may have printed matter thereon, provided that a clear and conspicuous space be left for the address; they may also bear matter produced by other mechanical processes, provided, in the latter case, that at least 20 copies in identical terms be handed in at the counter of a post office at the same time.
52. Packets which do not comply with the regulations relating to the transmission of packets within the Commonwealth shall be regarded as insufficiently paid letters, and be charged accordingly; but if, in the event of refusal by the addressees they be found, on being opened in the Dead Letter Office, to contain only such enclosures as are entitled to pass at packet rate, and be fully prepaid at such rate, they shall be again forwarded to the addresses without charge. If, on receiving an article surcharged as above, the addressee opens it in the presence of the post-master, and it is found to contain only matter that is entitled to pass at packet rate, the surcharge shall be remitted.
53. Packets containing wedding cake shall not be posted unless the wedding cake is securely packed in tin boxes, and, if any packet containing wedding cake not securely packed in a tin box is posted, the packet shall be deemed to be posted in contravention of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, and dealt with accordingly.
54. Samples of seeds, drugs, and similar articles, which cannot be sent in open packets, may be enclosed in bags or boxes, fastened in such manner as to be easily undone and refastened; or in closed transparent bags. Manufactured articles, such as pills, sensitized photographic paper, &c., with the inner wrapper closed against inspection, may be forwarded at packet rate of postage, provided that such wrapper be that of the manufacturer of the articles.
55. Books may have on the title page complimentary and similar remarks, together with the names and addresses of the senders and of the persons for whom the books are intended, and the date of sending; passages to which it is desired to call attention may be marked with a single stroke. Anything in the nature of an epistolary communication will render the article liable to charge as an insufficiently prepaid letter.
56. All legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of a book or document, or of a portion thereof, is permissible, whether it be loose or attached, as also rollers in case of prints or maps, markers (whether of paper or otherwise in the case of books), or whatever is necessary for the safe transmission of such articles or usually appertains thereto.
57. In any case where a postal official has good grounds for suspecting an infringement of the Regulations relating to the transmission of packets, he may open the packet; and if any irregularity that does not appear to have been an attempt to defraud, has occurred, he must treat the packet as an insufficiently prepaid letter, and charge postage accordingly. Should there be an evident attempt to defraud, or should the contents be such as are not allowed to pass through the post, he must forward the postal article with a report of the circumstance to the Deputy Postmaster-General. Any packet so opened must be securely refastened.
58. Packets containing jewellery or other valuable enclosure must be registered, and bank-notes, coin, bullion, or gold may be sent only at letter rate of postage, and must be registered: Provided that this Regulation shall not apply in the cases of Australian (Commonwealth Government) Notes
sent from or to the Commonwealth Treasury, or from one bank to another, within the Commonwealth, in sealed packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Australian Notes only,” and Queensland State Treasury Notes sent by bankers to their head offices in Brisbane in sealed packets bearing upon the covering wrappers the words “Queensland Treasury Notes only.”
59. In order to secure the return of the packets which cannot be delivered, the name and address of the sender must be printed or written on the cover, thus:—From of
Articles not allowed to be sent by Packet Post.
60. The following articles shall not be sent by packet post, viz.:—Cheques, Money Orders, Postal Notes—except in bankers’ packets—unobliterated adhesive postage stamps, coin, bank-notes, bullion, gold, and perishable substances, such as game, fish, flesh, fruit, vegetables, and any matter or thing likely to injure any person or the contents of the mail-bags; notices or information relating to lotteries, schemes of chance, unlawful games, fraudulent, obscene, indecent or immoral businesses or undertakings, and other matters coming within the provisions of Section 57 of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912; also articles not made up in accordance with the Regulations relating to packets, or bearing or containing anything not allowed under such Regulations.
To the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries.
Commercial Papers.
61. Commercial papers comprise all papers or documents written or drawn wholly or partly by hand (except letters or communications in the nature of letters or other papers or documents having the character of an actual and personal correspondence), documents of legal procedure, deeds drawn up by public functionaries, waybills or bills of lading, invoices, the various documents of insurance companies, copies of or extracts from acts under private signature (written on stamped or unstamped paper), music scores, or sheets of music in manuscript, the manuscripts of works or of newspapers forwarded separately, pupils’ exercises in original or with corrections, but without any comment on the work, and other papers of a similar description; also letters and post cards of ancient date which have already fulfilled their original purpose.
62. Packets of commercial papers may not exceed 5 lbs. in weight, and shall be subject, as regards form and conditions of transmission, to the Regulations relating to printed papers.
Printed Papers of Every Kind.
63. Packets of printed papers for transmission to the United Kingdom may not exceed 2 feet in length and 1 foot in width or depth except in the case of those sent in the form of a roll, when the maximum dimensions shall be—for printed and commercial papers, 2 ft. 6 in. in length and 4 inches in diameter, and for samples 12 inches in length by 6 inches in diameter. For other countries packets of printed papers may not exceed 18 inches in length, width, or depth. Such packets may not in any case exceed 5 lbs. in weight. Printed papers may be placed either in wrappers, upon rollers, between boards, in covers open at both sides or at both ends, or in unclosed envelopes, or simply folded in such a manner as not to conceal the nature of the packet, or tied with a string easy to unfasten, but must be made up in such a manner as to admit of the contents being easily
withdrawn for examination. Address cards and all printed matter of the form and substance of an unfolded card may be forwarded without wrapper, envelope, fastening, or fold.
64. The articles which shall be entitled to be sent as printed papers shall be, generally, impressions or copies obtained upon paper, parchment, or cardboard, by means of printing, engraving, lithography, autography, or any other mechanical process easy to recognise, except the copying-press and the typewriter. This description includes the undermentioned articles wholly printed:—Books (stitched or bound), periodical works, pamphlets, sheets of music, visiting cards, address cards, proofs of printing, pictures, drawings, plans, maps, catalogues, prospectuses, announcements, circulars, notices, engravings, photographs.
65. The following articles, though not really printed matter, may also be sent as such, viz.:—Manuscript intended for the press (when sent with the proofs of the same), papers impressed for the use of the blind, albums containing photographs, cardboard drawing models stamped in relief, and cards bearing the inscription “Post Card,” or its equivalent in any language, provided that they conform to the Regulations relating to printed papers.
66. Anything, not being of glass, usually attached, or appurtenant to any of the before-mentioned articles, in the way of binding, mounting, or otherwise, and anything convenient for their safe transmission by post, may also pass at the rate applicable to such articles, provided it is contained in the same packet.
67. Post cards bearing impressed or adhesive postage stamps, postage stamps, whether obliterated or not, and in general all articles constituting the sign of a monetary value, shall not be transmitted as printed papers.
68. The products of the copying press and typewriter shall not be transmitted at the rate for printed papers, nor, as a rule, shall printed papers, the text of which has been modified after printing, either by hand or by means of a mechanical process, so as to constitute a conventional language. But the following exceptions may be allowed:—
(a) Printed papers may be dated in manuscript or by a mechanical process, and the signature of the sender, his trade or profession, and his address, and the name and address of the addressee, may be added.
(b) On printed visiting cards, and also, on Christmas and New Year cards the address or title of the sender, or conventional initials, such as “p.p.c.”, may be written, and also good wishes, congratulations, thanks, condolences, or other formulas of courtesy, expressed in not more than five words.
(c) On printed circulars corrections and insertions may be made in manuscript or by a mechanical process in regard to names of commercial travellers, dates, and places of their intended visits, dates of departure and arrival of ships, as well as the names of the ships, names of persons invited to meetings, and the place, date, and object of the meetings.
(d) Printers’ proofs may be corrected in manuscript; additions which relate to accuracy, form, and printing may be made, and in case of want of space additional sheets may be used; the author’s manuscript may be enclosed; printers’ errors in other printed documents may also be corrected, and figures may also be inserted or corrected in prices current, tenders for advertisements, trade circulars, prospectuses, and stock and share lists.
(e) Books, papers, music, photographs, and engravings, may bear a written dedication, and the invoice relating to them may be enclosed.
(f) In forms of order or subscription for books printed on cards, the works required or offered may be indicated in manuscript.
(g) The title, date, number, and address of the publication from which the article is extracted may be added in manuscript or by a mechanical process to cuttings from newspapers and periodical publications.
69. Circulars which are in other respects admissible, but which are printed or lithographed in characters resembling those of the typewriter, or are produced by means of any mechanical process from written or type-written originals, may be transmitted at the printed papers rate of postage, provided they are handed in at the counter of a post office, and at least twenty copies precisely identical are posted at the same time.
Patterns and Samples.
70. Except as provided in Regulations 75 and 76, the pattern and sample post shall be restricted to bonâ fide trade patterns or samples of merchandise. Packets containing goods for sale, or in execution of an order (however small the quantity), or any articles, such as wedding cake or presents, which are not actually patterns or samples, may not be forwarded by pattern and sample post.
71. The maximum dimensions and weight for a packet of patterns and samples shall be as follow:—
(a) To the United Kingdom—2 feet in length by 1 foot in width or depth, 5 lbs. in weight.
(b) To all other places—1 foot in length, 8 inches in width, 4 inches in depth; or when in the form of a roll, 1 foot in length and 6 inches in diameter, 12 ozs. in weight.
72. Patterns and samples must be placed in bags, boxes, or removable envelopes, in such a manner as to admit of easy inspection. They may not bear any writing except the name or the commercial style of the sender, the address of the person for whom they are intended, a manufacturer’s or trade mark, numbers, prices, and indications relative to weight or measurement, and dimensions, or to the quantity to be disposed of, or such as are necessary to determine the origin and the nature of the goods.
73. Liquids, oils, and fatty substances easily liquefied, must be enclosed in glass bottles, hermetically sealed. Each bottle must be placed in a wooden box furnished with sawdust, cotton, or spongy material in sufficient quantity to absorb the liquid in case the bottle be broken, and the box must be enclosed in a case of metal, of wood with a screw top, or of strong and thick leather. If perforated wooden blocks of a reasonable thickness, with a sufficient quantity of absorbent material inside, and provided with a cover, be used, the blocks need not be enclosed in a second case.
74. Fatty substances which are not easily liquefied, such as ointments, soft soap, resin, &c., must be enclosed in an inner cover (box, bag of linen or parchment, &c.), which must itself be placed in a second box of wood, metal, or strong and thick leather. Dry powders, being colouring powders or dyes, must be placed in bags of leather, rubber-dressed linen, or oiled paper of stout substance, and dry powders, not being colouring powders or dyes, must be placed in boxes of metal, wood, or cardboard. These bags or boxes must be themselves enclosed in bags of linen or parchment.
75. Articles of natural history, dried or preserved animals or plants, geological specimens, &c., when sent for no commercial purpose, may be transmitted by pattern and sample post, provided they are packed in accordance with the general regulations concerning samples of merchandise.
76. Pathological specimens addressed to the General Superintendent, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, and sent by registered medical or veterinary practitioners, or by recognised pathological or related scientific laboratories may, if securely packed in tubes enclosed in wooden cases, be forwarded by sample post.
77. Live bees, and live but harmless entomological specimens, may be transmitted by sample post. All live specimens must be secured in strong, safe, and properly ventilated boxes or cages of wood or metal. The size of the box or cage must not exceed 12 in. x 6 in. x 4 in. Each box or cage must bear a label, securely attached, giving the name and address of sender and particulars of contents.
78. Boxes, &c., posted in violation of these conditions, or containing poisonous or dangerous live specimens, or improperly or insecurely packed, shall not be transmitted. Specimens enclosed in cardboard boxes or other fragile material shall not be forwarded.
General.
79. Packets of printed papers, commercial papers, or patterns and samples, not made up in accordance with the preceding Regulations, shall not be transmitted.
80. In order to secure the return of packets which cannot be delivered, the names and addresses of senders must be printed, or written on the cover thus—
From of
Articles Grouped Together.
81. Printed papers, commercial papers, patterns and samples of merchandise may be forwarded in the same packet under the following conditions:—
(a) That each article taken singly shall not exceed the limits applicable to it as regards size and weight.
(b) That the total weight of any packet shall not exceed 5 lbs.
NEWSPAPERS.
Registration of Newspapers.
82. The proprietor, printer, or publisher of any newspaper, as defined by Section 28 of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, may register it at the General Post Office of any State subject to the following conditions:—
(a) The application for registration must be made in writing.
(b) It must contain a description of the newspaper to be registered, and show at what intervals the same is or is intended to be published.
(c) It must be accompanied by two copies of the newspaper to be registered, and a fee of 5s., and a statutory declaration by the applicant declaring—
(i) that the publication is printed and published within the Commonwealth for sale, and not for free distribution to any great extent;
(ii) that a total of at least 75 per centum of the copies to be issued will be sold to bonâ fide subscribers who have ordered the paper, or be handed or posted to persons for bonâ fide sale.
83. The Deputy Postmaster-General of any State may, when revising the register as provided by Section 29 of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, call upon the proprietor, printer, or publisher of any newspaper appearing therein to furnish evidence by statutory declaration as to the total percentage of copies issued which are sold to bonâ fide subscribers who have ordered the paper, or which are handed or posted to persons for bonâ fide sale, and any other particulars which are, in his opinion, necessary to enable him to determine whether the newspaper should be removed from the register or not.
84. The publishers of registered newspapers shall print on the first page of each copy issued the words “Registered at the General Post Office, for transmission by post as a newspaper.”
85. Any proposed change in the form of a newspaper must be submitted for the consideration of the Deputy Postmaster-General.
General.
86. A newspaper may be sent either with or without a cover, but must be open at both ends, and there shall not be in or upon any such newspaper or the cover thereof any communication, character, figure, letter, or number (other than the words “newspaper only”; or a line drawn through any report, article, or paragraph therein; the printed title of such newspaper, the printed names, occupations, and places of business of the printer, publisher, and vendor thereof, the name, occupation, and address of the person to whom it is sent, and the name of the person who sends the same), nor shall anything other than a supplement be enclosed in, or with, or accompany any such newspaper or cover, otherwise such newspaper shall not be transmitted or delivered:
Provided always that—with the exception of figures indicating the date upon which the subscription will expire, such as “10/12/07,” and figures indicating the number of papers in the package to be transmitted, being allowed to be printed, impressed, or stencilled upon covers of newspapers issued from the publishing office of any newspaper within the Commonwealth—any newspaper bearing on the cover or outside of the fold thereof any printed matter not permitted for newspapers may be transmitted at the rate charged for printed papers.
87. If a newspaper posted at any place within the Commonwealth be found by a postal official to contain writing or any illegal enclosure, it must be forwarded by him with a report of the circumstances to the Deputy Postmaster-General; but any such newspaper posted at a place beyond the Commonwealth shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office.
88. Newspapers, except those forwarded in bulk, addressed to several persons, to be delivered separately at each address, must not be tied up in bundles, and each newspaper must bear the proper postage.
89. Two or more newspapers to the same address may, except in the case of newspapers sent to the United Kingdom by the “all sea” route,” be tied together, but the outside newspaper or wrapper must bear on its face or addressed side the full postage for each paper, and the whole should be tied so that the number of papers can be counted. The limit of weight of newspaper packets addressed to places beyond the Commonwealth, excepting those posted by registered newspaper proprietors or by news vendors to New Zealand, is 5 lbs.
90. Newspapers (not being those forwarded in bulk) made up in packets bearing the same address can be transmitted at printed papers rate of postage, but the weight of any such packet must not exceed 5 lbs.
91. Collected numbers of a newspaper shall not be transmitted through the post as a single newspaper, but postage must be paid on each copy posted.
92. If newspapers be posted wholly unpaid they shall not be forwarded; if insufficiently prepaid they shall be sent to destination charged with double the deficiency.
REGISTRATION.
93. Any letter, letter card, post card, packet, or newspaper, complying with the regulations relating thereto, and bearing the registration fee of 3d. in addition to the correct amount of postage, shall be accepted for registration. No letter, letter card, post card, packet, or newspaper, addressed in pencil or (unless addressed to the care of some person) to initials or a fictitious name, shall be accepted for registration. The reply halves of reply-paid post cards cannot be registered by the original senders of such cards.
94. If it is believed that an unregistered letter or packet, addressed to the United Kingdom or to any other country beyond the Commonwealth, contains an article of value, such letter or packet shall be forwarded to the Dead Letter Office.
95. Unpaid or insufficiently paid registered articles addressed to or received from places beyond the Commonwealth must be forwarded or delivered, as the case may be, without surcharge.
96. (1) When no direction in writing to the contrary has been received, correspondence for a husband may be delivered to his wife, and correspondence for a wife may be delivered to her husband, and correspondence addressed to members of the same family living in the same house may be delivered to any responsible member of the family living in the house (except young children), or to any messenger authorized to receive it.
(2) Except as set forth in sub-regulation (1) of this Regulation, no registered postal article shall be delivered to any person other than—
(a) the addressee in person; or
(b) a person authorized by a written order from the addressee to receive delivery of registered postal articles on his behalf; or
(c) in the case of business establishments, public institutions, hotels, and lodging-houses, the proprietor, or manager, or some person authorized in writing by the proprietor or manager to receive delivery of the correspondence at such places; or
(d) a person to whose care the registered postal article is addressed.
(3) An order under sub-regulation 2 (b) of this Regulation must bear the date on which it was made, and the addressee’s address, and must be witnessed by some person other than the person in whose favour it is made, and must be delivered to the postmaster or other proper officer.
(4) Provided that in all cases where the sender pays the prescribed fee to obtain an acknowledgement of receipt of the article, as provided by Section 38 (2) of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, delivery shall be made only to the addressee. In such cases the sender may indorse the cover of the article with the words “to be delivered to addressee only.”
Acknowledgment of Delivery of Registered Articles.
97. (1) The sender of a registered article may obtain an acknowledgment of its due delivery to the addressee by paying in advance, at the time of registration, a fee of 2½d. in addition to the postage and registration fee.
(2) The sender must enter, in the form provided for the purpose, both his own name and address, and the name and address of the person to whom the article is sent, and he must also affix to the form in payment of the fee a postage stamp of the value of 2½d., which the postmaster or other officer must cancel in the ordinary way. Should an application for this form be made at an office at which there are no forms on hand, the fee of 2½d. should be paid by postage stamps, and a memorandum furnished, giving the name and address of both the sender of the article and the addressee; the proper form will then subsequently be made out by a postal official and forwarded with the article to its destination. The same procedure should be observed when the sender applies for an acknowledgment of delivery of a registered article after the article has been transmitted.
Compensation for loss of Registered Articles.
Registered Articles Posted in the Commonwealth for Delivery Therein
98. Except in cases beyond control (e.g., tempest, shipwreck, earthquake, war, &c.), compensation may be granted for the loss of registered letters, packets, books, and newspapers (but not parcels), under the following Regulations:—
In the event of the loss of any such article, registered by the sender, posted in the Commonwealth for delivery therein, compensation up to but not exceeding £2 may be allowed. In every case it must appear that the loss did not arise wholly, or in part, through the fault of the sender, and that it actually occurred whilst the article was in the post.
99. (1) Evidence in support of a claim in respect of the loss of a: registered article may be given by statutory declaration as follows:—
(a) A statutory declaration made by or on behalf of the claimant setting forth—
(I.) the date when and the place where the article was posted, so far as they can reasonably be ascertained,
(II.) a description of the article and its value, so far as they are known to the claimant, and the fact of the loss, and
(III.) any other particulars required by these Regulations or tending to establish the loss of the article or to verify the claim made.
(b) A statutory declaration made by the addressee, or some person who is acquainted with the fact, that neither the registered article nor any enclosure therein has been received by the addressee.
(2) The Postmaster-General or the Deputy Postmaster-General may, if he thinks fit, require additional evidence of the loss or value of the article.
100. In lieu of granting compensation, the missing article may be replaced by the Postmaster-General, who, in either case, reserves the right to return, or dispose of the article, as he thinks fit, should it subsequently come into his hands.
101. No compensation shall be given in respect of—
(a) Any article which may not be lawfully sent by post.
(b) Money, unless it be sent by letter post, and then only on the following conditions being complied with:—
(I.) That any coins enclosed in the letter be packed in such a way as to move about as little as possible.
(II.) That the number, amount, bank of issue, and (where necessary) the date of any bank-note enclosed be supplied when required.
(III.) That the amount and number of any postal note enclosed be supplied when required.
(IV.) That particulars sufficient to identify the document be supplied in the case of any bill of exchange, bond, coupon, or other order or authority for the payment of money, or security for money.
(c) Injury or damage alleged to have been sustained in consequence of the loss, damage, or delay of an article.
102. No legal liability to give compensation in respect of the loss of any registered article shall attach to the Postmaster-General, either personally or in his official capacity, and the decision of the Postmaster-General, as to whether compensation shall or shall not be granted, shall in all cases be final.
Registered Articles Received from a Country within the Postal Union.
103. If it is proved to the satisfaction of the Postmaster-General that a letter or packet received from beyond the Commonwealth, duly admitted to registration by the Administration of a country within the Postal Union which has uniform Regulations, has been entirely lost while in his custody, the Postmaster-General undertakes to pay an indemnity of 50 francs (£2), except in cases beyond control (e.g., tempest, shipwreck, earthquake, war, &c.). No compensation, however, is payable except in the case of the loss of the entire letter or packet; and no claim will be admitted if made more than a year after the letter or packet was duly posted.
INQUIRY RESPECTING DELIVERY OF POSTAL ARTICLES.
104. If the sender of a registered postal article desire inquiry made respecting its disposal, he shall, enter in a form provided for the purpose both his own name and address and the name and address of the person to whom the article was sent, and he must also affix to the form a postage stamp in payment of the fee of 2½d., which the postmaster or other officer must cancel in the ordinary way. Should any delay in delivery be attributable to the post office the fee shall be refunded. If a fee has been paid for acknowledgment of delivery no charge for the inquiry shall be made.
105. Any person making a complaint that an unregistered letter or packet containing coin, jewellery, gems, watches, or any other valuable enclosure has not been duly delivered to the person to whom it was addressed, may be required by the postmaster of the post office at which the complaint is made to make a declaration in the form provided.
PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE.
106. Postage stamps must, in all cases (except where otherwise provided in Regulation 219, be placed on the front or address side of postal articles, and upon the right-hand upper corner of that side. Postage stamps placed on the back of any postal article shall not be recognised or cancelled, and the article to which they are so affixed shall be surcharged as insufficiently prepaid.
107. The stamps impressed on stamped envelopes, letter cards, post cards, or newspaper wrappers shall not be used for prepayment of postage on other articles. Duty stamps, mutilated postage stamps, postage due stamps, the stamps impressed on telegram forms, or the postage stamps of any other country are not available in the Commonwealth for prepayment of postage.
108. No postal official is permitted to take money in prepayment of postage (except as specified in these Regulations), when postage stamps are available, or to affix postage stamps to articles posted at any post office.
PAYMENT OF POSTAGE BY THE RECEIVER.
109. The Postmaster-General may, in such cases and upon compliance with such conditions as he thinks fit, allow payment of the postage payable on postal articles by the addressee instead of by the sender.
ELECTORAL PAPERS.
110. (1) Postal articles containing electoral papers may be sent by post free of charge from or to electoral or police officers if—
(a) they contain only electoral papers as defined in this Regulation, and the words “Commonwealth Electoral Papers only, Post Free,” are printed or written on the envelope or wrapper, or upon the papers themselves if they are eligible for transmission without envelopes or wrappers:
Provided that such articles when posted by electoral or police officers to persons who are not electoral or police officers shall also bear the signature and address of the sender, which may be printed or written on the envelope or wrapper, or upon the papers themselves; or
(b) they consist of ballot-papers sent in covers bearing the following indorsements and address printed thereon, namely:—
“O. H. M. S
Electoral Papers Only.
Post Free.
No.
Postal Ballot-Paper,
Not to be opened until scrutiny.
The Returning Officer for the
Commonwealth Electoral
Division of
.............................”
(2) This Regulation shall apply only to the following electoral papers:—
(a) Electoral Papers (including Rolls) provided for by the Commonwealth Electoral Acts and Regulations thereunder,
(b) Commonwealth and joint forms (including Rolls) provided for in any Joint Regulations made in pursuance of an arrangement entered into by the Commonwealth and any State for the preparation, alteration, and revision of Electoral Rolls.
Provided that the forms (including Rolls) are used wholly or partly for Commonwealth purposes.
(c) Referendum Papers provided for by the Referendum (Constitution Alteration) Act 1906-1912 or by Regulations made thereunder.
(3) This Regulation shall not be deemed to exempt from postage any of the following articles:—
(a) Joint and other forms not provided for in the Commonwealth Electoral Acts and Regulations, or in the Joint Regulations, which are used in connexion with the Electoral Acts of the Commonwealth and those of a State or States; and
(b) Forms (including Rolls) provided for in the Joint Regulations which are used solely for State purposes.
BRAILLE AND MOON ARTICLES.
111. Braille and Moon postal articles may be sent by post free of charge if—
(a) they contain only Braille and Moon articles, or either of them, and are posted in envelopes or wrappers open at one end or side or otherwise made up so as to admit of the contents being easily withdrawn for examination; and
(b) the words “Braille (or Moon, or Braille and Moon) articles only,” together with the signature and address of the sender, are printed or written on the outside of the envelope or wrapper.
PREPAYMENT IN CASH, IN ONE SUM, OF POSTAGE ON LARGE QUANTITIES OF MAIL-MATTER.
112. (1) The postage on large quantities of registered or unregistered letters, packets, or newspapers for transmission within the Commonwealth, or to New Zealand or Fiji, may be prepaid in cash. The amount of postage and registration fee (if any) on such mail-matter, posted at one time, shall not be less than £1. The posting may be done at a General Post Office or at any office duly appointed for the acceptance of correspondence under this Regulation. No postmaster, other than those at the offices referred to, will be permitted to receive cash in prepayment of postage under this Regulation without first obtaining authority from the Deputy Postmaster-General. The mail-matter must be handed in at the post office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., but if handed in after 3 p.m. it will be subject to detention if its despatch interferes with the despatch of other postal matter; the full amount of postage payable thereon must be affixed in postage stamps to a docket to be obtained from the postmaster, and the person posting must cancel the stamps by writing his or her name or initials across the face thereof in the presence of the
postal official to whom the mail-matter is handed; the latter must then date-stamp the docket and forward it to the Accountant, General Post Office. Articles of the same weight must be tied in bundles of ten or any multiple thereof up to one hundred, with the addresses in the same direction.
(2) This Regulation does not apply to newspapers posted by registered newspaper proprietors or news vendors, who may post such newspapers at other hours than those prescribed, and may post at one time a quantity of newspapers on which the amount of postage payable is less than £1. Commonwealth and State Government Departments whose postings aggregate £1 or more daily are also exempted from the provisions of this regulation in regard to the stipulation that the postage on such mail-matter posted at one time shall not be less than £1.
113. A person posting articles in large quantities as provided for in the foregoing Regulation may obtain a. certificate of posting upon payment of a fee of one penny. The officer who issues the certificate must affix thereto a penny postage stamp, which he must cancel.
REDIRECTION.
114. Registered letters or packets, on being redirected, must not be dropped into a letter-box, but must be taken to a post office to be dealt with as registered. No additional postage or registration fee shall be charged upon them if they are presented for re-registration not later than the day (Sundays and public holidays not being counted) after being left at the original address; but if they are presented after that time they shall be treated as freshly posted, and fresh postage and registration fees shall be payable in respect of them.
115. If any registered letter or packet when redirected, instead of being given back to the post office to be dealt with as registered, is dropped into a letter-box as an ordinary letter or packet (the word “registered” not having been erased, or having been erased in pencil only), it becomes liable on delivery to a surcharge of a single rate of postage and single registration fee.
116. Applications for redirection must in all cases be signed by the person to whom the correspondence is addressed, and must show whence it is expected. They will be acted on for a term of six months only, unless renewed. A printed form of application may be obtained at any post office in the Commonwealth.
117. Correspondence addressed to a post office to initials or noms de plume shall not be redirected, but must be obtained at the office of address.
118. The Postmaster-General will not undertake to intercept postal articles at any office other than that to which they are addressed, or to intercept and readdress postal articles addressed to the care of private-box holders, or of private mail-bag holders, or to hotels, coffee palaces, lodging houses, and such like places.
DELIVERY OF POSTAL ARTICLES.
119. Every postal official whose duty it is to deliver any postal article shall do so forthwith after he receives the postal article for delivery.
120. Where directions in writing have been given to a postmaster by the parent or guardian of a minor having the custody of the minor, the postmaster may deliver or cause to be delivered all postal articles addressed to the minor in accordance with the directions so given. In the absence of such directions postal articles addressed to minors shall be delivered in the same manner as other postal articles. Notwithstanding any directions having been received under this Regulation, the Postmaster-General may direct that postal articles addressed to a minor shall be delivered to such minor. This Regulation only applies to minors under the age of eighteen years.
121. Postal articles addressed to deceased persons may be delivered to the executors or administrators of such deceased persons on production of the probate or letters of administration; but until such production the Postmaster-General, or a Deputy Postmaster-General, may cause such postal articles to be delivered to some near relative of the deceased person. Provided that registered postal articles addressed to a deceased person, and in connexion with which the sender has paid the fee for an acknowledgment of receipt, shall be returned to the sender.
122. Except when directions in writing to the contrary have been received, correspondence for a husband may be delivered to his wife, and correspondence for a wife may be delivered to her husband, and correspondence addressed to members of the same family or household living in the same house may be delivered to any member of the family or household living in the house, or to any messenger authorized in writing to receive it.
123. Letters and packets may be addressed to “The Householder” or any similar address at any place where there is a delivery by letter carrier. On arrival at the office of destination one of such letters or packets, as the case may be, shall (so far as the number posted will admit) be delivered by letter carrier at each house within the limits of delivery. Such letters or packets must be posted in bulk, and the postage may, subject to Regulation 112, be prepaid in cash.
124. In cases where sufficient reason is shown, and where the concession can be granted without undue interference with the public business, postal articles in transit, when lying at a post office awaiting despatch, may be delivered at that office to the persons to whom they are addressed, upon personal or written application, if the delivering officer is satisfied as to the identity of the applicant.
125. The Department cannot undertake to deliver by letter carrier bulky articles that may impede the general distribution of correspondence. The addressees of books, &c., weighing over 1 lb. must take delivery thereof at the post office.
126. When a firm is dissolved and any member of the late firm gives notice to the postmaster not to deliver to any person other than himself any postal article addressed to the firm, the postmaster (unless he is satisfied as to who is entitled to delivery) may refuse to deliver all such postal articles until an agreement is arrived at between the persons interested as to their delivery, and, in default of such agreement, may mark such postal articles “In Dispute,” and send them to the Dead Letter Office, unless they bear requests for their return if not delivered within a certain time, in which case they shall at the expiration of the time named on the postal article be returned to the sender. No postal article shall be sent to the Dead Letter Officer under this Regulation until the expiration of thirty days from the date of the receipt of the above-mentioned notice.
POSTE RESTANTE
127. The privilege of having correspondence addressed “Poste Restante,” or to a post office to be called for, shall not be allowed for a longer period than six months at any office from which there is a delivery by letter carrier and in cases where the addressee resides within the limits of delivery:
128. Correspondence must not be posted addressed “Poste Restante” or to a post office to be called for, to a person to whom correspondence has been so addressed for the prescribed period, and shall, if received at a post office after the prescribed period has elapsed, be deemed to have been posted in contravention of the Regulations.
POST OFFICE EXPRESS DELIVERY SERVICE.
129. Letters and packets not exceeding 8 ounces in weight may be specially delivered as follows, namely:—
(a) By special messenger all the way.—To secure this service letters and packets must be handed in at an express delivery post office.
(b) By special messenger after transmission by post—For this service a letter or packet may be posted at any post or receiving office, or in any letter-box or posting receptacle, and be “expressed” on reaching the delivery office, provided such office is an express delivery office.
(c) By special delivery in advance of the ordinary delivery by letter carrier.—By this means any person may make an arrangement with the postmaster of any express delivery office to secure the immediate delivery of his own correspondence on its arrival.
(d) By special delivery by means of railway postal vans.—By this service a letter or packet, without awaiting local delivery, or passing through the local post office, may be delivered at any railway station where the trains to which such vans are attached are timed to stop.
Local Service by Special Messenger all the Way.
130. Letters and packets not exceeding 8 ounces in weight may be accepted at the General Post Office of each State. They may also be accepted at such offices as are designated express delivery offices, and determined by the Deputy Postmaster-General from time to time.
131. For a letter or packet not exceeding 8 ounces in weight the charge shall be, for the first mile or part of a mile, in addition to the proper postage, 4d. (provided that the minimum rate, including postage, shall not be less than 5d.); for every additional half-mile or part of half-a-mile, up to 2 miles, 2d.
132. Delivery of express articles may be effected by foot-messengers, or by messengers travelling in omnibuses, or mounted on bicycles, at the discretion of the Department. If the sender desires a cab or other special conveyance to be used, the actual fare must be paid in addition to the express fee and postage.
133. At suburban and country post offices the express delivery shall be limited to one mile from the post office.
134. All charges, including both postage and fee, must be fully prepaid by postage stamps affixed to the letter or packet.
135. Any letter or packet intended for express delivery must not be posted in a letter-box during the hours when the post office is open for ordinary business, but must be handed in at the counter; after the office has closed, such articles may be posted in the letter-box in the ordinary manner, but will not be delivered until the following morning. The words “Express Delivery” must be boldly and legibly written by the sender above the address in the left-hand corner of the cover. When posted in a letter-box there must be in addition a broad perpendicular line drawn from top to bottom both on the front and the back of the cover.
136. All articles handed in or posted for express delivery must be immediately marked with the date and time of posting. Where a date stamp showing hours and quarter-hours in plain figures is in use, it will be sufficient to date-stamp such articles with the stamp, showing the hour and quarter-hour of posting. At offices where a stamp of this description is not used the article must, in addition to being dated with the stamp in ordinary use, be marked with the exact time of posting, thus, “9/5A,” indicating five minutes after 9 a.m. In the same manner, fifty-five minutes after 12 noon must be indicated by “12/55 p.”
137. When a reply is required to an express delivery letter or packet, the words “Wait reply” must be legibly written by the sender immediately under the words “Express Delivery,” and the postage and fee required for the reply must be affixed by postage stamps immediately under the above indorsement on the article to which a reply is desired The messenger may be allowed to wait ten minutes for the reply.
138. When the letter or packet sent in reply, or as a further service, is to be taken to an address on the messenger’s homeward route, the express delivery fee shall be 3d. in addition to the ordinary postage, otherwise the full fee as for the original service must be prepaid.
139. Articles in reply or further service can only be accepted after the messenger has delivered all the express delivery articles originally intrusted to him.
140. A telegraph messenger on delivering a telegram may, if desired, take back to the post office at which he is employed a letter or packet for express delivery. The postage and fee must be prepaid by the sender by means of stamps affixed to the article. The express fee shall be charged as from the residence of the sender, and not from the office where the messenger is employed.
Express Delivery after Transmission by Post.
141. Letters and packets intended for express delivery from the post office of destination only may be posted like ordinary articles, but they must be clearly marked “Express Delivery,” and have a thick perpendicular line drawn on each side of the envelope. The fee of 4d. in addition to the ordinary postage must be prepaid by affixed postage stamps. Letters and packets marked as directed and fully prepaid shall be delivered by special messenger immediately after receipt of the mail in which they are enclosed.
142. The conditions already specified for express letters and packets for the local service shall also apply to those intended for express delivery after transmission by post.
Special Delivery of Letters and Packets in Advance of the Ordinary Deliveries, at the Request of the Addressee.
143. Persons or firms who desire at any time to receive their letters or packets, not exceeding the weight of 8 ozs. each, or in the aggregate a total weight not exceeding 4 lbs., in advance of the ordinary delivery, may have them delivered by special messenger on payment of the full express fee of 4d. a mile or fraction of a mile for one article, and ½d. each for every additional article beyond the first.
144. Written application for such special delivery must be made by the person to whom, or firm to which, the letters or packets are addressed. The applications must be addressed to the officer in charge of an express delivery office from which the letters are ordinarily delivered. If possible, such applications should be delivered by hand, but if posted must be prepaid as ordinary letters. Applications must reach the office an hour at least before the time at which the delivery by letter carrier commences.
145. The express fee on at least one article must be prepaid by stamps affixed to the application. All additional fees must be paid to the special messenger on delivery.
146. If no letters or packets for the address given are found, a special messenger shall be sent to inform the applicant to that effect, and the express fee shall be retained to pay for this service.
147. In cases where a special delivery of letters, &c., arriving by any particular mail, or a regular delivery by special messenger is required, either on one or more days of the week, it will he sufficient if application is made accordingly and left with the officer in charge. In such cases the whole of the charges shall be collected upon delivery of the letters and packets.
Express Letters or Packets for Delivery from Travelling Post Offices, without passing through the Local Post Office.
148. Letters or packets with the ordinary postage fully prepaid, together with the usual late fee, and an express delivery fee of 4d. affixed by postage stamps, may be handed in at any travelling post office for delivery at any railway platform where the mail train is timed to stop. Such articles must be marked by the sender “Express Delivery” in the manner previously directed, and this indorsement must be covered by the date-stamp of the travelling post office to indicate that no further or local express delivery service is required. The sender must arrange for a special messenger to meet the train on arrival at the platform and apply at the travelling post office for the article. If this be not done the letter or packet must be handed loose to the person carrying the mails to the local post office, and delivery must be obtained in the usual manner.
Special Conditions.
149. The express delivery of letters and packets shall be made by messengers only during the hours the office of delivery is open to the public for transaction of telegraph business, and messengers are on duty. There shall be no express delivery on Sundays or on holidays.
UNDELIVERED MAIL-MATTER.
150. Letters and packets with indorsement on the cover, “If not delivered within (seven or more) days, return to———” (here the name and address of the person to whom the letter or packet is to be returned should be stated), will, if undelivered at the expiration of the time specified, be returned by the postmaster at the office of destination to the sender.
151. Letters or packets sent to a fixed address other than a post office, and letters and packets addressed to initials or noms de plume at a post-office, to be called for, not indorsed for return to the senders within a specified time, as provided by Section 46 of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, and which cannot be delivered, shall be returned to the senders, after the expiration of eight days; other letters or packets posted within the Commonwealth for delivery within the Commonwealth shall be retained at the office of destination for one month; if received from a place beyond the Commonwealth, they shall be retained for two months; letters or packets addressed to ships, excepting those addressed to passengers, shall be retained for four months; letters and packets addressed to passengers on board ships shall, if posted in places beyond the Commonwealth, be retained for two months, and if posted within the Commonwealth, be retained for one month. As soon as possible after the expiration of the respective periods the letters or packets must be returned through the Dead Letter Office to the writers, if posted in the State to which addressed, and, if not, to the State or country of origin.
152. Newspapers must be kept at the office of destination for one month waiting delivery, and at the expiration of that period must be forwarded to the General Post Office for disposal according to law; but if the covers or wrappers bear in print the name of the publisher or vendor the news papers must be returned, if so required, to such publisher or vendor, on payment of postage at the prescribed rate.
153. Unpaid letters or post cards, and all insufficiently paid articles, which are returned to the country of origin as redirected or as undeliverable, shall be subject to the same rates of postage as similar articles addressed directly from the country of the first destination to the country of origin.
POSTAL ARTICLES LIABLE TO CUSTOMS DUTY.
154. Any letter (a) received from a place beyond the Commonwealth, or (b) posted at any post office within the Commonwealth, which is suspected to contain any article on which Customs duty is payable, shall before delivery be opened by the addressee or his representative for examination by an Officer of Customs, and if it is found to contain any such article the duty thereon as assessed by the Officer of Customs shall be paid before the letter is delivered to the addressee.
155. Any postal article not being a letter (a) received from a place beyond the Commonwealth, or (b) posted at any post office within the Commonwealth, which is suspected to contain any article on which Customs duty is payable, may be opened for examination, and if it is found to contain any such article the duty thereon as assessed by an officer of Customs shall be paid before the postal article is delivered to the addressee.
156. Any postal article containing any article forwarded in contravention of any Customs Act or Regulation thereunder shall be forwarded to the Collector of Customs to be dealt with according to law.
157. Nothing in these Regulations shall prejudice or prevent the taking of any proceedings or the seizure or forfeiture of any goods for any contravention of any Customs Act or Regulation thereunder.
PRIVATE BOXES.
158. (1) Locked private boxes may be rented at the General Post Office, and, where provided, at other post offices (except those hereinafter provided for) on payment in advance of the following fees:—
For a large box.......................................£3 per annum.
For a medium-sized box...............................£2 per annum
For a small box ......................................£1 per annum.
A box-holder may, on payment of a fee of £2 per annum, in addition to the fee paid for renting a private box, have the contents of such private box placed in a locked bag and handed to his messenger. The bag, furnished with a lock and two keys—one for the postmaster and one for the owner—must be provided by the box-holder.
(2) In the case of a country town where, other than on holidays, deliveries are not effected by letter carriers at least twice a day on at least five days per week, the fees shall be—
For a large box..........................................£1 10s. per annum
For a medium-sixed box...............................£1 per annum
For a small box............................10s. per annum
payable in advance, provided that at least ten persons are severally prepared to rent private boxes at the post office at that town for at least one year.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions in this regulation for payment of annual fees, persons who declare that they are temporary residents only, and who desire to rent a private box for a limited time, may be allowed the use of such box for a period of not less than three months and not more than six months. In those cases the fee shall be charged from the first day of the month in which the box is taken, and a deposit of Five shillings, in addition to the fee, must be made as a guarantee for return in good order of the keys of the box, which deposit shall be refunded on the keys being so returned.
159. Payments must be arranged so that renewal fees fall due on the 1st January in each year; and such renewal fees must be paid within fourteen days from that date; new subscribers shall pay the proportion of fee at the annual rate from the first day of the month in which they commence to the end of December following.
160. Two keys shall be supplied with each box, but a fee of One shilling shall be charged for the use of each additional key supplied, and keys must not be obtained elsewhere, than from the Department. On a box-holder relinquishing the use of a box he shall be required to, at once, return all keys supplied to him, as they are the property of the Postmaster-General, otherwise he shall be charged the rental fee for the box until they are returned.
161. If a box-holder who has rented a private box for more than one year continuously, relinquishes the use of such box before the expiration of any subsequent year for which the prescribed fee has been paid, he shall, on return by him to the Department of all the keys of the box, and payment of One shilling, be entitled to a refund of the proportion of the fee paid for the period beyond the end of the quarter during which the box is relinquished. Provided that if the keys be not all returned a further charge of Five shillings, for the cost of providing a new lock, shall be made.
162. If a key be lost, information must at once be given to the officer in charge of the local post office and the remaining key or keys returned to such officer, when a new lock, for which a charge of Five shillings shall be made, will be fitted in the box, and two keys supplied.
163. The Postmaster-General may refuse to let a private box to any person or persons, and may cancel the tenancy of a private box at any time, if he considers such box is intended to be, or is being used for objectionable purposes.
164. Private boxes shall be let only on the conditions prescribed in these Regulations, and upon any breach thereof the Postmaster-General may at once withdraw permission for the use of the box.
PRIVATE POSTING BOXES.
165. Arrangements may be made for the clearance, when practicable, of unregistered letters, letter cards, and post cards, from private posting boxes of approved pattern at business premises, &c.
166. Officers of the Postmaster-General’s Department shall have access to the box for the purpose of clearing it, and: they alone shall possess the keys for opening it.
167. The clearances of the box shall be made at such times as the Deputy Postmaster-General may arrange.
168. Application with regard to the clearance of a private-posting box must be made to the Deputy Postmaster-General.
169. The boxes must be on the ground floor of the premises in which they are located, and the charges for clearance, which are payable in advance, shall be as follow, viz.:—
Twice a day (Sundays and holidays excepted)..........................£4 per annum
Thrice a day ,, ...........£5 „
Four or more times a day ,, ...........£6 ,,
170. A notice shall be affixed to the boxes as follows:—
“Any article put into this box shall not, for the purpose of any enactment, law, or contract, whereby the due posting is evidence of the receipt thereof by the addressee, be deemed to have been duly posted.”
PRIVATE MAIL-BAGS.
171. A private mail-bag may be made up at the most convenient post office to the Department for any person, or for a number of persons, residing on a mail route, but beyond a mile from the nearest official post office.
172. The charge for a private mail-bag made up and despatched from a post office by mailman shall be £1 per annum if made up and despatched not more than thrice a week, or £2 per annum if made up and despatched more than thrice but not more than six times a week, or £4 per annum if made up and despatched more than six times a week; provided, however, that the charge for making up bags conveyed from and to a post office by a private messenger instead of by a mailman shall be £1 per annum if made up not more than once daily, or £2 per annum if made up more than once daily. The charge in each case shall be payable in advance.
173. Payments must be arranged so that renewal fees fall due on the 1st January in each year, and such renewal fees must be paid within one month from that date; new subscribers shall pay the proportion of fee at the annual rate from the first day of the month in which they commence to the end of December following.
174. Private mail-bags, which must be of leather or strong canvas, must be provided at the cost of the persons requiring them, and be large enough to contain all articles sent and received by post; if a bag be furnished with a lock, two keys must be provided—one for the postmaster and the other for the owner.
175. The postmaster must lock or seal the bag for despatch, and it must be returned in like manner; if a seal is used, the impression must be made known to the postmaster.
176. The bag may contain postal articles for all persons in the employ of the proprietor, or who, with the written consent of the proprietor of the bag, give written authority to the postmaster to enclose them in such bag. The person who pays for the bag shall be responsible for the unpaid postage on all postal articles contained in the bag. He must furnish receipts for all registered articles and parcels enclosed in the bag, and forward to the post office acknowledgements of delivery, duly signed by the addressees. The proprietor of the bag must return all correspondence for persons who have left his station or place, and also any letters, &c., enclosed in error.
177. Every bag must have printed upon it, or upon a leather or metal label, securely attached to the bag, the name of the owner, or the place where it is to be delivered, as well as the name of the post office with which it is exchanged.
178. When a bag is made up for a number of persons, the name of one of the number, to whom the bag may be addressed, must be specified.
179. Telegrams enclosed in a private bag may be transmitted free of postage; but other correspondence so enclosed and intended for delivery at the township where the bag is opened, or for onward despatch, must bear the correct amount of postage payable thereon. In case of non-payment of postage or detention of receipts or acknowledgements for registered articles and parcels, the postmaster may decline to forward any more articles of those classes.
180. A contractor is bound to convey and deliver, free of charge, all private bags given him by the postmaster or under his instruction, but he is not required to deviate from the usual mail route or road, unless instructed by the Deputy Postmaster-General, and must on no account be delayed. Should the return bag not be ready at the appointed time and place, the contractor must not wait for it.
181. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, institutions, persons, or firms whose premises are not situated on a mail route may have private bags (to be conveyed only by private messenger) made up at an annual cost of £1 if made up not more than once daily, or £2 if made up more than once daily. For bags of this kind, made up at the General Post Office, lockers—in which they will be deposited after-ordinary office hours—will be provided at the General Post Office for a rental of £2 per annum. The charge in each case shall be payable in advance, and the provisions of Regulations 173 to 179 inclusive shall also apply.
IMPRESSING STAMPS ON ENVELOPES, WRAPPERS, ETC. FOR THE PUBLIC.
182. Postage stamps of the value of either one half-penny, one penny, or twopence may be impressed on envelopes, envelopes combined with sheets of note-paper, newspaper wrappers or circulars with reply halves intended to be used as orders for publications, goods, &c., supplied by the public
for that purpose, provided that not fewer than 500 envelopes, wrappers, or such circulars of any one size, be supplied at the one time, and that the paper for wrappers be in sheets and not cut in slips. Coloured envelopes or wrappers approved of by the Deputy Postmaster-General may be accepted for impression, but envelopes or wrappers too thin to bear the impression of the die shall not be accepted. Envelopes or wrappers provided by the Postmaster-General’s Department, with the proper stamp thereon, may be substituted for any which may be spoiled in the operation of stamping.
The charges, which must be paid in advance, shall be:—
The value of the stamps, and 2s. per thousand, or portion of a thousand, for the work of stamping.
183. Envelopes, envelopes combined with sheets of note-paper, newspaper wrappers, or circulars with reply halves intended to be used as orders for publications, goods, &c., upon which it is desired that postage stamps shall be impressed, may be accepted at any official post office, and, when accepted, may be transmitted to and returned from the General Post Office without charge for postage.
SALE OF LIGHTLY POSTMARKED POSTAGE STAMPS.
184. (1) Postage stamps issued in the Commonwealth, lightly postmarked, may be purchased at their full face value.
(2) Obliterated complete sets of postage stamps issued in the Commonwealth may be purchased at a charge of Ten shillings per set. The stamps of the face value of from ½d. to 5s. inclusive will be cancelled with the date stamp, and those exceeding 5s. in face value will be cancelled by having the word “Specimen” printed upon them.
REPURCHASE OF POSTAGE STAMPS AND POST CARDS.
185. Postage stamps valid in the Commonwealth in strips of at least two, in good order and condition, may be repurchased from the public, at the General Post Office of any State of the Commonwealth, at their face value, less a discount of 2s. in the £1, or according to the following scale, viz.:— For stamps not exceeding in value 1s. 8d., two pence; exceeding in value 1s. 8d., but not exceeding 3s. 4d., fourpence; exceeding in value 3s. 4d., but not exceeding 5s., sixpence; and so on at the rate of twopence for every 1s. 8d. or portion of 1s. 8d. Provided that no single stamp exceeds 5s. in value. Applications for the repurchase of stamps of denominations above 5s. must be made to the Deputy Postmaster-General. Stamps shall be repurchased only when not perforated, soiled, or otherwise damaged.
186. Envelopes, &c., having unobliterated embossed postage stamps, and spoiled letter cards, and post cards bearing undefaced stamps may also be repurchased at the General Post Office, subject to a discount at the above-mentioned rates.
187. Postage stamps valid in the Commonwealth received by collectors of public moneys in their official capacity, and tendered at any General Post Office, may be repurchased at their face value, less a discount of 2½ per cent., provided that the stamps are not perforated, soiled, or otherwise damaged. In other respects (except that the stamps need not be in strips) the conditions as to repurchase of stamps from the public shall apply.
188. Postage stamps of State issues will be repurchased at the General Post Office of the State of issue only.
LICENCES TO SELL POSTAGE STAMPS.
189. Any person desiring a licence to sell postage stamps must make written application to the Deputy Postmaster-General, stating where his or her premises are situated, and the nature of the business carried on by the applicant.
190. A licence shall be granted without charge, may be revoked at pleasure, and authorizes the sale of postage stamps at the premises named in the licence only.
191. A notice must be exhibited in some conspicuous place in front of the premises licensed, with the words “Licensed to Sell Postage Stamps” painted in letters at least 1 inch in height and of proportionate breadth.
192. Licensed vendors must pay cash for stamps purchased, and may be allowed a commission not exceeding 2½ per cent., in stamps, on purchases of not less than £1 in value at any one time, but they must not use postage stamps for the payment of accounts, nor for remittances. The amount of commission allowed to any licensed vendor on the stamps purchased under any licence held by him shall not exceed in the case of each licence the sum of Thirty shillings (30s.) in any week.
193. Any licensed vendor found dividing with the public the commission allowed by the Department on postage stamps purchased by him, or offering consideration with the view of inducing any person to purchase postage stamps at his place of business, shall be liable to have his licence cancelled.
194. Any person selling or exposing for sale, without licence, any postage stamp, or exhibiting without authority any sign indicating that he is licensed to sell postage stamps, is liable to a penalty not exceeding £5.
195. A licensed vendor shall not, in relation to the sale of postage stamps, appoint or employ any other licensed vendor as his agent or act as the agent or any other licensed vendor. If a Deputy Postmaster-General is satisfied that any licensed vendor is guilty of any contravention of this Regulation he shall forthwith cancel his licence.
INTERFERING WITH POSTAGE STAMPS.
196. (1) A person shall not—
(a) Treat or deal with or apply any substance to any postage stamp in any manner so as to facilitate the removal of any postmark which is or may be placed thereon in any post office, or
(b) knowingly have in his possession any postage stamp which has been treated or dealt with or to which any substance has been applied in any manner so as to facilitate the removal of any postmark which is or may be placed thereon in any post office, or
(c) knowingly put off or use for postal or telegraphic purposes any postage stamp which has been treated or dealt with or to which any substance has been applied in any manner so as to facilitate the removal of any postmark which is or may be placed thereon in any post office.
(2) A person who commits a contravention of this Regulation is guilty of an offence, and shall be liable, on conviction, to a penalty of not more than Fifty pounds and not less than One pound.
197. Proof that a postage stamp affixed to a postal article has been treated or dealt with, or has had applied to it any substance, in contravention of this Regulation, and that the defendant is the writer of the postal article or of any communication therein or of the address thereon or of any part of such address, or is the sender thereof, shall be primâ facie evidence that he is guilty of an offence against this Regulation:
Provided that nothing in this Regulation shall prejudice the proof of an offence against Regulation 196 by other evidence.
DAILY MAIL NOTICE.
198. One copy of the Mail Notice published each day may be supplied to private box-holders and to persons calling for same at the General Post Office on payment in advance of Five shillings per annum, or delivered by letter carriers, on their first round, on payment in advance of Ten shillings per annum. Payment in either case must date from 1st January in each year.
NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF DEPARTURE OF NON-CONTRACT VESSELS, AND OF NON-DEPARTURE OF VESSELS WHICH HAVE RECEIVED MAILS ON BOARD.
199. The notices required to be given by masters of vessels pursuant to sub-section two of Section seventy-one, and to Section seventy-two of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, shall be in writing.
TRANSMISSION OF OPIUM PROHIBITED.
200. Articles containing opium suitable for smoking shall not be sent by post as packets or parcels, and no packet containing opium suitable for smoking shall be received at any post office in the Commonwealth for registration or for transmission or delivery.
MISCELLANEOUS.
201. No information can be given respecting letters which, pass through a post office except to the persons to whom they are addressed; and in no other way is official information of a private character allowed to be made public. A postmaster may, however, give an address if he has no reason to believe that the person whose address it is would disapprove of his doing so.
202. When any information regarding postal matters, particulars of which do not appear in the Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Guide or the State supplements thereto, is required, application should be made in writing to the Deputy Postmaster-General, to whom letters of complaint should also be addressed.
203. Unless a request to such effect be written or printed thereon, when it may be returned at the expiration of the time (not less than seven days) specified thereon, postmasters are not allowed to return any letter, packet, or newspaper to the writer or sender thereof, or to any one else, or to delay forwarding it to its destination according to the address, without either the consent in writing of the person to whom the same is addressed, or the direction in writing of the Postmaster-General.
C. 14098. b
204. Postmasters are not compelled to give change; and when money is paid at a post office, whether as change or otherwise, no question as to its right amount, goodness, or weight can be entertained after it has been removed from the counter.
205. Postmasters are not compelled to weigh any letters, packets, or newspapers for the public if their duties are impeded by so doing. This rule does not apply to parcels, which are tested both as to weight and size before being accepted.
206. If a letter be forwarded under cover to any postmaster with a request that he will repost it at his office, the letter, on being reposted, must be indorsed with the words “Posted at ————, under cover to the Postmaster of————.”
207. Any person who, on receiving a surcharged letter, has reason to think it has been wrongly taxed, should take it, before it has been opened, to the post office to be weighed, and, if it then appear that the article is of less weight than that upon which the surcharge is based, should have its exact weight certified in writing. Unless this course is followed, no question as to the correctness of the surcharge can afterwards be entertained.
208. Correspondence posted on the high seas in the letter-box on board a packet, or placed in the hands of postal agents on board, or of the commander of a ship, may be prepaid by means of the postage stamps, and according to the postage rates, of the country to which the vessel belongs, or by which it is maintained. If, however, the posting takes place during the stay at one of the two extreme points of the voyage, or at any intermediate port of call, prepayment can only be effected by means of the postage stamps, and according to the rates, of the country in the waters of which the vessel happens to be.
209. Mail contractors are required to receive (beyond a mile from a post office) correspondence intended for delivery along their line of route. If fully prepaid and for delivery before a post office is reached, the mailman must cancel the stamps, by crossing them with ink, or in some other effective manner. If the correspondence be unpaid or insufficiently prepaid, it must not be delivered, but posted at the next post office on the line of route, whence it must be despatched to destination charged with double the deficiency, to be collected on delivery. All correspondence so received must bear an indorsement by the mailman indicating the particular point on the road at which it was received.
210. Mail contractors are prohibited from carrying, or permitting their servants or passengers to carry, any letter or packet to the prejudice of the Post Office revenue.
211. Upon collection of the postal charges due on taxed mail-matter, and before delivery thereof, officials must affix to each such article “postage due” stamps equal in value to the sum received, and cancel such stamps, either with the office stamp or in some other effective manner.
212. Undelivered correspondence addressed to the care of consuls and returned by them to the local post office must be treated in the manner prescribed for returned correspondence and sent to the Dead Letter Office. Any postage charges must be refunded to the consuls.
213. No postal official shall, without lawful authority, destroy or injure any postal article or other property of the Postmaster-General.
214. Wedding cake shall not be posted unless it is securely packed in tin boxes, and if any postal article containing wedding cake not securely packed in a tin box is posted, such postal article shall be deemed to have been posted in contravention of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, and shall be dealt with accordingly.
215. All correspondence must be clearly and legibly addressed in the ordinary way, and nothing may be written or printed on the address side of correspondence which, by tending to prevent the easy and quick reading of the address, or in any other way, is likely to embarrass the postal officials in dealing with it Contravention of this Regulation may result in correspondence being withheld from delivery. The Department will not undertake to deliver correspondence bearing “puzzle” addresses.
RATES OF PAYMENT TO MASTERS OF VESSELS.
216. The rates of payment to masters of vessels for the carriage of mails in cases not provided for by contract shall be as follow:—
(a) In harbors and on rivers—
Letters and post cards.........................8d. per lb.
Other articles..........................................1s. 4d. per cwt.
(b) Otherwise to places within the Commonwealth—
Letters and post cards..................................1s 4d. per lb.
Other articles..........................................2s. 8d. per cwt.
(c) To places beyond the Commonwealth—
Letters and post cards................................2s. per lb.
Other articles.......................................4s. per cwt.
COLLECTION OF LETTERS BY LETTER CARRIERS.
217. Letter carriers must receive all properly stamped letters that may be handed to them when engaged in their deliveries for the purpose of being posted at the post office to which they are attached, or to be deposited in the nearest or most suitable pillar-box, or other receptacle provided for the reception of letters; provided that letter carriers shall not in any case be required to accept such letters within a radius of a quarter of a mile from the nearest posting place, or to wait for them. Letters received as above must be dealt with so as to insure the most speedy transmission to the post office for which they are intended.
PARCELS POST.
Limit of Weight and Size.
218. (1) Parcels not exceeding 11 lbs. in weight, 3 ft. 6 in. in length, or 6 feet in length and girth combined may be accepted for transmission from and to all parcels post offices in the Commonwealth served by railway, coach, or steamboat. Parcels from or to parcels post offices within the Commonwealth not served by railway, coach, or steamboat, must not exceed 3 lbs. in weight; should a parcel be received exceeding that weight addressed to a place to which it is not transmissible, it must be forwarded to the nearest parcels post office on the mail route served by railway, coach, or steamboat, and the addressee must be duly advised thereof. The senders of the parcels limited to 3 lbs. in weight shall be required to pack those parcels in such a way as to permit of them being enclosed in mail-bags.
(2) Parcels exceeding 2 lbs. in weight or of greater dimensions than those prescribed shall not be accepted for transmission through the post. Any such parcels which may be irregularly posted must not be forwarded to destination, but, if practicable, returned to the sender.
Postage must be Prepaid.
219. Except in cases where authority is given under Regulation 109 for payment of postage by the receiver, the postage must be fully prepaid by means of adhesive postage stamps, which the sender or person handing in the parcel must affix either close to the address on the wrapper, or to a label, obtainable at any post office. If the contents of a parcel be of a fragile nature, or postage stamps will not readily adhere to the wrapper, such stamps must be affixed to a tie-on label attached to the parcel. Postal officials must not affix postage stamps to the labels or covers of parcels.
How to Address and Pack.
220 (1) In addition to the name and address of the person for whom it is intended, every parcel addressed to any place beyond the Commonwealth must bear the name and address of the sender on the wrapper, thus:—
From................of..................
The name and address of the sender may also be indicated on parcels for delivery within the Commonwealth.
(2) The contents of parcels must be securely packed and enclosed in such a manner as to preserve them from injury and from injuring other parcels. Parcels containing—
(a) fragile articles—millinery, toys, musical instruments, &c.
(b) perishable articles—eggs, butter, flowers, fish, &c.
(c) liquids or semi-liquids—medicines, oils, paints, jellies, &c.
must be so securely packed as to prevent the contents from escaping, and the covers or vessels in which they are enclosed must be sufficiently strong to prevent breakage in transmission. The word “Fragile” or “Perishable,” as the case may be, and the nature of the covering or vessel, and contents must be indorsed on the outer wrapper. The edges and points of all sharp instruments must be protected, and articles which are likely to injure other articles must be packed in separate parcels. When considered necessary by the Postmaster-General, hermetically-sealed tins, and wooden packing boxes, with a sufficient quantity of absorbent matter, must be used.
(3) The wrappers of parcels which have become torn or damaged in transit must be made as secure as practicable. If the address of any parcel be rendered illegible, such parcel must, if possible, be returned to the sender.
Directions as to Posting.
221. (1) A parcel intended for transmission by parcels post must not be posted in a posting box or pillar, but must be handed in at a parcels post office and the officer to whom it is handed must check the weight, size, and postage, before accepting it; if it be not fully prepaid (except in cases where authority is given under Regulation 109 for payment of postage by the receiver) or exceed the limits of weight or size, it must not be accepted.
(2) Should an article which is transmissible through the post only as a parcel be posted in a posting box or pillar, instead of being handed in at a parcels post office in the prescribed manner, it must be regarded as irregularly posted, and, if not exceeding 1 lb. in weight, must be forwarded as a letter or package under the Regulations relating thereto; but when in excess of that weight, if posted at and addressed to a parcels post office, and bearing full parcel postage, it must be forwarded on as a parcel; otherwise it must be returned to the sender on payment of an additional fee of 6d. for each parcel, if for delivery within the Commonwealth;
but if addressed to any other colony or country it must be detained to permit of the sender being communicated with, if practicable; if not properly packed it must, if possible, be returned from the parcels post office of receipt to the sender. The procedure adopted with regard to parcels so posted, which are insufficiently prepaid, shall be as follows:—
(a) If for delivery within the Commonwealth, the parcel shall be forwarded to destination; but double the deficient postage shall be charged on delivery;
(b) If addressed to any place beyond the Commonwealth the sender must, if possible, be at once communicated with, and the parcel detained until the requisite amount of postage due on the parcel and on the notice sent has been obtained. If the name and address of the sender (of parcels for places other than Cape Colony and New Zealand) cannot be ascertained, the addressee shall be notified of its detention and of the reason therefor, and informed that on receipt of the amount of the deficiency and the postage on the notice sent to him the parcel will be duly forwarded to destination. Parcels for Cape Colony and New Zealand not fully prepaid and posted out of course, may be forwarded, provided the senders are not known. Such parcels shall be charged double the deficiency.
(3) Should an irregularly-posted parcel not bear an address sufficient to permit of its despatch to destination, the sender must, if possible, be written to and informed that on furnishing the requisite address and on payment of the amount of postage on the notice sent to him, together with any deficient postage on the parcel, it will be forwarded to destination.
Customs Declaration to be made by Sender in Certain Cases.
222 (1) The sender of a parcel addressed to any place beyond the Commonwealth must sign a declaration (on a form provided for the purpose and obtainable free of charge at any parcels post office) furnishing an accurate statement of the contents of the parcel and the value thereof, the address, and the sender’s signature and address, which declaration must be affixed to the parcel to which it relates. The net weight or quantity of the various articles contained in a parcel must, if possible, be stated, and any other particulars which would facilitate the assessment of Customs duty—such as, in the case of clothing, the material, and whether it is new or has been worn. If articles which are being returned to the country of origin are enclosed it must be so stated.
(2) When parcels are intended for foreign countries, the information may be furnished in the language of the country of destination or any other foreign language, at the wish of the sender, but in addition it must also be written in English.
Certificate of Posting and Acknowledgment of Delivery.
223 (1) The registration system is not applicable to other than value-payable parcels, but a certificate of the posting of one parcel, or any number of parcels posted at the one time by the same person or firm, for transmission to places within the Commonwealth may be obtained without charge. In the case of parcels addressed to places beyond the Commonwealth a charge of 3d. shall be made. This charge must be affixed to the form of certificate, in postage stamps, which must be defaced with the office stamp. The form must, in all cases, be filled in by the sender or his representative, and handed in at the parcels post office with the parcel or parcels.
(2) If the form be duly handed in accompanied by a fee of 2d. per parcel (in addition to the charge for a certificate of posting, where such charge is payable) a special receipt from the addressee, or other person to whom such parcel, if addressed to any place within the Commonwealth, is delivered, acknowledging the receipt thereof, must be obtained and forwarded to the sender.
Prohibited Articles.
224. Neither coin, bullion, gold, nor any article constituting the sign of a monetary value (such as cheques, postal notes, money orders, &c.) other than unobliterated adhesive postage or duty-stamps, post cards, and blank promissory note forms bearing duty-stamps may be sent by parcels post except to those countries with which the system of parcels post insurance is in force and to which the transmission of such articles is not specially prohibited; if a parcel containing any such prohibited article be posted in contravention of this Regulation it shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal.
225. (1) The posting of parcels containing wine, spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages which—
(a) are not bonâ fide samples not exceeding, in the case of wine, 6 ozs. in weight, and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, 3 ozs. in weight; and
(b) are not securely packed in accordance with the Regulations, and in such a manner that the aggregate weight of the parcel does not exceed, in the case of wine, 20 ozs., and in the case of spirits, liqueurs, or other alcoholic beverages, 10 ozs.,
is prohibited.
(2) When any parcel posted in contravention of this Regulation is found to contain any alcoholic beverage, it shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal.
226. A parcel may not contain a letter, neither may it contain any article intended for delivery at an address other than that borne by the parcel itself. Should a parcel contain any such enclosure it may be surcharged on delivery double the postage which the enclosure would have cost if sent separately. If a parcel bear on the cover thereof any communication in the nature of a letter it may be subjected to a fine of 6d. on delivery. Invoices, business cards, printed matter, price lists, or particulars of contents may, however, be enclosed in parcel addressed to places within the Commonwealth.
227. No parcel bearing or containing any indecent, obscene, profane, or libellous writing, signature, address, mark, design, print, photograph, lithograph, engraving, book, card, or other article, nor anything explosive or liable to sudden combustion, live animals, offensive or filthy matter, nor unless properly packed, any article likely to cause injury to other parcels or to postal officials, shall be accepted for transmission. Should any such parcel be detected in transit through the post the objectionable contents shall be confiscated. Should the contents of any parcel become offensive or otherwise objectionable while in the possession of the post office they may forthwith be destroyed.
228. The transmission by parcels post of notices or information relating to lotteries, schemes of chance, unlawful games, fraudulent, obscene, indecent, or immoral businesses or undertakings, and other matters coming within the provisions of Section 57 of the Post and Telegraph Act
1901-1912, is prohibited. If a parcel containing any such prohibited article be posted in contravention of this Regulation, or be received by post from any place outside the Commonwealth, it shall be sent to the Dead Letter Office for disposal.
229. Live bees and live but harmless entomological specimens may, if properly packed, be transmitted within the Commonwealth and to and from the United Kingdom.
230. Parcels containing articles, the transmission or importation of which is prohibited by the laws and Regulations of the Commonwealth or of the State or country of destination, shall not be sent by post.
Opening of Parcels and Examination of Contents.
231. Parcels may be opened and examined by postal officials, but after so opening the examining official must securely refasten them. In the case of parcels from places beyond the State of destination, their contents may be examined by the Customs officers in the parcels post office, and, where duties are payable, the same must be paid before the parcels are delivered. Parcels may, however, be forwarded in bond to places where Customs officers are stationed, to be opened in the presence of such officers, who must collect and account for any duty payable on them. Parcels, the contents of which are not dutiable, must be forwarded at once to the parcels post office nearest to destinations.
Delivery of Parcels.
232. Where satisfactory arrangements can be made parcels shall be delivered as addressed At all other parcels post offices notice shall be given to addressees, and delivery must be taken at the parcels post office. In all cases senders must advise addressees by post of despatch of parcels, so as to insure prompt delivery.
233. A receipt must be given by the addressee or his agent upon delivery of a parcel. In the case of roadside delivery, addressees may authorize a mailman to receive and sign for (their parcels at the parcels post office nearest to their address; but any such authority must be in writing, with the name of the mailman inserted.
Demurrage.
234. (1) Where any parcel addressed to a trader remains undelivered (by reason of detention for Customs purposes, non-completion of Customs requirements, non-payment of duty, or on account of any non-postal reason) for more than 14 days (exclusive of Sundays and holidays) after the posting to the addressee of a notification of its arrival, demurrage may be charged on the parcel at the rate of 1s. 3d. per week or portion thereof during which it remains undelivered after such 14 days:
Provided that, where the postmaster is satisfied that the parcel does not contain goods for the purpose of trade, demurrage shall not be chargeable under this sub-regulation.
(2) Where any parcel (not chargeable with demurrage under sub-regulation (1), addressed to a post office to be called for, from which post office there is a house-to-house delivery of letters, has remained in the office of destination for a period of 21 days (exclusive of Sundays and holidays), by reason of the addressee failing to take delivery of it, demurrage shall be charged on the parcel at the rate of 1d. per day for each day during which it remains undelivered after such 21 days, but the maximum demurrage chargeable on any one parcel under this sub-regulation shall not exceed one shilling and sixpence.
(3) No parcel on which demurrage is chargeable shall be delivered until the charge for demurrage has been paid.
(4) No demurrage shall be charged on parcels addressed to persons on board ship.
(5) In the case of parcels returned to the country of origin as undeliverable, the charge for demurrage is to be cancelled.
Return of Parcel on Request before Delivery.
235. If the sender of a parcel posted for delivery within the Commonwealth apply for its return to him prior to its despatch from the office at which it was posted, such parcel shall be handed back without charge, but the postage paid thereon shall not be refunded. If, after its despatch from the office at which posted, but before delivery to the addressee, the sender applies for the return of a parcel, the request must, if possible, be complied with, but before it is handed back to him, the sender must pay half-postage at the fully prepaid rate, but not less than 6d., together with the cost of telegram of advice, if one has been required, and any other charges due on such parcel.
Redirection.
236. On receipt of a properly signed authority from the sender or addressee a parcel shall be redirected, subject to the following conditions:—
(a) The sender or addressee, or the person presenting the parcel for redirection must either prepay the additional redirection charges or give a written guarantee that payment of those charges (if any) will be made by the addressee on delivery. A guarantee will be accepted only from a person who is known to the officer in charge. In cases where it is not practicable for a guarantee to be given, the parcel may be redirected to another address within the Commonwealth, provided the contents thereof would, in the opinion of the officer in charge, if sold by public auction, return an amount sufficient to defray the fees and charges due.
(b) If the redirection be to an address within the same delivery as the original address, no charge shall be made therefor.
(c) If the redirection be to another delivery or post town within the Commonwealth, the charge therefor shall be half-postage at the fully prepaid rate, but not less than 6d. A fresh charge shall be made for each such redirection.
(d) If the redirection be to a country beyond the Commonwealth the parcel shall be subject to additional postage at the fully prepaid rate.
(e) If, after delivery, a parcel be redirected, it shall be subject to additional postage at the fully prepaid rate.
(f) Dutiable parcels redirected to any place within the Commonwealth where a Customs Officer competent to deal with assessment for duty is not stationed must be accompanied by a debit note showing the assessments for duty made at the office where the parcel has been valued for duty.
Refused and Undelivered Parcels.
Parcels Posted in the Commonwealth for Delivery Therein.
237. (1) Parcels refused by the addressees shall, if possible, be at once returned to the senders; and those bearing a request on the face of the cover thereof, for their return to the senders if undelivered after the expiration of seven (7) or more days (but not exceeding one month) shall be so returned. Other parcels which cannot be delivered, shall be retained at the office of address for one calendar month from the date of receipt, after which they shall be forwarded to the Chief Parcels Office of the State, whence, if possible, they shall be returned to the senders. Half-postage at the fully prepaid rate, but not less than 6d., for each parcel so returned must be paid by the sender before the parcel is handed back to him.
(2) Parcels which cannot be delivered to the addressees or returned to the senders shall be retained at the Chief Parcels Office of the State for a period of three months, after which they shall be sold by public auction.
Parcels Received from Places Beyond the Commonwealth.
238. Parcels which cannot be delivered shall, in the absence of instructions from the senders respecting same, be retained in the State of destination for a period of one month in the case of parcels from the United States of America; four months in the case of parcels from New Zealand and Fiji; and seven months in all other cases, when, if still undelivered, they shall be returned to the senders through the colonies or countries whence they were received.
General.
239. In all cases, where possible, the senders of refused or undelivered parcels must be consulted, as early as practicable, as to the disposal thereof. The contents of undelivered parcels which have been returned to the Chief Parcels Office of the State of origin, and cannot be delivered to the sender, shall be sold or destroyed as may be directed by the Deputy Postmaster-General.
Despatch of Parcels to Destination.
240. The Department shall use every means to forward parcels to destination as promptly as possible, but it shall not be necessary, in all cases, to forward them by the first mail after posting.
Postmaster-General not responsible for loss of Uninsured Parcels.
241. Except as specified in the Regulations relating to insurance of parcels, the Postmaster-General shall not be responsible for damage to, delay, non-transmission, non-delivery, or loss of any parcel.
Payment of Customs Duty by the Sender of a Parcel.
242. The senders of parcels to those countries with which the necessary arrangements have been entered into, may take upon themselves payment of the Customs and other charges ordinarily paid by the addressees. In such cases the sender must pay a fee of 6d., sign an undertaking to pay on demand the amount due, and make a deposit on account of the charges at the rate of 1s. for each 4s. or fraction of 4s. of the declared value of the parcel. A final settlement will take place as soon as the amount of
the charges due has been ascertained from the country of destination. Parcels intended to be sent under these arrangements must be handed in at an official or railway parcels post office, which is also a money order office.
Rates of Postage, &c.
243. The following shall be the rates of postage charged on inland and Inter-State parcels, viz.:—
| Rate of Postage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Destination. | On a Parcel not Exceeding— | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| 1 | lb. | 2 | lb. | 3 | lb | 4 | lb. | 5 | lb. | 6 | lb. | 7 | lb | 8 | lb. | 9 | lb. | 10 | lb. | 11 | lb. |
| s | d | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | |
Inland.......... | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 0 | |
Inter-State....... | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 8 | |
Insurance of Parcels.
244. Parcels for places with which special arrangements have been made may be insured against loss or damage whilst in transmission through the post. The fee for insurance must be prepaid by means of postage stamps, which the sender must affix to the parcel with the stamps in prepayment of postage.
245. A certificate of insurance must always be obtained by the sender of an insured parcel. The necessary particulars must, as far as practicable, be inserted in the form of certificate by the sender or his representative. No charge shall be made for the issue of such certificate.
246. No parcel may be insured for a sum in excess of the real value of the contents; an invoice, or description of contents, and the value of each article contained in the parcel, must be enclosed therein. Over-insurance shall be a bar to compensation.
247. Parcels containing any of the following articles shall be excluded from insurance, viz., liquids, or semi-liquids; perishable articles, such as eggs, butter, fruit, flowers, confectionery, &c., fragile articles, such as glassware, &c. Under no circumstances shall compensation be given for the loss of or damage to a parcel containing any of the above-mentioned articles.
248. Every parcel intended to be insured must be carefully and substantially packed, with due regard to the nature of the contents and the length of the journey, and must be secured in such a manner as to prevent tampering without leaving obvious traces of violation.
249. Parcels containing watches (except those in nickel or other base metal covers), jewellery, or. any article of gold or silver, must be enclosed in strong boxes or cases, which must be securely fastened in wrappers of linen, canvas, strong paper, or other substantial material. The labels of such parcels must be so placed that they will not serve to conceal injuries
to the cover, and may not be folded over two sides of the cover so as to hide the edge. The address, in such cases, must be written on the cover of the parcel.
250. If a parcel tendered for insurance does not, in the opinion of the officer to whom it is tendered, fulfil the foregoing conditions as to packing and fastening, he shall refuse to insure it; but the onus of properly packing and fastening the parcel lies upon the sender, and the Postmaster-General shall not be liable for loss of damage arising from defects in packing or fastening which may not be observed at the time of posting.
251. Unless parcels containing watches (except those in nickel or other base metal covers), jewellery (including precious stones), or any article of gold or silver, be insured for at least part of their value, they shall not be sent by parcels post to or viâ the United Kingdom, or to Ceylon, India, or Germany. Any such parcels posted uninsured must, if practicable, be retured to the sender on payment of a fee of 6d. per parcel.
252. A fee of 6d. shall be collected on the delivery of every uninsured parcel received from the United Kingdom, or India, or Germany, and found to contain watches (except those in nickel or other base metal covers), jewellery, or any article of gold or silver.
253. When an insured parcel is redirected from one country or colony to another, a fresh insurance fee shall become payable for each such transmission; if this fee be not prepaid, it must be collected before delivery of the parcel. Insured parcels can be redirected only to places in the Commonwealth, or to those countries to which insured parcels may be sent.
254. In the event of the contents of a parcel being damaged, the parcel shall, as far as practicable, be retained in the condition in which it was received from the office of delivery, and be submitted, when required, to the examination of a responsible officer.
255. (1) Compensation for a parcel lost or damaged in the post shall not exceed the amount of the actual loss or damage, but no compensation shall be paid for a parcel containing any prohibited article, or one which has been delivered without external trace of injury, and has been accepted without remark by the addressee, or when loss or damage arises from, the act of God, or the King’s enemies, or from causes beyond control (e.g., tempest, shipwreck, earthquake, war, &c.).
(2) No application for compensation shall be entertained unless made within three (3) months from date of posting of any parcel, or within six (6) months from date of posting of a parcel addressed to or viâ the United Kingdom, or to Ceylon, India, or Germany. Such application may be made to the Postal Administration of either the country of origin or of delivery, but the certificate of posting and insurance must be produced when required.
(3) No legal liability to give compensation in respect of any parcel for which an insurance fee has been paid shall attach to the Postmaster-General either personally or in his official capacity. The final decision upon all questions of compensation shall rest with the Postal Administration of the country in which the loss or damage has taken place.
256. Any insurance effected, contrary to the foregoing provisions shall be invalid.
257. Where not repugnant to the foregoing Regulations, the general Regulations relating to uninsured parcels shall apply also to insured parcels.
Value-payable Post.
258. Any article that can be sent by parcels post may be transmitted as a value-payable parcel, provided it is accompanied by a certificate that it is sent in execution of a bonâ fide order. Letters may also be sent as value-payable parcels if prepaid at the letter rate of postage and handed to the parcel clerk at the counter in the same manner as in the case of parcels.
259. Value-payable parcels may be handed in for transmission at any parcels office which is also a money order office, to be sent to any other parcels office which is also a money order office. All such offices are distinguished in the list of parcels offices by the letters “V.P.”
260. Value-payable parcels addressed to a place where there is no value-payable office may be accepted for transmission to the nearest value-payable office, where the value will be collected and the parcel afterwards forwarded as an ordinary parcel to its destination.
261. Except as provided above, the use of the value-payable system shall be restricted to articles posted in the Commonwealth for transmission by parcels post to value-payable offices in the Commonwealth, or to articles posted in the Commonwealth for transmission to Papua, or posted in Papua for transmission to any value-payable offices in the Commonwealth.
262. Value-payable parcels must be presented at the office of posting with the prescribed registration form, in duplicate, filled up and signed by the sender, with a certificate added that the parcel is sent in execution of a bonâ fide order. The duplicate must be signed by the parcel clerk and be returned to the sender. [A requisition form for the money order, addressed to the delivering office, must also be handed in with the parcel.]
263. When articles sent in execution of an order from one individual must necessarily on account of weight be forwarded in two or more parcels, and such parcels are posted at the same time and to the same address, the remittance for the whole order may be sent by means of one money order, if all are accepted and paid for at the same time, but if an addressee takes delivery of only one parcel of a consignment, the value of that parcel is to be remitted, less commission on the money order. The value of other parcels to be remitted according as they are accepted and paid for, commission being deducted. In such cases, however, the certificate provided for in Regulation 262 must specify that, to the best of the sender’s knowledge, the articles are for the bonâ fide personal use of the addressee.
264. In addition to the ordinary postage, commission on the value of the articles transmitted, at the rate of twopence on sums not exceeding ten shillings, and one penny for each additional five shillings or fraction of five shillings, must be prepaid by postage stamps affixed to the articles distinct from the postage and marked “commission.” The registration fee (threepence) and the proper postage must also be prepaid by postage stamps affixed to the parcel.
265. All the necessary forms, including labels for particulars of value, &c., which must be affixed to the parcel, shall be supplied free of charge at any value-payable parcels office. All forms must be filled in by the sender, and postal officials must not assist in filling in such forms or alter them.
266. Value-payable parcels may be indorsed by the senders with a special request that they be returned to the senders if not claimed within a specified time, not being less than fourteen days, and parcels with such indorsements must be promptly returned free of charge at the expiration of the period fixed by the indorsement.
267. Value-payable parcels must be dilivered at the value-payable parcels office nearest to the address, to the addressee, or any person authorized in writing by him to receive them. The delivering office must advise the addressee under registered cover that a value-payable parcel will be delivered to him or his order on payment of the specified sum. On no account must value-payable parcels be opened and examined by the addressees before delivery and payment of the sums specified.
268. Immediately upon collection of the amount due on the parcel, or at the latest on the day following its collection, such amount shall be remitted to the despatching office by means of a money order, less the usual commission on such order. The addressee of the parcel shall be described in the money order letter of advice as the sender of the order, or the “remitter,” and the person or firm by whom the parcel was sent shall be described in such letter of advice as the person to whom the order is payable, or the “payee.”
269. Immediately on receipt at the despatching office of money orders in favour of senders of value-payable parcels, they must be entered in the value-payable journal, and the senders advised. The money orders must be handed to the persons in whose favour they are advised (that is, the senders of the value-payable parcels), and their receipts taken in the value payable journal opposite the record of the parcel.
270. If the addressee of a value-payable parcel shall refuse delivery or omit to take delivery of it within the period specified by indorsement, at the latest within a month from the date of receipt at the delivering office, it must be returned to the sender free of charge upon a receipt being given for it in the value-payable journal opposite the record of the parcel. Under no circumstance shall any portion of the postage, commission, or fees be returned to the sender.
271. After three months from the date of receipt at the post office of a value-payable parcel, no claim in respect thereof shall be entertained by the Postmaster-General.
272. Value-payable parcels must be advised to the office to which they are despatched on the special value-payable parcel bill (as supplied to all offices). On receipt they must be checked and entered in value-payable register, and if for despatch to another office they must be re-advised on value-payable bill, and, the presence of value-payable parcels in the mail must be noted on the ordinary parcel bill. All value-payable parcels must have the proper coloured label attached; this is the only marking necessary.
MONEY ORDERS.
273. If a letter containing a money order should go astray, the money may be obtained by means of a duplicate order. Information as to payment may be given to the remitter or the payee.
274. The remitter of a money order is the person who sends the money, and the payee is the person who is to receive it.
275. Money orders shall be issued and paid as under:—
(a) At the Chief Money Order Office of each State—Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.
(b) At all other money order offices within the Commonwealth—Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon; but offices may be opened and closed at other hours when deemed necessary by the Postmaster-General.
276. The rates or commission chargeable for the issue of money orders shall be:—
| For Sums— | |||||||||||||||
If payable in— | ||||||||||||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. |
The Commonwealth.. | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Papua............ | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
New Zealand and Fiji. | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
United Kingdom, other British Possessions, and Foreign Countries | 6d. for any amount up to £2 and 3d. for each additional pound or fraction of a pound. | |||||||||||||||
277. Applications for money orders must be in writing, and must contain the information necessary to insure payment to the proper person. The Christian names at full length must be furnished if possible, not merely the initials. The usual designation of a corporation, company, society, firm, official title, &c., will suffice as remitter or payee. The name of the State or Country, in addition to the town where payment is desired, must be stated, as towns of the same name exist in different parts of the world, such as Bristol, Croydon, Campbelltown, Gladstone, Ipswich, Maitland, Maryborough, Newcastle, Perth, Richmond, Queenstown, Wellington, &c. The address of the remitter must also be furnished in order that be may be communicated with if necessary. Forms of application may be obtained at any money order office.
278. Payment of a money order shall be made only to the payee thereof, or to another person presenting a duly witnessed order from the payee, which order must bear the address of the latter, and the date on which such order is made.
279. No single order payable in the Commonwealth may be issued for more .than £20. Two or more orders may be obtained when it is desired to remit larger amounts. No order may contain a fraction of a penny.
280. The original order of money orders payable in the Commonwealth, New Zealand, Fiji, British Bechuanaland, Canada, Cape Colony, Hongkong, and agencies in Canada, Italy, Italian offices on the Red Sea, Japan, Mauritius, Natal, Orange River Colony, Straits Settlements, Tonga, Transvaal, Tunis, United Kingdom, or United States of America, must be forwarded to the payee. The original order of money orders payable in Corea must also be forwarded to the payee, whose full address (and in the vernacular if possible when he is a native) must be given. In all other cases the remitter must retain the order issued here, as payment is not made upon orders issued in the Commonwealth, but upon orders issued either by the paying country or by an intermediary office, and forwarded by post to the payee in accordance with the address furnished by the remitter. The complete postal address must therefore be given, and the remitter must advise the payee of the name of the former as given to the issuing office, and also of the fact that delay in payment of the money may occur, owing to the
transmission of the advice through an intermediary office. When applying for the issue of orders payable in Italy, Italian offices on the Red Sea, or Tunis, the full address of the payee must be given. The name of the payee, his father’s name, tribe, or caste, and the village, or town, and district in which the payee resides must be furnished by the remitter of orders issued for payment in India to natives of that country.
281. Remittances may be made by telegraph to and from money order offices in the Commonwealth and in New Zealand which are also telegraph or telephone offices.
282. The charge for a telegraph money order shall be the cost of the telegram of advice (irrespective of the number of orders issued, provided they be from the same remitter to the same payee, and the numbers be consecutive), in addition to the ordinary commission. The Christian name of the remitter will not be transmitted, in the telegram of advice of orders payable in or received from New Zealand. The remitter must also send a telegram to the payee advising the latter of the correct amount remitted and of the name of the office at which the amount is payable, and such telegram must be handed to the paying officer to be retained by him. Nothing of a private nature should therefore be inserted therein.
283. Telegraph money orders may be paid through a bank, and any other order may be crossed for payment through a bank, in which case it shall not be paid unless besides being signed by the payee it be presented by a bank official, and bear an impression of the bank’s stamp. Provided, however, that should a bank refuse to accept without charge a crossed money order, such order may, on presentation at the post office on which it has been issued, be paid if signed by the person or firm to whom it is made payable.
284. When persons apply for payment they must state their own names (unless personally known to the paying officer), and also the name of the remitter.
285. If the person who presents the private telegram of advice is not known to the paying teller (or officer) the latter must satisfy himself by inquiry, and, if necessary, by requiring such person to produce proof as to the bona fides of the claim to payment of the amount of the money order to which such telegram relates.
286. Proof of identity must be furnished in all cases where the amount, of the money order exceeds £10 and the person presenting the private telegram of advice is not known to the paying officer or postmaster or officer in charge. Necessary receipts must be given.
287. Telegraph money orders issued on telephone money order offices shall not be paid until the official advice has been received by post from the nearest telegraph office.
288. Private money order advices addressed to a post office to be called for or delivered through a post office at an address must be registered, without charge, before being posted. Where the advice is addressed to a post office the postal official will endeavour as far as practicable to satisfy himself that the applicant for such advice is the person for whom it is intended and the latter must furnish his address in the receipt-book.
289. If payment of a money order be refused in consequence of the replies to questions not being in accordance with the information held by the officer, the applicant must communicate with the remitter requesting him to apply to the issuing office for the alteration required.
290. A money order once issued shall not be cancelled, and if repayment, alteration of name of payee, correction of error in name of remitter or payee, or transfer of payment to a different office be required, application must be made on a form provided for the purpose, and obtainable at any money order office. Every such application must be accompanied by postage stamps or a postal note to the value of 6d. in the cases of alteration or correction of name, and to the value of the amount of commission chargeable on an order for a like sum in the cases of repayment or transfer of payment.
291. The remitter of a money order may apply at the issuing office for an alteration in the name of the payee or remitter, and it may be granted, provided the application is in writing, and accompanied by the prescribed fee, and the issuing officer is satisfied that the applicant is the remitter. If a telegraph order, the alteration shall only be sent by post.
292. If it be desired to stop payment of a money order payable in the Commonwealth, notice, accompanied by a fee of 6d., must be sent to the office at which the order is payable.
293. If a money order payable in the Commonwealth be lost, a duplicate may be obtained on application to the chief money order office in the State of payment, and on payment of a fee of 6d. Printed forms of application may be obtained at any money order office. In the case of an order payable beyond the Commonwealth, application must be made by the payee to the chief money order office of the country in which the order is payable. If the order was issued in the Commonwealth, application can be made at the chief money order office in the State of issue or payment, but duplicates will only be issued from the chief money order office of the State of payment.
294. (1) The transfer of a money order payable at any money order office in the Commonwealth to any other money order office in the Commonwealth may be arranged on the following conditions:—
(a) The application must be made by the payee in writing, and be accompanied by the prescribed fee, and must contain the names of the payee and remitter;
(b) The money order must be enclosed with the application, and be correctly receipted by the payee;
(c) In the case of a telegraphic money order, which it is desired to transfer by telegraph, such transfer may be effected on condition that the application be made by post, and be accompanied by the private telegram received by the payee, which telegram must be indorsed by the payee.
(2) The charges for such transfer shall be:—
(a) The cost of the official telegram of advice.
(b) The cost of the telegram to the payee at the new address.
(c) The usual commission.
(3) These charges shall, if not prepaid, be deducted from the amount of the order.
295. Repayment of a money order issued in the Commonwealth may be applied for by the remitter. Application must be made in writing, and be accompanied by the prescribed fee, and should be made to the issuing
office, if convenient; if not, it may be made direct to the chief money order office of the State or country of payment. It must be stated on the application if the remitter has the money order; but if it be a telegraph order it must be so stated, and the original receipt given by the officer who issued it must be sent with the application. As repayment cannot be made until payment has been cancelled at the office on which the money order was drawn, sufficient time for this must be allowed by the applicant.
296. No application shall be entertained for compensation for alleged loss or injury owing to the non-payment of a money order at the expected time. After paying an order, by whomsoever presented, the Postmaster General shall not be liable to any further claim.
297. If payment of an order, whether issued in the Commonwealth or elsewhere, be not obtained before the end of the twelfth calender month after that in which it was issued (for instance, if issued in January, and not paid before the end of the following January) all claim to the money will be lost. Nevertheless, when a good reason can be given for delay in presenting the order, an application for payment, subject to a deduction at the rate of 6d. for every £5 or fraction thereof, will be considered.
298. A special form of money order, with or without advice, may be issued in connexion with the “Old-age Pension system,” or for any other specific purpose by the authority of the Postmaster-General.
POSTAL NOTES.
299 (1) Postal notes may be obtained—
(a) At the Chief Money Order Office—
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.
(b) At the Stamp Sales Office, General Post Office, in each State—
During office hours when the Money Order Office is closed.
(c) At most post offices in the Commonwealth—
During the hours they are open for the sale of stamps, but not later than 6 p.m.
(2) They shall be payable—
(a) At the Chief Money Order Office—
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.
(b) At Country and Suburban Postal Note Offices, up to 6 p.m.
300. The denominations of postal notes issued, and the commission or poundage charged thereon, shall be as follow:—
Denomination. |
| Commission or Poundage. | Denomination. |
| Commission or Poundage. | Denomination. |
| Commission or Poundage. |
6d. | ... | ½d. | 3s. | ... | 1d. | 7s 6d. | ... | 2d. |
1s. | ... | ½d. | 3s. 6d. | ... | 1d. | 10s. | ... | 3d. |
1s. 6d. | ... | ½d. | 4s. | ... | 1d. | 10s. 6d. | ... | 3d. |
2s. | ... | 1d. | 4s. 6d. | ... | 1d, | 15s. | ... | 3d. |
2s. 6d. | ... | 1d. | 5s. | ... | 1½d. | 20s. | ... | 3d. |
301. Broken amounts not exceeding 5d. (but not fractions of a penny) may be added by affixing unobliterated and unperforated postage stamps valid in the Commonwealth to the face of a note, when the value of the notes and stamps together will be paid.
302. The name of the person to whom it is desired payment shall be made may be inserted in the space provided for that purpose, in which case the note must be receipted by such person, and if it be presented for
payment by any other person he must also receipt the note. The name of a money order or postal note office at which it is desired payment shall be made may be inserted, when (except as mentioned below) the postal note shall be payable at that office only.
303. A postal note may be crossed (like a cheque), when it shall be paid only through a bank. A note so crossed may be paid at any money order or postal note office in the Commonwealth, notwithstanding that the name of an office other than that at which it is presented has been inserted. Notes so crossed must be presented by a bank official and bear an impression of the bank’s stamp. Provided, however, that such notes, when made payable to a particular person, must, besides bearing the bank’s stamp, be receipted by that person. If made payable to a particular firm or company, the ordinary business stamp of the firm or company shall, when request to that effect has been made in writing to the Deputy Postmaster-General, be accepted as a sufficient receipt. Provided further that, should a bank refuse to accept without charge a crossed postal note, such note may, on presentation at the post office at which it has been made payable, be paid, if signed by the person or firm to whom it is made payable, or, in the case of an open postal note, by the person presenting it for payment.
304. If the spaces for name of payee and paying office be not filled up, or if the note be made payable to “Bearer,” the value thereof may be paid at any money order or postal note office in the Commonwealth, on the person by whom it is presented duly receipting the same.
305. After a postal note has been paid, by whomsoever presented, the Postmaster-General shall not be liable for any further claim.
306. A postal note presented for payment after six months from the last day of the month of issue shall not be paid until reference has been made to the chief money order office of the State of issue, and shall be cashed only at the General Post Office of the State of payment, and on payment of a commission equal to the amount of the original poundage; the amount of such commission must be affixed in unobliterated and unperforated postage stamps valid in the Commonwealth to the face of the note.
307. If a postal note contain any alteration or erasure, or be cut, defaced, or mutilated, payment may be refused.
308. Information regarding the payment of postal notes will be furnished only on payment of the following fees, namely:—
(a) Where the denominations and numbers of the notes are given—for each note 2½d., provided that where two or more notes of the same denomination and of consecutive numbers are concerned, one fee only shall be payable;
(b) Where those particulars are not given—2s. 6d., or 1s. for each day’s postal notes examined, whichever sum is the larger.
DUTY OF OFFICERS IN RELATION TO SAVINGS BANK MONEYS.
309. Every officer doing duty at a post office, at or in connexion with which Savings Bank business is transacted, shall be charged with the duty of receiving, disbursing, and accounting for Savings Bank moneys, and all Savings Bank moneys received by him, or which come into his possession or control as such officer, shall be deemed to be received by him for or on account of the Commonwealth.
TELEGRAPHIC REGULATIONS.
TELEGRAMS WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH.
Hours of Business.
310. Telegraph offices shall be open to the public on ordinary days during the hours prescribed from time to time by the Postmaster-General.
311. Prepaid telegrams may be dropped into the post office letter-box, or, where provided, a special box at a telegraph station, at any time when the office is closed, and shall be transmitted when business is resumed. Such telegrams, with full fee, must be enclosed in sealed envelopes. If the full amount payable for the transmission of a telegram be not enclosed, the latter shall be forwarded to its destination, but the addressee shall be required to pay, before delivery, the amount short-paid, together with the cost of the necessary instructions to the delivering office to collect the amount of deficiency. If the addressee of the telegram refuses to pay any charges due thereon, the sender shall be required to pay them.
Extra rates after ordinary business hours and on Sunday, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.
312. Double the prescribed rates shall be charged on telegrams (Press telegrams and official telegrams sent in connexion with Federal Referenda excepted) tendered for transmission on Sunday, Christmas Day, and Good Friday; and on other days, between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., in those States in which offices open for business at 9 a.m., and between the corresponding hours in other States, for transmission to offices where business is transacted during those hours.
Miscellaneous.
313. Telegrams tendered for transmission, must be written in a plain and legible manner, and, when practicable, on the proper form, and the address must contain all information necessary to avoid delay and insure delivery. When a telegram is intended to be delivered to one person in care of another person, the word “care” must be written in the address immediately after the name of the addressee. The signature of the sender need not be transmitted, or a telegram may have an abbreviated signature known to the receiver, but the correct signature of the sender must appear on the back of each telegram as a guarantee of its authenticity, and as subscribing to the conditions under which it is transmitted. In the text of telegrams, amounts, or numbers, must be written in words only; provided that ordinary telegrams on His Majesty’s service, sent by officers in and belonging to His Majesty’s Navy, may be written in figures only, and, where necessary, figures may be used in the text of telegrams relating to Money Order and Government Savings Bank business, in the text of telegrams from Commonwealth and State Departments generally, and in the text of press telegrams. The use of figures in the addresses of telegrams is also permitted. The sign “&” must always be transmitted as “and”.
314. The charges must be prepaid by means of postage stamps, which may be obtained at any post or telegraph or telephone office. The public must affix the stamps to the telegram forms, and the officer to whom the telegrams are handed for transmission must cancel the stamps in the presence of the person from whom such telegrams are received:
Provided, however, that the charges, on telegrams lodged at offices where approved cash registers are used may be paid in cash.
315. Books of unstamped telegram forms may be obtained, on giving timely notice, at any telegraph or telephone office at a cost of One shilling (1s.) per book of 100 forms.
316. If a stamp affixed to a telegram has been regummed or is soiled the officer receiving such telegram must at once submit it to the postmaster or officer in charge, who must, if satisfied that the stamp has not been previously used, write his initials under same.
317. The stamps on telegrams must be cancelled with the date-stamp of the transmitting office, each stamp bearing a clear and distinct impression of the date and of the name of the office. Under no circumstances must a stamp which has been obliterated be used.
318. Postmasters shall be held personally responsible for carrying out the provisions of these Regulations, and shall be liable for all bad or doubtful stamps found on telegrams transmitted from their offices.
319. Telegrams must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are received from the public.
Counting and Charging.
320. Telegrams may be written—
(a) In plain language, or
(b) In code, or
(c) In cipher, or
(d) In a mixture of plain language, code, and cipher, or of any of them.
321. (1) The following, shall be deemed to be plain language:—
(a) Words contained in Webster’s English Dictionary, whether the words have a connected meaning or not, and
(b) Words having an intelligible connected meaning, in one or more of the admitted languages (other than English), namely, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and Latin, also Japanese, if written in roman characters and guaranteed to be without secret meaning.
(2) If there is any doubt on the part of the receiving officer that words which do not appear in Webster’s English Dictionary, and which are submitted by the senders as dictionary words, come within that definition, the sender shall be required to show that such words appear in another English dictionary.
322. The following shall be deemed to be code:—
(a) Words in any admitted language (other than English) having no connected meaning, and
(b) artificial words, pronouncable according to the usage of any of the admitted languages.
323. The following shall be deemed to de cipher:—
(a) A group of letters, not being a word in plain language or code, or
(b) A group of arabic figures.
Figure and letter cipher together shall not be allowed in a telegram.
324. In telegrams in plain language, each word containing not more than fifteen characters, shall be counted as one word, and each word containing more than fifteen characters shall be counted as one word for each fifteen characters or part thereof.
325. In telegrams in code, each word containing not more than ten characters shall be counted as one word, and each word containing more than ten characters shall be counted as one word for each ten characters or part thereof.
326. In telegrams in cipher, each group of letters or figures shall be counted as one word for each five letters or figures or part thereof.
327. If a telegram is partly in plain language and partly in code, it shall be charged for as if wholly in code.
328. If a telegram is partly in plain language or in code and partly in cipher, the part in cipher shall be counted and charged for as cipher and the remainder as code.
329. A code or cipher telegram shall be charged for at the rate of one penny per word, but the minimum charge shall be one shilling per telegram.
330. Subject to these Regulations, the Regulations as to counting in relation to telegrams beyond the Commonwealth shall apply in relation to telegrams within the Commonwealth.
331. Words which are habitually written as one word or coupled by hyphens shall be counted as one word, and those which are written without any hyphen, as two or three, as the case may be. Thus: O’Neil and O’Connell must be counted as one word; King of the Ring (name of racehorse) four words; Sir Joshua (name of racehorse) two words; City of Adelaide (name of ship) three words.
332. Each of the following words, when written as one word, or when the two parts of the word are joined by a hyphen, shall be counted as one word, namely:—
(a) Cardinal numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine (inclusive);
(b) Ordinal numbers from twenty-first to ninety-ninth (inclusive); and
(c) the words half-penny, onepenny, twopenny, twopence, threepenny, threepence, fourpenny, fourpence, fivepenny, fivepence, sixpenny, sixpence, sevenpenny, sevenpence, eightpenny, eightpence, ninepenny, ninepence, tenpenny, tenpence, elevenpenny, and elevenpence.
333. The prefix “St.” must, however, be reckoned as part of a word, thus: St. Kilda, St. James, St. Arnaud, shall be counted as one word each.
334. The name of the office or offices of destination, or the names of the respective States of “New South Wales,” “South Australia,” and “Western Australia,” shall each be counted as one word in the address of a telegram, but each word forming the name of the office of origin or destination or the name of a State shall be counted as one word when appearing in the text of or after the signature to a telegram.
335. The following shall each be counted and charged for as one word if the sender desires them to be transmitted:—
(a) Underline.
(b) Parenthesis (the two signs which serve to form).
(c) Inverted commas (the two signs placed at the commencement and end of one and the same passage).
Code Addresses.
336. Code addresses shall not be permitted in connexion with telegrams within the Commonwealth.
Multiple Telegrams.
337. (1) A multiple telegram may be addressed either to several persons in ,the same locality, or in different localities, served by the same telegraph office, or to one person or firm at one address or at several addresses in the same locality, or in different localities served by the same telegraph
office. The indicator “X addresses,” showing the number of addresses, is to be written in the remarks, and charged for as one word. In the address the figures 2, 3, 4, &c., as the case may be, must be written by the sender immediately before the second and subsequent addresses respectively, and such figures, which must be transmitted, shall not be counted or charged for. The name of the office of destination is needed only once—at the end of the address.
(2) The charge for a non-urgent multiple telegram shall be the charge for a single telegram for the first copy, and an additional charge of 5d. for each 100 words or fraction of 100 words contained in each copy after the first.
(3) The charge for an urgent multiple telegram shall be the charge for a single urgent telegram for the first copy, and an additional charge of 100 for each 100 words, or fraction of 100 words, contained in each copy after the first.
(4) Multiple press telegrams may be transmitted throughout the Commonwealth on payment of 4d. per 100 words, or portion of 100 words, for each copy.
Collect Telegrams.
338. Telegrams marked “Collect,” addressed to places within the Commonwealth, may be accepted only when the sender is known to the officer in charge, and signs an undertaking on a printed form provided for the purpose that in the event of the adressee failing to pay the charges for the telegram he or she will be responsible for the payment of the amount, and the cost of the telegram of advice of the non-payment by the addressee. The word “Collect” must appear in the preamble of the telegram, and be charged for.
Replies may be Prepaid.
339 (1) The cost of a reply may be prepaid, and a reply-form shall then be delivered to the addressee, who shall be at liberty to send a telegram of the value prepaid, from any telegraph office within the Commonwealth. A reply-form need not necessarily be used for a reply, but may be used to prepay or partly prepay any single telegram for transmission to any place within the Commonwealth, within three months from the date of issue.
(2) A telegram containing in the text thereof the words “reply paid,” or the indication “R.P.” (either of which must be paid for by the sender as part of the telegram), shall not be accepted for transmission unless an amount in prepayment of the desired reply has actually been lodged by the sender of such telegram.
(3) If the sender of the reply telegram refuses to pay any excess upon the amount prepaid, the excess words can only be sent in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 338.
(4) If the addressee of a “reply paid” telegram refuses or fails to use the reply-form, the amount paid for the reply shall, if the unused reply-form remains in the possession of the Department, or is produced by the sender, be refunded to the sender of the original telegram at the expiration of three months from its date of issue, or at an earlier date if an application for refund is made by the sender.
Telegrams may be forwarded free by Post to nearest Telegraph or Telephone Office for Transmission.
340. Telegrams posted at a post office (which is not also a telegraph or telephone office), or in a posting receptacle, shall be forwarded by first mail to the nearest telegraph or telephone office, and transmitted thence
by telegraph or telephone to destination, provided the form on which the telegram is written bears unobliterated postage stamps, or is accompanied by cash, sufficient to defray the cost of such transmission, and that it be enclosed in an envelope (on which postage need not be paid) indorsed “Telegram only,” addressed to the officer in charge at the nearest telegraph or telephone office. If the full amount payable for the transmission of the telegram be not enclosed the latter shall be forwarded to its destination, but the addressee shall be required to pay, before delivery, the amount short-paid, together with the cost of the necessary instructions to the delivering office to collect the amount of the deficiency.
Repetition of Telegrams.
341. In order to provide against any mistakes in the transmission of telegrams, any telegram may be repeated by being transmitted from the office of destination to the sender on payment by the latter, at the time of lodgment, of 50 per cent. in addition to the ordinary rate. In such telegrams the word “repetition” must appear in the preamble, and be charged for Repeated telegrams must be treated as paid service advices.
Rectification of Telegrams.
342. (1) The receiver or the sender of a telegram may have the whole or part of it repeated on payment of the cost of the telegram demanding the repetition and of the reply to the same.
(2) (a) The demand for repetition must be made within 72 hours after receipt or transmission of the telegram, and should be written in the following manner:—
“Sydney from Brisbane” (these words are not charged for).
“R.P. 4” (representing reply paid four words).
“Twenty-six” (date of telegram to be repeated).
“Brown” (receiver’s name).
“Repeat first, fourth, ninth” (meaning words of the text of the telegram to be repeated), or
“Twenty-sixth; Brown” (repeat word or words) “after........”
(b) The reply must be worded as follows:—
“Brisbane to Sydney” (these words are not charged for).
“Brown.......” (words repeated).
(3) The money paid for the repetition shall be refunded should such repetition show that the error was made in the transmission of the original telegram, but shall be retained should no error have been made. When some words have been correctly, and some incorrectly reproduced in the first telegram, the charge for the request for repetition and half the cost of the reply shall be refunded. No refund shall be made for any error due to words being written by the sender in a doubtful manner, nor shall any claim be entertained for refund of cost of consequential telegrams, that is, private telegrams which the addressee or sender causes to be sent in connexion with any supposed error in a telegram.
(4) If, however, the receiver of the telegram satisfies the Department that the occurrence of one or more errors in the telegraph service rendered the whole of the words asked for in the request for repetition doubtful, or unintelligible, the full amount paid for the request for repetition and the reply shall be refunded.
Time occupied in Transmission of Telegrams.
343. Not more than half-an-hour at one time shall be devoted to the transmission of any telegram, and all telegrams that may have accumulated during that interval shall be transmitted; before the transmission of such telegram is resumed.
Urgent Telegrams.
344. Urgent telegrams, for transmission to places within the Commonwealth, shall be accepted from the public on payment of double the ordinary rate. Such telegrams will be transmitted and delivered in preference to any other telegram, except Government telegrams under section 95 (I) of the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912, and Service telegrams. Urgent forms and envelopes must be used for urgent telegrams.
345. When the sender of an urgent telegram prepays a reply, the officer accepting the telegram must ascertain if the reply is also to be treated as an urgent or as an ordinary telegram, and the fact, as the case may be, must be stated in the preamble of the telegram, thus:—“Reply paid, urgent,” or “Reply paid, ordinary.” These words must be paid for by the sender.
Non-responsibility of Department for Errors, etc.
346. No responsibility shall be undertaken, nor any claim for compensation entertained, for any errors or mistakes in transmission or delay in delivery of telegrams, whether repeated or unrepeated; or for non-transmission or non-delivery of telegrams, from whatever cause such errors or mistakes in transmission, or delay in transmission or delivery, or non-transmission or non-delivery may arise.
Receipts for Telegrams.
347. A receipt showing the amount paid for any telegram handed in at a telegraph or telephone office shall be given to the sender, when required by him, on payment of One penny (1d.). The officer receiving the telegram must fill in the form of receipt, as well as the butt thereof, and must, after affixing a penny adhesive stamp to the butt, and initialing and date-stamping both portions of the form, so as to cancel the stamp, hand to the sender or his representative the receipt portion. When a complete book of receipts has been used the butts must be forwarded to the head office in each State to be checked.
Cancellation of Telegrams.
348. The sender, on making a written application and proving his identity, may, if practicable, have his telegram cancelled. If it be cancelled before the commencement of transmission, the amount paid shall be refunded; but if the transmission has commenced, the sum shall not be refunded; if transmission has been completed, an official telegram shall, if prepaid by the sender, be sent to the office of destination, and if it arrive too late, he shall be advised that the attempt to cancel his telegram has failed.
349. If from any cause a telegram cannot be transmitted within a reasonable time, and the delay is considered likely to destroy its value, the sender shall, if practicable, be notified of such delay; it will then be, optional with him to cancel the telegram.
Delivery of Telegrams.
350. Telegrams shall be delivered free of charge within a radius of 3 miles from a General Post Office and within a radius of 1 mile from any other office from which a delivery of telegrams is made. Telegrams for addresses beyond the above-mentioned radii, but within a radius of 3½ miles from a General Post Office, or within a radius of 1½ miles from any other office of destination to which a messenger is attached, shall be delivered on payment of a charge of Threepence (3d.) each, but the Department will not undertake delivery in any case in which natural obstacles or other difficulties intervene. Beyond the above-mentioned radii of 3½ miles and 1½ miles delivery expenses shall be charged. For telegrams to be delivered on shipboard a charge for boat hire, if necessary, may be made.
351. No receipts from the addressees need be taken upon delivery of telegrams originating in and delivered within the Commonwealth. Should it be necessary to obtain evidence of the delivery of a telegram, a receipt therefor, by telegram, may be ordered at the time such telegram is lodged for transmission, and shall be telegraphed back to the sender upon payment of ordinary telegraph charges, or, if desired, sent by post card on payment of 1d.
352. Senders of telegrams should furnish all information that will facilitate delivery; if the sender omit to do so, it is at his own risk. When it is found that the place to which a telegram is to be delivered is beyond the prescribed radius from the office, and no porterage has been guaranteed or paid, the telegram may be posted from the office of destination.
353. Where no messenger is employed at the office of destination, telegrams remain at that office until called for. If special arrangements for delivery are desired and can be made, the actual cost of such delivery will be charged.
354. In every case where porterage is paid or guaranteed on a telegram the amount so paid or guaranteed must be notified by the sending station, and the instructions “Porterage Paid,” “Porterage Guaranteed,” or “By Post,” as the case may be, must be changed for as part of the telegram.
Mode of Delivery of Telegrams.
355 (1) Telegrams shall be delivered according to their address—
(a) To the addressee or (except when instructions to the contrary have been given) to any person at the residence of the addressee.
(b) To the addressee or his duly appointed representative—
at the post office; or
at the telegraph office.
(2) If the door be not opened at the address given, or if the messenger finds no one who will consent to take in the telegram, notice shall be left at such address, and the telegram returned to the telegraph office, to be delivered to the addressee or his nominee upon application. If not applied for in the meantime the telegram shall be sent out a second time when a messenger passes the address given.
Undelivered Telegrams—Rectification of Address.
356. When a telegram cannot be delivered, the office of destination must advise the sending office of the cause of non-delivery, which advice, if practicable, must be communicated to the sender. The latter can only complete, rectify, or confirm the address by means of a paid telegram. Provided that if after confirmation of the address the telegram is delivered, the sender shall be entitled to a refund of the cost of the telegram confirming the address.
Undelivered Telegrams to be Destroyed after Six Weeks.
357. Any telegram which cannot be delivered to the addressee before the end of six weeks shall be destroyed; provided, however, that telegrams addressed “poste restante” (to be called for) or those to be delivered by post shall be subject, as to delivery and preservation, to the Regulations which apply to postal correspondence.
Telegraphic Inquiries to be Paid For.
358. (1) Telegraphic inquiries of any nature, and the replies thereto, concerning telegrams, must be paid for. Officers shall not make any telegraphic inquiries in respect of telegrams supposed to be incorrectly sent or received, in any other way than that prescribed by Regulation 342.
(2) If error on the part of the Department is shown to have occurred, the amount paid for inquiry and reply shall be refunded as prescribed by Regulation 342, on written application being made to the postmaster or officer in charge.
Certain Instructions, if paid for, will be Written on Outside of Envelope.
359. The sender may have any instructions, such as “private,” “confidential),” “to be opened at once,” or the like written on the outside of the envelope of a. telegram. These instructions shall be charged for as part of the telegram.
Redirection.
360. A telegram may, on the written request of the addressee or his agent, be redirected and retransmitted from one office to another within the Commonwealth; such telegrams shall, on retransmission, be charged half rate, with a minimum of 6d., which must be paid before delivery.
361. A telegram addressed to a hotel or house, at which lodgers are received, may, if the addressee has left such hotel or house, be returned, if unopened, to the office from which it was delivered, with an indorsement on the cover containing instructions as to its further transmission; such instructions must be signed and dated by the proprietor of such hotel or house, or his servant, who, for the purpose of this Regulation, shall be deemed to be the agent of the addressee of such telegram.
362. A telegram intended for delivery from an office within the metropolitan area of a capital city, and wrongly addressed to the capital city instead of to the office of intended delivery, and any redirected telegram, the original and second address of which are within a radius of 3 miles from a General Post Office, may be redirected and delivered or re-transmitted and delivered without additional charge.
Instructions re Delivery of Telegrams at another Address, &c.
363. Notices of removal and instructions, in writing, respecting the delivery of telegrams at hours when the addressee’s place of business is closed shall be registered free of charge. If no such instructions have been registered, and any additional service is performed in delivering a telegram at a second address in the same town, an extra charge of 6d. shall be made.
Press Telegrams.
364. Press telegrams shall mean those the text of which consists of political, commercial, &c., information, and news intended for publication in a newspaper.
365. The following conditions must, except in the cases provided for in the Regulations concerning electoral telegrams, be complied with:—
(a) The telegram must be sent by a recognized or authorized correspondent, and addressed to a registered newspaper or recognized news agency. If addressed to a manager, editor, or other person by name, it shall be charged at full ordinary rate.
(b) The telegram must contain only intelligence which is intended for immediate publication in a newspaper, or for immediate exhibition in the news-room of the newspaper or recognized news agency to which it is addressed.
(c) The telegram must not contain—
(i) Letters to the editor.
(ii) Advertisements.
(iii) Election addresses.
(iv) Anything not intended for immediate publication or exhibition (as aforesaid).
(v) Anything in cipher or a foreign language.
(vi) Anything for the publication of which in a newspaper payment or consideration is usually made.
366. Commonwealth press telegrams shall mean those relating to parliamentary, executive, and departmental proceedings of the Commonwealth, or reports of proceedings of Federal Royal Commissions, or parliamentary papers and Bills; or summaries thereof, without notes or comments, or any extraneous matter beyond what may be necessary to afford a connective statement of the facts.
367. If in any telegram presented for transmission as a press telegram there appears to be any infringement of the foregoing conditions, such telegram shall be accepted at press rate, only on the condition that the sender undertakes, in writing, to pay for same at full ordinary rate if subsequently called upon so to do And such telegram must, immediately after transmission, be forwarded by post to the Deputy Postmaster-General, who shall decide whether the same shall be charged for as a press telegram or as an ordinary telegram.
368. Telegrams containing any public news other than advertisements or matter inserted for payment or consideration, which has appeared in any local newspaper, may be transmitted to any station at which no newspaper is published at press rates, but in such cases the charges must be prepaid.
369. Ordinary telegrams take precedence of press telegrams between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., and all telegrams received at any one time addressed to the proprietor, publisher, or agent of a newspaper for transmission at press rates between the hours named may be restricted to 500 words.
370. The use of figures may be permitted in the text of press telegrams where necessary, e.g., in share quotations, &c. When figures are so used they shall be counted at the rate of five figures to a word.
Electoral and Referendum Telegrams.
Commonwealth.
371. Telegrams sent by, and addressed to, any person concerning Commonwealth Parliamentary Elections despatched after an election, and containing only the names of Commonwealth Electoral Divisions and Subdivisions, the names of candidates, and the numbers of votes polled by each candidate, and the number of informal votes, and telegrams despatched after a Referendum and containing only a reference to the Referendum, the names of Divisions and Subdivisions, the number of votes cast in such Divisions and Subdivisions for or against the proposed law, and the number of informal votes, shall be transmitted on payment of the rates prescribed for Commonwealth press telegrams transmitted within the Commonwealth.
State.
372. Telegrams containing only the actual results of any State Parliamentary Election may, on the polling day of the election, be sent by, and addressed to, any person at the rates prescribed for press telegrams, provided that:—
(a) The telegram contains no comments, and
(b) No newspaper is published in the town or place to which the telegram is addressed, and
(c) The charges are prepaid.
Telegrams available for Inspection—Fees for Search, etc.
373. A telegram may be inspected by the sender thereof, without charge, at the office at which it was charged for transmission, on the day on which it was so lodged.
374. A telegram may be inspected and certified copies or extracts therefrom obtained by the sender, or the addressee, or an agent of the sender or addressee, at any time within two years after the date when it was lodged for transmission, subject to the following conditions:—
(a) Satisfactory proof of identity must be furnished; and
(b) The search fee must be paid in advance.
375. The search fee shall be 1s. where sufficient particulars are furnished to enable the telegram to be traced without an extended search; but if those particulars are not furnished, the fees shall be 2s. 6d., or 1s. for each day’s telegrams examined, whichever sum is larger.
376. If desired, the copy or extract may be sent by telegraph, in which case half rates shall be charged for transmission of the telegram containing the copy or extract, in addition to the search fee.
Transmission of Shipping Intelligence by Telephone.
377. Telephone subscribers may be supplied from the telegraph office, through the telephone exchange, with shipping intelligence on payment of a fee of 6d. for every three minutes or portion of three minutes for which the services of the officer concerned are occupied in giving the information:
Provided that no charge need be made for supplying shipping intelligence from a telegraph office at which telegrams are not received from the public for transmission.
Transaction of Business after Usual Office Hours.
378. (1.) Arrangements may be made to keep any official or semi-official office open for the transmission or receipt of telegrams after the ordinary business hours, upon notice being given to the officer in charge at least one
hour before the ordinary time of closing, and upon payment of a deposit of 2s. 6d. for the first hour, or portion thereof, and 1s. 6d. for every subsequent hour, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open. If more than one office is so kept open, these fees shall be payable in respect of each office. All telegrams transmitted must be paid for at the usual rates.
(2.) In cases of a specially urgent nature, where it is not possible to give the notice stipulated in sub-regulation (1) telegrams may be transmitted after the ordinary business hours, provided the attention of the officer in charge of the office with which it is desired to transact business can be obtained. The charges for this service will be the same as indicated in sub-regulation (1).
(3.) Only the person who pays for keeping an office open after the ordinary business hours is entitled to transact business during such special attendance. Should any other person desire to transact business at such times, he may do so on payment of the above-mentioned charges.
(4.) Similar arrangements may be made at allowance post offices, in cases where the postmasters are willing to give the necessary attendance, on payment of a fee not exceeding 1s. for each thirty minutes, or portion thereof, during which it is desired the office shall be kept open, in addition to the ordinary Departmental charges for the transmission of telegrams.
Local Messages.
379. Messages may be handed in at any telegraph office in the Commonwealth at which messengers are employed, for delivery at any place within the boundaries fixed for the delivery of telegrams within the city, town, &c., in which such office is situated. Such messages will not be transmitted by wire, but shall be charged for and delivered under the same Regulations as telegrams.
Weather Reports and Rainfall Information.
380. Weather forecasts may be transmitted within any State in code language at the rates charged for ordinary telegrams, or may be supplied to any person by telegraphic message daily—Sundays and holidays excepted—on payment in advance of five pounds (£5) per annum. Provided, however, that in the latter case no such message shall exceed twelve words in length. Rainfall information in plain language may be transmitted at the rates charged for press telegrams.
Production of Telegrams.
381. Telegrams may be produced—
(a) Upon the authority of a subpœna; or
(b) Upon the order of the Postmaster-General, the Secretary, or a Deputy Postmaster-General,
in any case where their production is required in the interests of justice and a written request therefor has been made by a Chief Commissioner of Police.
Regulations for Securing the Telegraph Lines or Works of the Postmaster-General from Interference by House Removals or other Works.
382. (1.) No person shall do any work which may require the removal of or may injure or interfere with any wire or other property of the Postmaster-General, without giving to the Deputy Postmaster-General in the State concerned, or to a postmaster in that State, not less than 24 hours’ previous notice in writing of his intention to do the work.
(2.) In the doing of the work every person shall—
(a) use all reasonable and proper means to avoid any injury to, or interference with, any wire or other property of the Postmaster-General; and
(b) comply with every reasonable requirement of the Deputy Postmaster-General or postmaster as to the method of doing the work so as to avoid any such injury or interference as aforesaid.
(3) Any expense incurred by the Postmaster-General in protecting his wires or other property from being injured or interfered with by the work, or in removing any such wire or other property to allow of the work being done and subsequently restoring it shall be paid to the Postmaster-General by the person doing the work.
(4.) A person who commits a contravention of this Regulation is guilty of an offence, and shall be liable, on conviction, to a penalty not more than Ten pounds, and not less than Ten shillings.
TELEGRAMS BEYOND THE COMMONWEALTH.
383. The main lines of the Telegraph administrations and private telegraph companies have continuous service; the chief offices are always open, but some of the branch offices have day service only, and limited service on Sunday.
384. Telegraphic messages for transmission by cable to places beyond the Commonwealth shall be given precedence of Commonwealth ordinary and press telegrams.
385. Telegrams are in all cases accepted subject to the provisions of the International Telegraph Convention and the Service Regulations, made in conformity therewith, including the condition that no responsibility attaches to the Telegraph administrations, or to the private telegraph companies, for delay in transmission or delivery, or for non-transmission or non-delivery, or for mistakes, from whatever cause they may arise.
386. To provide against errors in transmission telegrams may be repeated by being sent back from the terminal station to the station from which originally sent. One quarter of the usual rate for transmission shall be charged for such repetition.
387. The transmission of telegrams shall take place in the following order, viz.:—
(a) Government telegrams;
(b) Service telegrams;
(c) Urgent private telegrams;
(d) Non-urgent private telegrams,
388. The telegram to be transmitted must be legibly written in characters which have their equivalents in the official table of telegraph signals. The name of the sender may be transmitted either in full or in an abbreviated form in customary use, or be replaced by a registered address, or if so desired, need not be transmitted; but the sender or his representative must sign his name at the foot of the telegram form, adding, if required, his address. Every interlineation, reference, erasure, or rewritten word must be authenticated by the sender or his representative.
389. The different parts forming the telegram must be written in the following order:—
(a) Supplementary instructions.
(b) Address.
(c) Text.
(d) Signature.
390. A telegram consisting merely of the address, i.e., without text, may be accepted for transmission.
391. The address of a telegram must contain at least two words, the first designating the addressee, the second indicating the name of the terminal telegraph office, which must be written as it appears in the first column of the Official Nomenclature of offices. The address must contain all particulars necessary to insure delivery of the telegram to the addressee without, in the case of private telegrams, search or request for further information; when the name of the terminal office has not yet been published in the Official Nomenclature, the name of the country, or of the territorial subdivision, must be inserted by the sender. In all cases the sender must bear the consequences of insufficiency of address.
392. (1.) Any supplementary instructions the sender may wish to give relative to delivery, prepayment of reply, acknowledgment of receipt, &c., must be written immediately before the address of the telegram, and shall be charged for. These instructions may be written in the abbreviated form shown below, when they shall be, respectively, charged for as one word, namely:—
(D) for Urgent.
(RPx) for Reply paid x words.
(RPDx) Reply paid, urgent x words.
(TC) for Collated.
(PC) for Telegram with telegraphic acknowledgment receipt.
(PCD) for Telegram with urgent telegraphic acknowledgment receipt.
(PCP) for Telegram with postal acknowledgment receipt.
(FS) for To follow.
(PR) for Post, post registered.
(XP) for Express, express paid.
(XPx) for Express paid x.
(XPT) for Telegraph express paid.
(XPP) for Express paid letter.
(MP) for To be delivered to addressee only.
(TR) for Telegraphe restant.
(GP) fox Poste restante.
(GPR) for Poste restante registered.
(TMx) for x addresses.
(CTA) for Communicate all addresses.
(2.) In the case of a multiple telegram, these instructions must be inserted before the address of each addressee to whom they apply; but in the case of an urgent or collated multiple telegram, it will be sufficient if the instructions relative to urgency or collation be written once only before the first address.
393. When a telegram is addressed to one person care of another person, the address must contain immediately after the designation of the real addressee one of the indications “chez,” “care of,” or some other equivalent; its omission will involve the non-delivery of the telegram, and the sender shall be required to pay the cost of a service telegram to correct the address.
394. The sender of a private telegram must prove his identity when required to do so.
395. The text of telegrams may be in plain or secret language (except in the case of those addressed to countries which do not admit telegrams in secret language), the latter being subdivided into code and cipher languages. Each of these languages may be employed alone or conjointly with the others in the same telegram.
396. (1) Telegrams in plain language shall mean those of which the text is entirely written in language which offers an intelligible sense in one or more of the languages authorized for international telegraphic correspondence, viz., English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, or Latin, or any language notified by any Administration which is a party to the International Telegraph Union, as authorized for international telegraphic correspondence in plain language, when such language is that
of the country of destination; and shall also include code addresses commercial marks, exchange quotations, letters representing signals of the international code of signals employed in maritime telegrams, abbreviated expressions currently used in ordinary or commercial correspondence, as fob, cif, caf, svp, or any other analogous expression.
(2) The Postmaster-General may require the sender to produce such evidence as to the meaning and the admissibility of any word and the ordinary usage of any language, and as to any other particular as will satisfy him that the Regulations in respect of plain language are duly observed.
397. (1) Telegrams in code language shall mean those composed of words not forming intelligible phrases, in one or more of the languages authorized for telegraphic correspondence in plain language.
(2) The words, whether genuine or artificial, must be formed of syllables capable of pronunciation according to the current usage of one of the following languages, viz., English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, or Latin. Artificial words must not contain the accented letters ä, á, å, é, ñ, ö, ü.
(3) The words must not be longer than ten characters, according to the Morse alphabet the combinations ae, aa, ao, oe, ue, being counted as two letters each. The combination ch is also counted as two letters in artificial words.
(4) Combinations not fulfilling the above conditions shall be regarded as language in letters having a secret meaning (cipher language), and shall be so charged for. Those which may be formed by the union of two or more words in plain language contrary to the usage of the language shall not be admitted.
398. (1) Telegrams in cipher language are those which are formed:—
(a) Either of arabic figures, or groups, or series of arable figures having a secret meaning, or of letters (excluding the accented letters ä, á, å, é, ñ, ö, ü), groups, or series of letters having a secret meaning;
(b) Of words, names, expressions, or combinations of letters not fulfilling the conditions of plain language (Regulation No. 396), or of code language (Regulation No. 397).
(2) The mixture in one group of figures and of letters having a secret meaning shall not be permitted.
(3) The groups mentioned in Regulation No. 396 (plain language) shall not, however, be considered to have a secret meaning.
399. (1) Government telegrams must bear the seal or stamp of the authority sending them. This formality, however, may be dispensed with when there is no doubt as to the authenticity of the telegram.
(2) The text of Government telegrams exchanged between any two countries may be composed of secret language.
(3) Government telegrams which do not comply with Regulations 396, 397, and 398 must not be refused, but a report on this subject should at once be made by the receiving officer to the Deputy Postmaster-General.
(4) The right to send a reply as a Government telegram shall be recognised on production of the original Government telegram.
(5) Telegrams from Consular Agents, who are engaged in commerce, shall be considered as Government telegrams only when they are addressed to an official personage, and when they relate to official affairs. Telegrams from Consular Agents which do not fulfil these conditions must, however, be accepted if required, and transmitted as Government telegrams, but a report on the subject should at once be made by the receiving officer to the Deputy Postmaster-General.
C.14098. C
Abbreviated Telegraphic Addresses.
400. Where the necessary arrangement has been made between the addressee and the terminal telegraph office, the address may be written in an abbreviated form.
401. On payment of a fee of 10s. 6d. per annum, payable in advance on the 1st April in each year, or 2s. 6d. for one month, the full address at which telegrams received from places beyond the Commonwealth, and bearing abbreviated addresses, are to be delivered, shall be registered at the Chief Telegraph Office of the State of destination:
Provided that where a person or firm desires to register for the first time an abbreviated address after the 1st April in any year, for the remainder of the year ending the 31st March next following, the annual fee of 10s. 6d. shall be proportionately reduced, but so that in no case shall the charge be less than 2s. 6d., and so that each part of a month shall be taken to be a month:
Provided further that the concession mentioned in the preceding proviso shall not be allowed to a person or firm who has previously registered, but failed to renew the registration, in which case the abbreviated address shall only be re-registered on payment of the full fee of 10s. 6d. in advance for the balance of the year ending the 31st March next fallowing the payment.
402. The following conditions shall apply to the registration of abbreviated addresses, viz.:—
(a) The address must consist of two words only, namely, the code indicator and the name of the office of destination.
(b) The word forming the code indicator must contain not more than ten letters, and must be easy to read and easy to telegraph. Proper names shall only in rare cases be accepted, and in no case shall a proper name be registered for a person of a different name.
(c) The word forming the code indicator must not consist of a number, or of the name of a profession, trade, country, State, town, telegraph station, well known street, or registered newspaper.
(d) The Postmaster-General will reject words which, either in writing or in telegraph symbols, so closely resemble other registered words as to be liable to be mistaken for them. Persons applying for the registration of abbreviated addresses should submit several words, from which a selection may be made.
(e) All addresses registered for delivery within a city postal area must contain the name of that city. The name of a district in the postal area of a town shall not be substituted for the name of the town.
(f) A registered address shall be available only for telegrams from places beyond the Commonwealth.
(g) The Postmaster-General reserves to himself the right to cancel any address. In such a case a part of the registration fee proportionate to the unexpired period for which payment has been made shall be returned, or a new address substituted for the one cancelled.
(h) In the event of a change in the title of a firm for which an address is recorded, the consent, in writing, of all the partners of the firm must be produced before the records can be altered.
Instructions for Rectifying or Completing Telegrams; Repetition or Cancellation of Telegrams, etc.
403. (1) The sender and addressee of a telegram already transmitted, or in course of transmission, or the authorized representative of one of those persons, may, during the period of preservation of records, and after having proved, if necessary, their identity, cause inquiry to be made, or instructions to be given, respecting such telegram, by telegraph. They must deposit the following amounts:—
(a) The charge for a telegram formulating the request.
(b) The charge for a reply telegram, if a telegraphic answer be required.
(2) They may also, with the object of rectification, have a telegram, which they have sent or received, repeated wholly or in part, either by the office of destination or origin or by a transit office.
(3) In the case of repetition, the applicant must pay the full charge for each word to be repeated, which charge includes the cost of the request for repetition.
(4) These telegrams shall be exchanged exclusively between the telegraph offices concerned, and not between the sender and addressee.
(5) Inquiries or instructions relative to telegrams already transmitted may also be made by post, and through the intermediary of the telegraph office of origin or destination. In such case, the necessary communications shall be sent under registered cover at the cost of the person who makes the request, who must, in addition, pay the charge for postal reply when he demands one.
Mode of Charging.
404. All that the sender writes on the telegram form for transmission to his correspondent shall be charged for. Nevertheless, dashes which only serve to separate the different words or groups of a telegram shall not be transmitted, and signs of punctuation, apostrophes, and hyphens are not transmitted, unless expressly desired and paid for. When signs of punctuation, instead of being employed singly, are repeated one after the other, they are charged for as groups of figures. (Regulation No. 408.)
405. The name of the office of origin, the number of the telegram, the date and time of deposit, indications of route, and the words, numbers, or signs which form the preamble to the telegram shall be transmitted free of charge. (Telegrams from North America, viâ the North Atlantic, bear London time, the original time not being signalled by the North Atlantic companies.) The sender may insert these particulars, wholly or in part, in the text of his telegram. They are then included in the number of words charged for.
Mode of Counting.
406. The following shall he counted as one word in all languages:—
(a) In the address (not in the text of the telegram):—
(i) The name of the telegraph office of destination written as it appears in the first column of the Official Nomenclature of offices, and completed by any indications which appear in that column; and, in the case of radiotelegrams addressed to ships, the name of the ship as it appears in the first column of the Official Nomenclature of radiotelegraph stations.
(ii) The names of territorial subdivisions or countries respectively, if written in conformity with the said nomenclature, or of their alternative names given in the preface.
(b) Every code word fulfilling the conditions laid down in Regulation No. 397.
(c) Every isolated character, letter, or figure, as well as every sign of punctuation, apostrophe, or hyphen, transmitted at the request of the sender.
(d) Underline.
(e) Parenthesis (the two signs which serve to form).
(f) Inverted commas (the two signs placed at the commencement and end of one and the same passage).
(g) Supplementary instructions written in the abridged form allowed by Regulation No. 392.
407. In telegrams in which the text is written entirely in plain language, each ordinary word and each authorized compound are counted respectively at the rate of one word for each fifteen characters, according to the Morse alphabet, plus one word for the excess, if any.
408. In code language the maximum length of a word is ten characters) counted in accordance with Regulation No. 397. Words in plain language inserted in the text of a mixed telegram (i.e., composed of words in plain language, and of words in code language) are each counted at the rate of one word for each indivisible series of ten characters which they contain. If the mixed telegram contains, in addition, passages in cipher language, the passages in cipher are counted at the rate of one word for each five figures or five letters which they contain, plus one word for any excess. If a mixed telegram is composed only of passages in plain language and passages in cipher language, the passages in plain language are counted at the rate of fifteen letters to a word, plus one word for the excess, if any, and the passages in cipher language at the rate of one word for each five figures or five letters which they contain, plus one word for any excess.
409. The address and signature of telegrams, the text of which is wholly or partially written in code language, are charged for in accordance with the provisions of Regulations Nos. 403 and 404.
410. Words joined by a hyphen or separated by an apostrophe shall be counted as separate words.
411. Groups of figures or of letters, and commercial marks composed of figures and letters, shall be counted at the rate of one word for each five figures or five letters which they contain, plus one word for any excess,. Each of the combinations, ae, aa, ao, oe, ue, and ch, is counted as two letters.
412. Full stops, commas, colons, dashes, and bars indicating fractions, shall each be counted as a figure or a letter in the group in which they occur. The same rule shall apply to each letter added to groups of figures to form ordinal numbers, as well as to letters or figures added to the number of a house in an address, even in the case of an address in the text, or in the signature of a telegram.
413. Combinations or alterations of words, contrary to the usage of the language, and combinations or alterations dissimulated by reversing the order of letters or syllables, shall not be allowed. Nevertheless, names of towns and countries; surnames belonging to one person; names of places, squares, boulevards, streets, and other kinds of public places; names of ships; whole numbers, fractions, decimal or fractional numbers written entirely in letters, and English and French compound words (to be found in a standard dictionary), if not joined by a hyphen or separated by an apostrophe, may be counted as one word.
414. If a short charge has been made on a telegram owing to the sender having employed words or combinations contrary to the usage of one of the languages of the country of destination, or for any other reason, the amount short charged must be paid by the addressee, or, in the event of his refusing to do so, by the sender, otherwise the telegram shall not be delivered.
415. The following are examples for counting telegrams:—
— | Number of Words. | |
In Address. | In Text. | |
New York................................................ | 1 | 2 |
Newyork................................................. | 1 | 1 |
Frankfurt Main............................................. | 1 | 2 |
Frankfurtmain.............................................. | 1 | 1 |
Sanct Poelten.............................................. | 1 | 2 |
Sanctpoelten............................................... | 1 | 1 |
Emmingen, Bz, Hanover*...................................... | 1 | 3 |
Emmingen, Wurttemberg*..................................... | 1 | 2 |
New South Wales........................................... | 1 | 3 |
Newsouthwales............................................. | 1 | 1 |
XP 2.50 (supplementary instruction written in abridged form) | 1 | — |
* Bz Hanover and Wurttemberg following Emmingen serve to complete the designation of two offices of the same name, and thus appear in the first column of the official nomenclature of telegraph offices.
— | Number of Words. |
Van de Brande............................................................ | 3 |
Vandebrande (name of person)................................................. | 1 |
Du Bois................................................................. | 2 |
Dubois (name of person)..................................................... | 1 |
Belgrave square........................................................... | 2 |
Belgravesquare (contrary to the usage of the language).................................. | 2 |
Hyde Park............................................................... | 2 |
Hydepark (contrary to the usage of the language)..................................... | 2 |
Hydepark square*.......................................................... | 2 |
Hydepark square (contrary to the usage of the language)................................. | 2 |
Saint James street.......................................................... | 3 |
Saintjames street........................................................... | 2 |
Rue de la Paix............................................................ | 4 |
Rue delapaix............................................................. | 2 |
Responsabilité (14 characters).................................................. | 1 |
Kriegsgeschichten (15 characters)............................................... | 1 |
Inconstitutionalité (20 characters)................................................ | 2 |
Wie geht’s instead of wie geht es)............................................... | 3 |
A-t-il.................................................................. | 3 |
C’est-à-dire.............................................................. | 4 |
Aujourd’hui.............................................................. | 2 |
Aujourdhui.............................................................. | 1 |
Porte-monnaie............................................................ | 2 |
Portemonnaie............................................................. | 1 |
Prince of Wales (ship)....................................................... | 3 |
Princeofwales (ship)........................................................ | 1 |
3/4 8 (4 characters)......................................................... | 1 |
44½ (5 characters).......................................................... | 1 |
444½ (6 characters)......................................................... | 2 |
444.5 (5 characters)......................................................... | 1 |
444.55 (6 characters)........................................................ | 2 |
44/2 (4 characters).......................................................... | 1 |
44/ (3 characters).......................................................... | 1 |
2% (4 characters).......................................................... | 1 |
2 p%................................................................... | 3 |
* In this case the expression “Hydepark” written as a single word counts as one word, because the word “park” forms an integral part of the name of the square.
C. 14098. D
Examples for Counting Telegrams—continued.
——— | Number of Words. |
2%o (5 characters)............................................... | 1 |
2p%o....................................................... | 3 |
54-58 (5 characters).............................................. | 1 |
17me (4 characters).............................................. | 1 |
Le 1529me (1 word and a group of 6 characters)........................... | 3 |
10 francs 50 centimes (or 10 fr. 50 c.).................................. | 4 |
dixcinquante................................................... | 1 |
10 fr. 50...................................................... | 3 |
fr. 10.50...................................................... | 2 |
11h 30....................................................... | 3 |
11.30........................................................ | 1 |
huit/10....................................................... | 2 |
5/ douzièmes.................................................. | 2 |
May/August................................................... | 3 |
5 bis (number of dwelling house)..................................... | 1 |
15a (number of dwelling house)...................................... | 1 |
15-3 or 15/3 (number of dwelling house)................................ | 1 |
30*......................................................... | 3 |
15 × 6*...................................................... | 4 |
Two hundred and thirty four........................................ | 5 |
Twohundredandthirtyfour (23 characters)................................ | 2 |
Troisdeuxtiers.................................................. | 1 |
Unneufdixièmes................................................ | 1 |
Deux mille cent quatre-vingt-quatorze.................................. | 6 |
Deuxmillecentquatrevingtquatorze (32 characters).......................... | 3 |
E.......................................................... | l |
Emvthf (6 characters)............................................. | 2 |
Emvchf (6 characters)............................................. | 2 |
GHF (commercial mark or secret language); a group of 3 characters.............. | 1 |
G.H.F. (Commercial mark or secret language); a group of 6 characters............. | 2 |
AP/M (Commercial mark or secret language); a group of 4 characters............. | 1 |
G.H.F (without final stop) (Commercial mark or secret language); a group of 6 characters | 1 |
GHF 45 (Commercial mark); a group of 5 characters........................ | 1 |
G.H.F. 45 (Commercial mark); a group of 8 characters....................... | 2 |
197a/199a (Commercial mark); a group of 9 characters....................... | 2 |
3/M (Commercial mark); a group of 3 characters........................... | 1 |
EM (Isolated letters, initials of christian names)............................ | 2 |
EM (initials of two christian names, wrongly combined)...................... | 2 |
L’affaire est urgente, partir sans retard (7 words and 2 underlines)................ | 9 |
Reçu de vos nouvelles indirectes (assez mauvaises) telégraphiez directment— (9 words and 1 passage between parentheses) | 10 |
Payment of Charges.
416. All charges for telegrams must be prepaid, except for telegrams to follow (i.e., those for transmission beyond the first destination) or for express delivery, semaphoric telegrams from ships at sea, or irregular alterations or combinations of words discovered by the delivering office, the charges on which shall be claimed from the addressee before delivery of the telegram; in the event of non-payment by the addressee the sender shall be required to pay the amount due.
Cancellation of Telegrams.
417. (1) The sender of a telegram, or his authorized representative, may, if in time, and on proving his identity, stop its transmission.
* Telegraph instruments cannot reproduce such expressions as 30a, 15.× 6, &c. Sender must be; asked to substitute for them the explicit meanings, “30 to the power a,” “15 multiplied by 6,” &c.
(2) When a sender cancels his telegram before transmission has been commenced the amount paid shall be returned to him. If the telegram has been transmitted by the office at which it was lodged, the sender’s only means of requesting its cancellation shall be by a paid service advice addressed to the office of destination. The sender must pay, at his option, the cost either of a telegraphic or of a postal reply to the notice of cancellation.
418. The telegraph administrations reserve to themselves the power to stop the transmission of any private telegram which may appear dangerous to the security of the State, or contrary to the laws of the country, to public order, or decency. If such power be exercised, the sender of the telegram shall be advised thereof.
Delivery at Destination.
419. (1) Telegrams shall be delivered according to their address—
(a) to the addressee or (except when instructions to the contrary have been given) to any person at the residence of the addressee.
(b) to the addressee or his duly appointed representative—
at the Post Office; or
at the Telegraph Office.
(2) If the door be not opened at the address given, or the messenger finds no one who will consent to take in the telegram, notice shall be left at such address, and the telegram be returned to the telegraph office, to be delivered to the addressee or his nominee upon application. If not applied for in the meantime, the telegram shall be sent out a second time when a messenger passes the address given.
(3) When application to that effect shall be made in writing, telegrams which cannot be delivered to the addressee personally owing to his absence from his office or place of residence when the messenger calls, will be deposited in the letter-box at the office or residence to which the telegram is addressed.
Undelivered Telegrams—Rectification of Address.
420. When a telegram cannot be delivered the delivery office shall advise the sending office of the cause of non-delivery, which advice, if practicable, shall be communicated to the sender. The latter can only complete, rectify, or confirm the address by means of a paid telegram.
Undelivered Telegrams to be destroyed after Six Weeks.
421. Any telegram which cannot be delivered to the addressee before the end of six weeks shall be destroyed; provided, however, that telegrams addressed “poste restante” (to be called for) or those to be delivered by post shall be subject, as to delivery and preservation, to the Regulations which apply to postal correspondence.
Urgent Private Telegrams.
422. The sender of a private telegram addressed to a country in which the “urgent” system is in operation with respect to international private telegrams may obtain priority of transmission and delivery at destination by writing the word “Urgent “or the letter” ‘‘(D)” before the address, and by paying three times the charge for an ordinary telegram of the same length and for the same transit.
d 2
Prepaid Replies.
423. The sender of a telegram may prepay the cost of the reply which he requests from his correspondent, and in such case must write before, the address the instruction “reply paid” or “R.P.,” and add the number of words paid for the reply, thus, “Reply paid x,” or “R.P. x.” The charge for the reply shall be calculated on the supposition that it will follow the same route as the original telegram.
424. If the sender wishes to prepay an urgent reply, he must write before the address the instruction “Reply paid, urgent, x,” or “R.P.D. x,” and pay the corresponding charge.
425. On delivery of a reply-paid telegram there shall be handed to the addressee a voucher of a value corresponding to the cost of a telegram of a number of words equal to that given in the supplementary instruction intended for the office of, origin of the reply-paid telegram, and to be sent by the same route as the latter. The voucher carries the right of sending, within the limit of its value, and within a period of six weeks from receipt thereof, a telegram to any destination whatever from any telegraph office in the country in which such voucher is issued. The reply voucher issued on board a ship in connexion with a reply-paid radiotelegram, shall give the right to send, up to the limit of its value, a radiotelegram to any address whatever from the ship station which issued the voucher.
426. When the proper charge for a telegram, prepaid by a voucher shall exceed the value of the voucher, the excess charge must be paid by the sender of the reply. In the contrary case, the difference between the value of the voucher and the amount of the charge actually due shall be refunded to the sender of the original telegram when application is made therefor within three months from the date of issue of the voucher.
427. If the addressee of a prepaid telegram shall not make use of the voucher for any reason whatever, or shall refuse it, the amount thereof shall be refunded to the sender of the original telegram at the expiration of three months from its date of issue if the voucher remains in the possession of the administration of destination or at an earlier date if application for refund be made by such sender,
Collated Telegrams.
428. The sender of any telegram may request that it be collated—that is, repeated from office to office—in which case he must write before the address the notice—”Collation,” or “(TC).” The charge for collation shall be one-quarter of the charge for an ordinary telegram of the same length between the same points.
Acknowledgment of Receipt.
429. (1) The sender of any telegram may request that a notice of the date and time of its delivery to the addressee be transmitted to him as soon as possible after such delivery. When the telegram is forwarded to its final destination by post this notification shall indicate the date and hour of posting.
(2) If notification by telegraph be required, the sender must write before the address the instruction “Acknowledgment Receipt,” or “(PC),” and pay the cost of an ordinary telegram of 5 words for the same destination by the same route. If notice by post be desired, the sender must write before the address the instruction “Postal acknowledgment receipt” or “(PCP),” and pay a fee of 2½d.
(3) If the sender desire priority of transmission and delivery for the acknowledgment of receipt, he must write before the address the instructions “Urgent acknowledgment receipt,” or “(PCD),” and pay the charge for an urgent telegram of 5 words for the same destination, by the same route.
Telegrams to Follow.
430. The sender of a telegram addressed to New Zealand, European countries, or other countries whose regulations permit, may request, by inserting before the address the instruction “To follow,” or “(FS),” that the office of destination shall cause his telegram to follow the addressee. (The instruction “To follow” shall be charged for as two words and “(FS)” as one word). The sender shall be required to pay, in advance, the charge for transmission of the telegram to the first address and the cost of further transmission will, if possible, be collected from the addressee, on delivery of the telegram. If, however, the addressee refuses to pay the supplementary charges due, or the telegram cannot be delivered, the sender shall be advised thereof, and also be required to pay any charges due thereon.
431. If the sender of a telegram “to follow” requests a telegraphic acknowledgment of receipt, and the telegram is re-transmitted beyond the limits of the country of destination given in such telegram, he shall be required to pay any sum that may be necessary to complete the cost of the acknowledgment of receipt, according to the distance actually traversed, independently of the charges for re-transmission which the office of delivery may be unable to recover.
Telegrams Re-transmitted by Order of the Addressee.
432. Upon the written request of the addressee, or his authorized representative, arrangements may be made whereby telegrams arriving for such addressee at a telegraph office shall be re-transmitted to him at a new address, to be specified in such request. The person making the request must either prepay the charges for re-transmission or undertake to pay any charges due for the re-transmission of such telegrams which the delivery office may be unable to recover.
433. If at the residence of the addressee of a telegram not bearing the instruction “(FS)” or “To follow,” a new address is given, the telegram shall, in the absence of instructions to the contrary, be re-transmitted by telegraph to such new address if within the Commonwealth, but the addressee shall, before delivery of such telegram, be required to pay the charge for such re-transmission.
Multiple Telegrams.
434. Any telegram may be addressed either to several persons in the same locality or in different localities served by the same telegraph office, or to the same person at several addresses in the same locality, or in different localities served by the same telegraph office, if the instruction “x addresses” or “(TMx)” be written before the address. The name of the office of destination is needed only once, at the end of the address.
435. In telegrams addressed to several addressees the particulars concerning the place of delivery, such as exchange, railway station, market. &c., must appear after each address, or, if they relate to a succession of addresses, after the last of those addresses.
436. For non-urgent multiple telegrams, in addition to the charge per word as in the case of a single telegram, a charge of 5d. for each 100 paid words, or fraction of 100 paid words, contained in each copy shall be paid.
437. For urgent multiple telegrams, in addition to the charge per word as in the case of a single telegram, a charge of 10d. for each 100 paid words, or fraction of 100 paid words, contained in each copy shall be paid.
The number of copies is equal to the number of addresses less one.
Note.—Multiple telegrams are not accepted for places in North America.
Telegrams to be Delivered by Post or Express.
438. Telegrams addressed to places beyond the International telegraph lines may, if the sender so desire, be despatched to destination by post or express; their despatch by express can, however, only be required when they are for countries which have organized means of delivery of telegrams more rapid than the post; the sender may also request that his telegram be transmitted by telegraph as far as an office which he indicates, and thence by post to destination.
439. The address of telegrams to be delivered beyond the International telegraph system must be preceded by the indication denoting the method of transport to be employed, whether post or express.
Telegrams to be Delivered by Express.
440. The charges for delivery beyond the radius of the telegraph offices by quicker means than the post, in countries where such a service is organized, are collected, as a general rule, from the addressee, but the sender may, if he so desires, prepay such charges.
441. The addressee of any telegram received from places beyond the Commonwealth may require that same shall be delivered by express, but shall, before delivery of such telegram, pay the prescribed charges for such service.
Telegrams to be Delivered by Post.
442. (1) Telegrams required by the sender to be sent by post are subject to the following supplementary charges, to be paid by the sender or the addressee, viz.:—
(a) Telegrams to be delivered within the limits of the country of destination, 2½d. in the case of those which bear the paid instruction “Registered post” “(PR).”
(b) Telegrams to be re-forwarded to a country other than the country of telegraphic destination, 2½d. or 5d., according to whether the address contains the paid instruction to send by (i.) ordinary post or (ii.) registered post.
(2) Telegrams which have to be sent to destination by post, and which are posted by the telegraph office of destination, are dealt with in the following manner, viz.:—
(a) Telegrams to be delivered within the limits of the country of destination—
(i.) Those who bear the instructions “Post” or “Poste Restante.” (GP), or which do not bear any instructions relating to delivery by post, are posted as ordinary letters without charge to the sender or addressee.
(ii.) Those which arrive with the instructions “Registered post” (PR) are posted as fully prepaid registered letters.
(b) Telegrams to be re-transmitted by post to a country other than the country of telegraphic destination—
(i) If the postal charges have been collected in advance, the telegrams are posted as fully prepaid ordinary or registered letters, as the case may be, and,
(ii) if the postal charges have not been prepaid, they are collected from the addressees.
Maritime Telegrams (Semaphore Telegrams and Radiotelegrams).
443. Maritime telegrams are telegrams exchanged with ships at sea by means of semaphores or radiotelegraph stations established on land or on board ships permanently moored (coast stations). These telegrams are called respectively semaphore telegrams and radiotelegrams. In the transmission of radiotelegrams originating on board a ship at sea, the date and hour of lodgment at the ship station shall be indicated in the preamble. On forwarding over the telegraph system, the coast station shall insert, as the indication of the office of origin, the name of the ship of origin as it appears in the Nomenclature of Radiotelegraph Stations, and also, when necessary, that of the last ship which acted as intermediary. The particulars shall be followed by the name of the coast station.
444. The address of maritime telegrams intended for ships at sea must contain, in addition to the ordinary instructions and the name of the maritime station as it appears in the official nomenclature of offices, the name of the ship for which they are intended, supplemented, in the case of ships bearing the same name, by the nationality of the ship, and, if necessary, by its distinguishing signal under the international code of signals.
445. (1) The address of radiotelegrams addressed to ships must be as complete as possible. It must be drawn up as follows:—
(a) Name or title of the addressee, with further particulars if necessary.
(b) Name of the ship, as it appears in the first column of the Nomenclature of Radiotelegraph Stations.
(c) Name of the coast station, as it appears in the Nomenclature of Radiotelegraph Stations.
2. Nevertheless, the name of the ship may be replaced, at the risk of the sender, by the particulars of the voyage effected by such ship, and determined by the names of the ports of origin, and of destination, or by any other equivalent particulars.
446. When, for any cause whatever, a radiotelegram coining from a ship at sea and addressed to a place on land, cannot be delivered to the addressee, an advice of non-delivery shall be issued. That advice shall be transmitted to the coast station which received the original radiotelegram. The latter, after verification of the address, shall retransmit the advice to the ship, if possible, and if need be through the medium of another coast station of the same country or of a neighbouring country.
447. The sender of a maritime telegram intended for a ship at sea may indicate the number of days during which the telegram is to be kept at the disposal of the ship by the semaphore or coast station. In this case he must write before the address the instruction days, indicating the number of days, including that of handing in the telegram.
448. When a maritime telegram intended for a. ship at sea cannot be transmitted to the ship within the period indicated by the sender, or, failing such indication, by the morning of the twenty-ninth day, the sender shall be advised accordingly, when he may request, by paid telegraphic or postal service advice, addressed to the semaphore or coast station, that his telegram may be retained during a further period of thirty days for transmission to the ship, and so on. If this request is not made, the telegram shall not be retained beyond the thirtieth day (day of handing in not included). If, however, the semaphore or coast station knows that the ship has passed beyond its range of transmission before the telegram could be transmitted to it, the sender will be advised accordingly.
449. If the ship to which a radiotelegram is addressed has not notified its presence to the coast station within the time specified by the sender, or, in the absence of such specification, up to the morning of the eighth day following, such coast station shall give notice of the fact to the office of origin, which shall inform the sender.
450. The sender shall have the option of requiring by paid service advice, telegraphic or postal, addressed to the coast station, that his radiotelegram be kept for a fresh period of nine days, to be transmitted to the ship, and so on. In the absence of such request, the radiotelegram shall be returned as undelivered at the end of the ninth day (the day of lodgment not included). However, if the coast station is sure that the ship has left its radius of action before the station could have transmitted the radiotelegram to it, such station shall immediately inform the office of origin, which shall without delay advise the sender of the cancellation of the radiotelegram. Nevertheless, the sender may by paid service advice request the coast station to transmit the radiotelegram when the ship next passes.
451. The following are not admitted as maritime telegrams:—
(a) Telegrams with prepaid replies (except semaphore telegrams destined for ships at sea);
(b) Telegraph money orders;
(c) Collated telegrams;
(d) Telegrams with telegraphic or postal acknowledgment of receipt (except telegrams destined for ships at sea in regard to their transit over the lines of the telegraph system);
(e) Telegrams “to follow”;
(f) Urgent telegrams, except as regards transmission over the lines of the telegraph system;
(g) Telegrams to be delivered by express or by post.
452. The following special services only are admitted in connexion with radiotelegrams:—
(a) Reply-paid Radiotelegrams.—These radiotelegrams shall bear, before the address, the indication “Reply paid,” or “R.P.”, and the indication of the amount paid in advance for the reply. The reply voucher issued on a ship shall give the right to send, up to the limit of its value, a radio-telegram to any address whatever from the ship station which issues such voucher.
(b) Collated Radiotelegrams.
(c) Radiotelegrams to be delivered by express.—But only when the cost of express delivery is collected from the addressee. Express delivery radiotelegrams, with collection of cost from the sender, may be allowed when they are intended for the country in whose territory the corresponding coast station is situated.
(d) Radiotelegrams to be delivered by post.
(e) Multiple Radiotelegrams.
(f) Radiotelegrams with acknowledgment of receipt.—But only with regard to the notification of the date and time at which the coast station has transmitted to the ship station the radio-telegram addressed to the latter.
(g) Paid Service Advices.—Except those asking for repetition or information. Nevertheless, all paid service advices shall be allowed in transit over the telegraph lines.
(h) Urgent Radiotelegrams.—But only in transit over telegraph lines and subject to the application of the International Telegraph Regulations.
453. (1) Semaphore telegrams must be written either in the language of the country in which the semaphore station from which they are to be signalled is situated, or in groups of letters of the international code of signals.
(2) The charge for such telegrams shall be Tenpence (10d.) each, in addition to the ordinary cost of transmission by telegraph. The total charges shall be collected from the sender for telegrams addressed to ships at sea, and from the addressee for telegrams from ships at sea.
Radiotelegrams.
454. Radiotelegrams shall bear, as the first word of the preamble, the service instruction “Radio.”
455. Radiotelegrams shall be written in conformity with the provisions of these Regulations respecting the manner of writing and acceptance of ordinary telegrams. The use of groups of letters taken from the International Code of Signals is permitted, and radiotelegrams drawn up by means of that code shall be forwarded to their destination without being decoded.
456. (1) The charge for a radiotelegram shall include, as the case maybe—
(a) (i) The “coast charge,” which belongs to the coast station;
(ii) the “ship charge,” which belongs to the ship station;
(b) The charge for transmission over the telegraph lines, calculated in accordance with the regulations applicable to ordinary telegrams;
(c) The transit charges of the intermediate coast or ship stations, and the charges appertaining to special services required by the sender.
(2) The coast and ship charges are indicated in the Nomenclature of Radiotelegraph Stations.
457. The total charges for radiotelegrams shall be collected from the sender, except (1) the charges for express delivery; and (2) the charges applicable to inadmissible combinations or alterations of words declared by the office or station of destination; which latter charges are collected from the addressee.
458. When a radiotelegram originating on a ship and addressed to a place on land transits through one or two ship stations, the charge shall include, in addition to the charges of the ship of origin, of the coast station, and of the telegraph lines, the ship charge of each of the ships taking part in the transmission.
459. The sender of a radiotelegram originating on land and addressed to a ship may require that his radiotelegram be transmitted through the intermediary of one or two ship stations; he shall lodge for this purpose the amount of the radiotelegraphic and telegraphic charges, and, in addition, as a deposit, a sum to be fixed by the office of origin to cover payment to the intermediate ship stations of the transit charges fixed in the preceding paragraph. He must further pay, as he may choose, either the charge for a telegram of five words, or the cost of postage of a letter to be sent by the coast station to the office of origin giving the information necessary for the liquidation of the sum deposited. The radiotelegram shall then be accepted at the risk of the sender; it shall bear before the address the paid supplementary instruction “X telegraphic re-transmissions” or “X postal re-transmissions”—“X” representing the number of re-transmissions required by the sender—accordingly as the sender desires, that the information necessary for the liquidation of the deposit be furnished by telegram or by letter.
460. The charge for radiotelegrams originating on a ship, addressed to another ship, and sent through the intermediary of one or two intermediate coast stations shall include:—
(a) The ship charges of both ships, the charge of the coast station or the two coast stations, as the case may be, and when necessary, the telegraph charge appertaining to the transit between the two coast stations;
(b) The coast and ship charges due to the stations of transit shall be the same as those fixed for such stations when the latter are stations of origin or destination. In no case shall they be collected more than once.
(2) For all the intermediate coast stations, the charge to be collected for the transit service shall be the highest of the coast charges appertaining to direct exchange with the two ships in question.
461. The counting of the words of the office of origin shall be final in the case of radiotelegrams addressed to ships, and that of the ship station of origin shall be final in the case of radiotelegrams originating on ships, both for the purpose of transmission and for that of international accounts. Nevertheless, when the radiotelegram is worded wholly or partly either in one of the languages of the country of destination, in the case of radiotelegrams originating on ships, or in one of the languages of the country of destination, in the case of radiotelegrams originating on board ships, or in one of the languages of the country to which the ship belongs, in the case of radiotelegrams addressed to ships, and when the radiotelegrams contain combinations or alterations of words contrary to the usage of that language, the office or ship station of destination, as the case may be, shall have the right to recover from the addressee the amount of the charge not collected. In the case of refusal to pay the radiotelegram may be withheld.
462. (1) Radiotelegrams may be transmitted by a coast station to a ship, or by a ship to another ship, with the object of being forwarded by post, the posting to take place from a port of call of the receiving ship.
(2) Such radiotelegrams do not necessitate any radiotelegraphic retransmission. The address of such radiotelegrams must, be drawn up as follows:—
(a) Paid instruction “post,” followed by the name of the port where the radiotelegram is to be posted.
(b) Full name and address of the addressee.
(c) Name of the ship station which is to effect the posting.
(d) When necessary, the name of the coast station.
Example.—Poste Buenosaires Martinez 14 Calle Prat Valparaiso Avon Lizard.
(3) The charge shall include, in addition to the radiotelegraph and telegraph charges, a sum of 25 centimes for the postage of the radiotelegram.
Telegrams beyond the Commonwealth—continued.
463. If the transmission of a radiotelegram is effected partly upon the telegraph lines or through the radiotelegraph stations belonging to a non-contracting Government, such radiotelegram may be sent forward, subject to the condition that the Administrations to which those lines or stations belong shall at least have declared that they are willing to apply, as occasion arises, the provisions of the Radiotelegraphic Convention and Regulations, which are indispensable in order that radiotelegrams may be regularly forwarded, and that accounting may be assured.
464. The provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations shall apply, by analogy, to radiotelegraphic correspondence, in so far as they are not contrary to the provisions of the Radiotelegraph Regulations.
465. The provisions of these Regulations which relate to collection of charges, and the indication of the route to be followed in connexion with telegrams, apply also to radiotelegrams.
466. For the purpose of applying the provisions of the telegraph regulations, coast stations shall be regarded as offices of transit, except when the Radiotelegraph Regulations stipulate expressly that those stations are to be considered as offices of origin or destination.
467. The originals of radiotelegrams as well as the documents relating thereto retained by the Administrations, shall be kept with all necessary precautions in respect of secrecy for at least fifteen months, counting from the month following that in which the radiotelegrams were lodged.
468. The provisions of the Regulations relating to refunds in connexion with ordinary international telegrams shall also apply to radiotelegrams (account being taken of the restrictions laid down in Articles XXXVIII. and XXXIX. of the Radiotelegraph Regulations) and subject to the following conditions:—
(a) The time occupied in radiotelegraphic transmission, and also the time during which the radiotelegrams remain at the coast station in the case of radiotelegrams addressed to ships, or in the ship station in the case of radiotelegrams originating on ships, shall not be counted in the period of delay giving rise to refunds and reimbursements.
(b) If the coast station informs the office of origin that a radiotelegram cannot be transmitted to the ship to which it is addressed, the Administration of the country of origin shall immediately initiate the refund to the sender of the coast and ship charges in respect of such radiotelegram.
(c) When the acknowledgment of receipt of a radiotelegram has not reached the station which transmitted the radiotelegram, the charge shall not be refunded until it has been proved that the radiotelegram is one which gives occasion for refund.
Press Telegrams.
469. Telegrams admitted as press telegrams are those the text of which contains only news relative to politics, commerce, &c., intended for publication in newspapers. Such telegrams must be addressed to newspapers, periodical publications, or news agencies, and solely to the name of the newspaper, publication, or agency, and not to the name of a person connected in any capacity whatever with the management of the newspaper, publication, or agency. The use of abbreviated and registered code addresses is permitted.
470. Press telegrams must be written in the French language or in one of the languages of the country of origin or of destination authorized for international telegraphic correspondence in plain language, or in the language in which the receiving newspaper is printed, provided that this language is admitted for international telegraphic correspondence.
471. Press telegrams must not contain any passage, advertisement, or communication having the character of private correspondence, nor any advertisement or communication the insertion of which is made in consideration of payment. Stock Exchange and market quotations, with or without explanatory texts, are allowed, but the sender shall, if required, furnish proof that groups of figures appearing in a telegram really represent Exchange quotations.
472. Telegrams not complying with the foregoing conditions shall be charged full ordinary rates, as also shall press telegrams of which use is made for some other purpose than that of insertion in the columns of the newspaper to which they are addressed, viz.:—
(a) Telegrams which are not published by the receiving newspaper (failing a satisfactory explanation), or which the latter has communicated before publication either to private individuals or to establishments, such as clubs, cafés, hotels, exchanges, &c.
(b) Telegrams which the receiving newspaper shall have sold, distributed, or communicated, before publishing them itself, to other newspapers for publication in their columns.
(c) Telegrams addressed to agencies which are not published in a newspaper (failing a satisfactory explanation), or which are communicated to third persons before being published in the press.
473. Press telegrams may bear only one supplementary instruction, that relating to multiple address telegrams. The charge to be collected for the copies to be made by the office of destination shall be the same as for Ordinary private telegrams (see Regulation No. 436).
474. Press telegrams may be transmitted from or to New Zealand, Fiji, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Canada, Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Rhodesia (northern and southern), Ceylon, China, Hongkong, Shanghai, Amoy, Foochow, India, Burmah, Japan, Miquelon, St. Pierre, Newfoundland, Straits Settlements, Singapore, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Such telegrams must be written in English when addressed to British or American stations, and in French when addressed to French stations. Their transmission may be deferred, suspended, or interrupted for the transmission of Government or private telelgrams.
475. Press telegrams shall be accepted only from the authorized correspondents of newspapers.
476. Regarding anything not provided for in the foregoing Regulations relating to press telegrams, such telegrams are subject to the provisions relating to telegrams generally, and also of any special agreements concluded between Telegraph Administrations.
Certified Copies of Telegrams.
477. The sender and receiver of a telegram or their authorized representatives, may, on proof of identity and on furnishing full particulars of the telegram, obtain a certified copy of the telegram as handed in, or as delivered at destination, on payment of a fee of 5d. for every 100 words or portion of 100 words. As all telegrams are destroyed periodically, certified copies of telegrams more than two years old cannot be supplied.
Refunds.
478. (1) Reimbursement of the following charges, to those who have paid them, shall take place if a claim be made, or in the event of a complaint against the service:—
(a) All charges erroneously collected in excess.
(b) The full charge paid for every telegram which has failed to reach its destination through the fault of the telegraph service.
(c) The full charge paid for every telegram stopped in transmission owing to interruption of a route, and for that reason cancelled by the sender.
(d) The full charge paid for every telegram which, owing to the fault of the telegraph service, is received later than it would have been delivered by post, or has not been delivered to the addressee until after a delay of 24 hours in the case of a New Zealand telegram, and in the case of an international telegram, 72 hours if a private telegram, or 36 hours, if a Government or urgent telegram.
(e) The full charge paid for every collated telegram in secret language, and for every telegram in plain language which has manifestly been unable to fulfil its object in consequence of errors made in its transmission, unless the errors have been rectified by paid service advice.
(f) The supplementary charge for special services not rendered, as well as the charge for the corresponding supplementary instruction.
(g) The amounts deposited for the repetition of a passage supposed to be incorrect, if the repetition does not agree with the first transmission, with the reservation, however, that when some words have been correctly and some incorrectly transmitted in the original telegram, the charge for the words relating exclusively to words correctly transmitted originally shall not be refunded, unless the mistakes made rendered unintelligible the words which had not been mutilated.
(h) The full charge paid for every other telegraphic or postal paid service advice, the sending of which has been necessitated by an error in the telegraph service.
(i) The full amount deposited for a reply when the addressee has not been able to make use of the voucher, or has refused it, and when such voucher remains in the hands of, or within three months from the date of issue has been returned to, the office from which it was issued.
(j) The charge in respect of the telegraph section not traversed by the telegram when, owing to interruption of a telegraph route, the telegram has been forwarded to its destination by postal or other means. The expense of replacing the original telegraph route by any other means of transport, shall, however, be deducted from the amount to be refunded.
(k) The full charges for every telegram with prepaid reply which has manifestly been unable to fulfil its object owing to a service irregularity which warrants the return of the charges for the reply; also the full charge for every prepaid reply which has manifestly been unable to fulfil its objects owing to a service irregularity which warrants the return of the charges for the original telegram.
(l) The charge, when it amounts to 10d. or more, for the word or words omitted in the transmission of a telegram, unless the error has been corrected by paid service advice.
(m) The difference between the amount of a reply voucher, and the charge for a reply telegram of less value prepaid by means of said voucher.
(n) The charge for every telegram stopped on the ground that it is considered dangerous to the security of the State, or contrary to the laws of the country, to public order, or decency, or owing to the suspension of the telegraph service.
(o) The proportion of charge due on every cancelled telegram.
(2) In the cases provided for in paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), (i), and (j), the refund only applies to the actual telegrams lost, cancelled, delayed, or mutilated, including any supplementary charges not used, and not to telegrams necessitated or rendered useless by such non-delivery, delay, or mutilation.
479. In case of a partial refund on account of a multiple telegram, the total charge received shall be divided by the number of copies, and the quotient shall represent the charge appertaining to each copy, the telegram itself counting as one copy.
480. When errors of the telegraph service have been corrected by paid service advices within periods fixed by the application of paragraph (d) of this regulation reimbursement shall only apply to the charges for such service advices. No refund shall be made in respect of telegrams to which such advices relate.
481. No refund shall be made for rectifying telegrams which, instead of being exchanged between telegraph offices as paid service advices, have been exchanged direct between sender and addressee.
482. Every claim for refund must be made under penalty of rejection within five months from the date of deposit of the telegram.
483. Every claim must be made to the original sending administration, and be accompanied by documentary evidence, i.e. a written statement from the terminal office or the addressee, if the telegram has been delayed or not been delivered; or the copy delivered to the addressee, if the question is one of alteration or omission.
484. The claim may, however, be presented by the addressee to the office of destination, which shall decide whether it will deal with it, or whether it must be forwarded to the sending administration.
485. The right to refund lapses after a period of six months from the date of the letter by which the sender is informed that a refund has been granted.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.