Commonwealth Numbered Acts

POST AND TELEGRAPH RATES ACT 1974 No. 60, 1974 - SECT 4

4. Sections 6 to 7 (inclusive) of the Principal Act are repealed and the
following sections substituted:- Rates of postage.

"6. (1) Subject to sections 6A and 6B, the rates of postage for postal
articles other than parcels are the rates set out in Part I, II, or III, as
the case may be, of Schedule 1.



"(2) The postage payable in respect of articles to which clause 3 or 4 in Part
I of Schedule 1 applies shall, except where otherwise provided by arrangement
between the Postmaster-General and the person posting the article, be prepaid
in money.



"(3) For the purposes of clause 3 in Part I of Schedule 1, 'local delivery',
in relation to a postal article, means delivery-

   (a)  from the office at which the article is posted; or

   (b)  where the article is posted within an area for the time being
        determined by the Postmaster-General, for the purposes of this
        sub-section, to be a local delivery area-within that area.
Articles addressed to "The Householder".

"6A. (1) This section applies to postal articles (other than Category A
publications, Category B publications or Category C publications) that-

   (a)  do not exceed 250 grams in weight;

   (b)  are not addressed to specified persons but bear the words 'The
        Householder' or some similar words; and

   (c)  are posted in bulk.



"(2) Subject to sub-sections (3) and (4), the postage payable in respect of
articles to which this section applies shall, except where otherwise provided
by arrangement between the Postmaster-General and the person posting the
articles, be prepaid in money and is at the rate of-

   (a)  in the case of standard articles for delivery within the city area in
        which they are posted-3.5 cents for each article;

   (b)  in the case of non-standard articles for delivery within the city area
        in which they are posted-

        (i)    3.5 cents for each article, together with 10 cents for each
               kilogram of the total weight of articles, being articles to
               which this paragraph applies, posted by any one person at any
               one time; or

        (ii)   4 cents for each article,

whichever is the greater;

   (c)  in the case of standard articles not falling within paragraph (a)-5
        cents for each article;

   (d)  in the case of non-standard articles not falling within paragraph (b)-

        (i)    4.75 cents for each article, together with 15 cents for each
               kilogram of the total weight of articles, being articles to
               which this paragraph applies, posted by any one person at any
               one time; or

        (ii)   5.5 cents for each article,

whichever is the greater.



"(3) Where a non-standard article to which this section applies-

   (a)  consists of an envelope, together with its contents, if any;

   (b)  weighs not more than 50 grams; and

   (c)  is posted before 1 March 1975, the postage payable in respect of that
        article is the postage that would be payable if that article were a
        standard article.



"(4) The Postmaster-General may make an arrangement with a person who proposes
to post more than 100,000 articles to which this section applies during a
particular period under which the postage payable in respect of the articles
shall be at such rates as are provided by the arrangement, not being lower
than 75 per centum of the respective rates that would, but for this
sub-section, be applicable to the articles and, in that event, the postage
payable in respect of the articles is, subject to sub-sections (5) and (6), at
those rates.



"(5) An arrangement under sub-section (4) may be subject to conditions with
respect to-

   (a)  the manner of packing, addressing and marking the articles;

   (b)  the manner and place of posting the articles; and

   (c)  the arrangement of the articles so as to facilitate their delivery,
        and, in that event, the rates of postage provided by the arrangement
        do not apply in respect of the articles unless the person posting the
        articles complies with the conditions.



"(6) In this section, 'city area' means an area for the time being determined
by the Postmaster-General by an instrument in writing to be a city area for
the purposes of this section. Reduced rates for bulk postage.

"6B. (1) This section applies to postal articles, other than parcels or
articles to which section 6A applies, that comply with, and are posted in
accordance with, conditions determined by the Postmaster-General relating to-

   (a)  the manner of packing, addressing and marking the articles;

   (b)  the manner and place of posting the articles; and

   (c)  the arrangement of the articles so as to facilitate their sorting,
        where-

   (d)  the articles, being articles each of which does not exceed 50 grams in
        weight, are all posted in direct bags containing only those articles
        and the total number of those articles posted by any one person at any
        one time is not less than 1,000;

   (e)  the articles, being articles each of which exceeds 50 grams in weight,
        are all posted in direct bags containing only those articles and the
        total number of those articles posted by any one person at any one
        time is not less than 1,000; or

   (f)  in any other case, the total number of the articles posted by any one
        person at any one time is not less than 2,500.



"(2) The rates of postage payable in respect of articles to which this section
applies are the rates set out in Part IV of Schedule 1.



"(3) The postage payable in respect of articles to which this section applies
shall, except where otherwise provided by arrangement between the
Postmaster-General and the person posting the articles, be prepaid in money.
Regulations relating to registered newspapers and periodicals.

"6C. The power of the Governor-General under section 97 of the Post and
Telegraph Act to make regulations includes-

   (a)  the power to make regulations for and in relation to the registration
        of publications under the Post and Telegraph Act as newspapers,
        including, in particular, the power to make regulations limiting or
        extending the classes of publications that may be so registered; and

   (b)  the power to make regulations for and in relation to the registration
        of publications at a General Post Office as periodicals. Post Office
        Courier Service rates.

"6D. The power of the Governor-General under section 97 of the Post and
Telegraph Act to make regulations includes the power to make regulations
making provision for and in relation to charges and fees to be paid for and in
respect of services provided by the Post Office Courier Service. Telegraphic
rates.

"7. The rates for telegrams are as set out in Schedule 2.".