Amendment of Public Baths Regulations (ACT)

The case involved John Arthur Perkins, the Minister of State for the Interior, who sought to amend the Public Baths Regulations under the Public Baths Ordinance 1931. The new regulation altered the hours of admission to public baths, setting specific times for weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The dispute was brought before the court, which needed to determine the validity of the amendment. The primary legal issue was whether the Minister had the authority to enact the new regulation under the existing ordinance and whether the changes were reasonable and necessary.

The court examined the powers granted by the Public Baths Ordinance 1931 to ascertain whether the Minister's amendment was within the scope of those powers. It assessed whether the new regulation was a legitimate exercise of the authority to alter public bath admission times. Additionally, the court considered whether the new hours were reasonable and necessary for the public interest. After reviewing the ordinance and the amendment, the court concluded that the Minister had acted within his authority and that the new hours were justified.

Based on the findings, the court upheld the amendment to the Public Baths Regulations. It determined that the Minister's actions were in line with the powers granted by the ordinance and that the revised hours served the public interest effectively. The court's decision affirmed the new admission times for public baths during the swimming season as set out in the amendment.