Quarantine Regulations 1917 (Amendment) (Cth)

STATUTORY RULES.

1918. No. 227.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908–1915.

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 Quarantine Act 1908–1915 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this twenty-eighth day of August, 1918.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

J. A. JENSEN,

Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

 

Amendment of Quarantine Regulations 1917.

The Quarantine Regulations 1917 (Statutory Rules No. 112 of 1917) are hereby amended by the repealing of regulations 61, 62, 63, 63a, 64, 65, 66, and 67, and by the insertion therein of the following regulations in lieu thereof:—

Part IV.—Special Measures Against Plague And Cholera.

61. (1) The master or owner of any vessel in any port in Australia shall—

(a) effectively obstruct by means of stout netting or other means all openings or holes in the side of the vessel next to any wharf or lighter or other vessel and shall keep them so obstructed while the vessel is alongside such wharf or lighter or other vessel;

(b) affix and keep affixed an effective rat guard disc or screen not less than 1 foot or more than 3 feet from the side of the vessel to every rope or hawser connecting the vessel with any wharf or lighter or other vessel;

(c) when so ordered by a quarantine officer thoroughly illuminate from sunset to sunrise with electric or other brilliant lights the whole of the side of the vessel next to the wharf or to any vessel or lighter lying alongside;

(d) remove at sunset and keep removed until sunrise the landing stages and all nets and gangways between the vessel and any wharf, except during such time as those landing stages, nets or gangways are required for the discharge or loading of cargo or for access of persons to and from the vessel and are actually being used for such discharge, loading or access; and

(e) take any other necessary and practicable measures to prevent the migration of rats to and from the vessel.

 

(2) No rat guard disc or screen shall be regarded as effective for the purpose of these Regulations unless it complies in all respects with the following requirements:—

(a)It shall be circular in outline formed in the shape of a cone and shall measure not less than 6 inches from base to apex, and not less than 24 inches directly across any diameter of its base rim to rim;

(b)It shall be made of sheet metal of at least 26 gauge without any opening or perforation except as hereafter specified;

(c) It shall be so constructed that when fitted the apex of the cone shall point away from the vessel and the rope or hawser shall pass through the apex of the cone and the centre of the base, and all openings in the disc screen or guard shall be effectively closed.

62. The master or owner of any vessel in any port in Australia shall—

(a)thoroughly empty, or flush out and empty the bilges prior to berthing the vessel;

(b)keep all foodstuffs and food refuse in rat-proof and mouse-proof receptacles, rooms, or compartments;

(c) prevent the discharge of any organic refuse, galley scraps and waste from the vessel on to the wharfs or into the waters of the port;

(d)maintain on board and use effective means for the destruction of rats and mice; and

(e) when so ordered by a quarantine officer lay on the vessel poison baits effective for rats and mice.

63. The master or owner of any vessel in any port in Australia shall, if so ordered by a quarantine officer—

(a) submit any part or the whole of the vessel to sulphur fumigation as prescribed or to some other approved method of fumigation, or to such trapping or poisoning operations for the destruction of rodents as are specified in the order. If so directed by the quarantine officer, the fumigation or trapping or poisoning operations for the destruction of rodents shall be carried out while the vessel is alongside a wharf or while the vessel is in stream, and either before or after the cargo has been discharged;

(b) wash or spray thoroughly with the prescribed insecticidal solution all portions of the vessel likely to harbor or to afford a shelter for fleas, lice, bugs, and other vermin;

(c) empty and flush or disinfect and clean all lavatories, water tanks, or any closed space on board the vessel:

Provided that in any case where there is reasonable cause to apprehend that the vessel may be endangered by the removal of water ballast, the quarantine officer may cause any tank or other receptacle to be sealed; and thenceforward, so long as the vessel remains within the port, the master shall prevent the breaking or removal of the seal or the discharge or removal from the tank or receptacle of any part of the water ballast except with the written permission of the quarantine officer;

 

(d) cause to be disinfected or fumigated any articles specified by the quarantine officer;

(e) remove and re-stow or re-arrange, in such a manner as to prevent access or harborage of rats or mice, any dunnage rubbish or deck cargo;

(f) remove, open up, or otherwise render thoroughly accessible to fumigation any linings, casings, partitions, lockers and similar enclosed spaces above or below deck;

(g)protect effectively against the passage of rats or mice all openings other than doors or hatches which are liable to afford communication for rats from any hold or cargo space to any other part of the vessel; and

(h)protect effectively against the passage and harborage of rats or mice, any specified opening or place whether below or above deck.

63a. The master or owner of any vessel in any port in Australia shall when the vessel is about to undergo overhaul or to be docked for repairs or for any other purpose, give notice to that effect to the quarantine officer at least twenty-four hours before the beginning of any such overhaul or before the vessel is taken to the dock.

64. The master or owner of any vessel on arrival at any port in Australia from a place proclaimed infected with plague or as a place from or through which plague may be carried shall—

(a)submit the vessel to fumigation and other treatment asprescribed for the destruction of rats, mice, and other vermin:

Provided that the vessel may be exempted from fumigation if the master produce—

(i) a certificate showing that at the port of departure the vessel, while empty or after loading for the current voyage, was fumigated as prescribed; and.

(ii) a certificate or certificates showing that at the port of departure (if a proclaimed place) and at every proclaimed place subsequently called at, effective measures were taken to prevent the migration of rats to the vessel. The measures adopted shall be specified in the certificate.

The certificate or certificates in each case shall be signed by the Port Health Officer or local quarantine officer if the proclaimed place is within the British Dominions, or be indorsed by the British Consul if the proclaimed place is a foreign port or country:

Provided further that in the absence of such certificates the vessel may, if no plague infected rats or mice have been found on board, be exempted from fumigation at any port of call in Australia excepting the terminal port;

(b) if so ordered by a quarantine officer discharge the cargo into lighters in stream.

 

65. The following processes are prescribed:—

(a) For the destruction of rats and mice in closed spaces in vessels—thorough sulphur fumigation for at least eight hours with a gaseous mixture containing not less than three parts per centum of sulphur oxides. The fumigation shall wherever practicable be effected by passing sulphur fumes under pressure into the closed space, the contained air being at the same time partially exhausted;

(b)For the destruction of insects and other vermin in vessels—sulphur fumigation as prescribed, or thorough application of an aqueous solution or emulsion of soft soap, cyllin and kerosene, containing of each one part per centum. The application must be made by means of a mop or scrubbing brush or similar appliance, or by forcibly spraying the mixture into all places infested with or suspected of being infested with fleas, lice, bugs, or similar insects or vermin.

66. For the purpose of these Regulations, “wharf” includes any pier, stage, landing place, jetty or similar structure, foreshore, or place at which a vessel may lie.

Fees for the Fumigation or Disinfection of Vessels.

67. (1) The fees charged for the fumigation of vessels by means of any approved mechanical appliance worked by steam, oil or electric power and not forming part of the equipment of the vessels concerned, shall be as follows:—

£	s.	d.
(a) For every vessel of not more than 20,000 cubic feet of hold space.............	2	0	0
(b)In the case of vessels of over 20,000 cubic feet of hold space—
For the first 20,000 cubic feet of hold space...........................................	2	0	0
For each additional 20,000 cubic feet or part thereof..............................	1	0	0
(c) The minimum fee for the fumigation of any vessel or portion of a vessel shall be	2	0	0

(2) The fees charged for the fumigation of vessels by means of approved, appliances other than those described in sub-section (1) of this regulation shall be as follows:—

£	s.	d.
(a) For every vessel of less than 50 tons gross.............................................	0	15	0
(b) For every vessel of 50 tons to 500 tons gross..........................................	1	10	0
(c) In the case of every vessel of over 500 tons gross—
For the first 100,000 cubic feet of hold space or part thereof..................	4	10	0
For each additional 20,000 cubic feet or part thereof.............................	0	15	0

 

(2a) The fees charged for the fumigation or disinfection of cabins, lazarets, or similar enclosed compartments of vessels, other than hold space, by means of approved appliances other than those described in sub-section (1) of this regulation shall be as follows:—

£	s.	d.
For the first 1,000 cubic feet of space, or part thereof..........................	0	15	0
For each additional 1,000 cubic feet of space, or part thereof...............	0	2	6

(23) The fees charged for trapping or poisoning operations for destruction of rodents on vessels shall be as follows:—

£	s.	d.
(a) For every vessel under 50 tons gross...................................................	0	10	6
(b) For every vessel over 50 tons gross— For the first 250 baits laid, or part thereof..........................................	0	5	0
For each additional 250 baits laid, or part thereof...............................	0	3	6
For the first 50 traps set and attended, or part thereof.........................	0	15	0
For each additional 50 traps, or part thereof, set and attended.............	0	10	6

(3) When the fumigation or disinfection of any vessel is carried out by the owners or agents, or their employees, the work shall be supervised by a Quarantine or other authorized officer, and a fee of £1 1s. shall be charged for such supervision.

(4) In any case where overtime is worked, or travelling or other expenses are incurred by an officer in the fumigation or disinfection or other treatment, or in the supervision of the fumigation or disinfection of any vessel or part of a vessel, the cost of the overtime and travelling or other expenses shall be paid by the owners or agents of the vessel.

 

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

   

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