Shearers' Accommodation Act Amendment Act 1944 (WA)

No. 47.] Shearers' Accommodation. [1944.

SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION.

8° and 9° GEO. VI., No. XLVII.

No. 47 of 1944.

AN ACT to amend the Shearers' Accommodation Act,

1912.

[Assented to 24th January, 1945.]

BE it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty,by and with the advice and consent of the Legis- lative Council and Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows :—

Short title. 1. This Act may be cited as the Shearers' Accommo-

dation Act Amendment Act, 1944, and shall be read as

one with the Shearers' Accommodation Act, 1912 (No. 43 of 1912), hereinafter referred to as the principal Act.

Amendment of

s. a of prin- 2. Section five of the principal Act is amended by

cipal Act. inserting a new subsection as follows :—

(2) Every member of the police force who is in

charge of a police district established under the pro-

visions of the Police Act, 1892, or of any police station,

1944.] Shearers' Accommodation. [No. 47.

shall during such time as he is in charge of such police district or police station, be an inspector under this Act without any further appointment.

A member of the police force so acting as an in- spector may authorise in writing under his hand any other member of the police force to carry out any duties of an inspector under this Act, and any member so authorised shall, within the limits of his authority, have all the power of an inspector, such authority to be produced by him in pursuance of this Act.

3. Section six of the principal Act is repealed and a Repeal of s. and new sec-

new section is inserted as follows:— Lion inserted.

6. (1) Every employer shall provide proper, Sufficient

adequate, and sufficient accommodation for the com- ticoe,11,1,1=

fort and health of the shearers, in buildings separate building'

from any shearing-shed, stable, pig-sty or wool scour.

(2) Such accommodation shall not be deemed proper Wimtis ni

proper

or sufficient for the comfort and health of shearers sufficien t

if any of the following conditions are not fulfilled:— tieoe:.m"Ima-

(i) tlll such buildings shall be distant at least fifty yards from any shearing-shed, stable, pig-sty or wool scour : Provided that this restriction as to distance shall not apply to any such building erected prior to the commencement of this Act at a distance from any shearing- shed, stable, pig-sty or wool scour less than fifty yards, and which the Minister on the recommendation of au inspector, declares shall be exempt therefrom.

(ii)    Any building provided for sleeping accommoda- tion at the passing of this Act, or any such building which is in the course of erection at the time of the said passing or erected there- after shall be divided into compartments to accommodate not more than three shearers in each compartment.

Separate sleeping accommodation shall

be provided for cooks and their assistants in

a compartment or compartments separate

No. 47.] Shearers' Accommodation. [1944.

from the sleeping compartments provided for

other shearers.

(iii)    Each shearer shall be provided with a bedstead, stretcher or bunk and every bedstead, stretcher or bunk which is provided after the passing of this Act shall be not less than six feet six inches in length and not less than two feet six inches in width.

Each shearer shall be provided with a mat- tress, with sufficient clean and dry hay, straw, kapok or fibre suitable to fill the same, and with the mattress ticking in a clean and proper condition.

Each sleeping compartment shall be pro- vided with a lamp sufficient efficiently to illum- inate that compartment together with any necessary kerosene, oil or other illuminant. Every such lamp shall be a wall lamp or a lamp capable of being suitably suspended;

(iv)    Not less than three hundred and sixty cubic feet of air space shall be allowed to each person sleeping in any such building. In calculating air space pursuant to this paragraph, no allowance shall be made in any respect of any air space at a greater height than fourteen feet from the floor ;

(v)    No room used for sleeping shall be used for the cooking or serving of meals;

(vi)     When meals are cooked and served in the same room provision shall be made for cooking the meals at one end of the room, and for serving them at the other ;

(vii)     Sufficient latrine accommodation shall be pro- vided, situate not less than one hundred feet from any building used for sleeping or cook- ing, or serving meals, and so as to preclude any probability of pollution of any water supply ;

1944.] Shearers' Accommodation. [No. 47.

(viii)    A sufficient supply of good drinking water shall be provided. All tanks and vessels used for the storage of drinking water shall be so con- structed and covered as to prevent water stored therein from becoming polluted or contaminated;

(ix)    Each sleeping and dining room shall be supplied

with sufficient light and ventilation;

(x)    Each sleeping and dining room shall be provided

with a proper and suitable floor;

(xi)    Proper cooking, drinking, and washing utensils shall be provided. Such utensils shall include proper urns or pots with tight-fitting lids and spouts or taps for the distribution of tea and coffee, and such other utensils as, in the opinion of an inspector, are required. No kerosene tin or benzine tin shall be supplied as a utensil for the preparation or cooking of food;

(xii)    The employer or his agent shall provide suitable receptacles for refuse, and the employer or his agent or if the shearing is done by con- tract the contractor shall cause such recep- tacles to be emptied periodically or whenever filled, and such refuse to be burned or buried not less than two hundred yards from any building used for sleeping, cooking, or serving meals;

(xiii)    Where there is a sufficient supply of water, a bathroom shall be provided for the use of the shearers. If not more than seven shearers are employed at least one shower or plunge bath shall be provided in the bathroom. If more than seven but not more than fifteen shearers are employed at least two such baths shall be provided. If more than fifteen but not more than thirty shearers are employed at least three such baths shall be provided. If more than thirty shearers are employed at least three baths shall be so provided together with

No. 47.] Shearers' Accommodation. [1944.

one such additional bath for every fifteen shearers or fraction thereof employed in excess of thirty. There shall be provided basins for the personal ablutions of the shearers and tubs for the washing of clothes by the shearers. At least one such basin and one such tub shall be provided for every five shearers employed or fraction thereof ;

(xiv)    There shall be provided in each kitchen at least one fly-proof safe for the storage of cooked food and there shall be provided at least one fly-proof safe or fly-proof meat house for the storage of fresh meat. Each kitchen shall be equipped with a brick oven or a stove or range and a sufficient number of tables or benches. Each dining room shall be provided with a dining table or tables sufficient to accommodate the shearers for whose use it is provided and so as to allow a space of at least two feet for every person seated at such table. Every such table, the upper surface of which is not of dressed timber closely cramped with an even surface and without crevices, shall be covered with linoleum or other similar cover- ing. If any table is to be used by shearers seated at both sides thereof, the table shall not be less than three feet three inches in width;

(xv)    A sufficient quantity of disinfectant shall be pro- vided for application to all latrines or drains which are in daily use. The disinfectant shall be applied in sufficient quantities to such latrines and drains.

(xvi)     For each shearer one knife, one fork, one spoon, one enamel mug or cup of one pint measure, and two delf or china plates shall be provided. If the supply of such plates becomes insuffi- cient, otherwise than by reason of the failure of the employer to provide the required quantity thereof at the beginning of the em- ployment, metal or other plates may be pro- vided in lieu thereof.

1944.] Shearers' Accommodation. [No. 47.

4. A section is inserted in the principal Act after New section.

section six as follows:

GA. If any building provided by any employer for the accommodation of shearers was erected before the	buildingsAlterations to
erected before passing of this
passing of this Act, then notwithstanding the provi-	Act not re- quired until
sions of the preceding section, the employer shall not	expiration of twelve months
be required to alter the building so that it complies	after war.
with the said provisions until after the expiration of twelve months after the conclusion of the war in which His Majesty was engaged at the time of the said pass- ing, but nothing in this section shall apply to any building which was in the course of erection at or is erected after the said passing: Provided always that the Minister on the application of the employer may extend such time for alteration of the building for such further period as the Minister thinks fit.

Section eight of the principal Act is amended by 0A;iste . 7d 4ormit

5.

deleting the word "tent" from the first line of subset- principal Act.

tion (1).

Ral of s. 13. e pe

6.	Section thirteen of the principal Act is repealed principal	of
Act and new

and a section inserted as follows:—	section in-
serted.

13. Any employer who has been served with a notice offences.

pursuant to section twelve of this Act and who fails to comply with the requirements of such notice, shall, unless he satisfies the Court that he has used all due diligence to comply with the requirements of such notice, be guilty of an offence against this Act, and be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds and for every day during his default after such conviction, to a further penalty not exceeding one pound.

Amendment

7. Section fifteen of the principal Act is amended by of s. 15 of principal

deleting therefrom the whole of subsection (3). Act.

Section seventeen of the principal Act is amended Amendment

8.   of s. 17 of

by deleting subsection (1) and inserting a new subsection pAtipa

as follows:

(1) The Governor may make regulations not incon- sistent with this Act prescribing all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

No. 47.] Shearers' Accommodation. [1944.

9. The principal Act as amended by this Act may be

cited as the Shearers' Accommodation Act, 1912-1944.