War Precautions (Leather Industries) Regulations 1917 (Cth)

STATUTORY RULES.

1917. No. 100.

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914-1916.

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 War Precautions Act 1914-1916, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this first day of May, 1917.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE,

Minister of Stale for Defence.

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War Precautions (Leather Industries) Regulations 1917.

Short title.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the War Precautions (Leather Industries) Regulations 1917.

Establishment of Commonwealth Leather Industries Board.

2. (1) For the purposes of these Regulations there shall be a Commonwealth Leather Industries Board (in these Regulations referred to as “the Board”).

(2) The Board shall comprise one representative of the tanners of the Commonwealth and one representative of the boot manufacturers of the Commonwealth, nominated by the respective interests, together with two nominees of the Commonwealth Government, namely, the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner and the Commonwealth Government Hides and Leather Expert.

(3) The Commonwealth Prices Commissioner shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Board, and in his absence the Commonwealth Government Hides and Leather Expert shall preside at meetings of the Board.

(4) The Chairman of the Board shall have on ordinary vote, and in the event of an equality of votes, a second or casting vote.

(5) Three members of the Board shall form a quorum.

Establishment of local Committee.

3. There shall be in each State a Local Committee (in these Regulations referred to as a “Local Committee”) consisting of two representatives of the tanners of the State and two representatives of the boot manufacturers of the State.

C.5404.—Price 3d.

Appointment subject to approval of approval of minister.

4. All appointments to the Commonwealth Leather Industries Board and to Local Committees shall be subject to the approval of the Prime Minister.

Powers of Board.

5. The Board shall have power to—

(a)determine the quantities of hides that are required for the purposes of the tanning industry of the Commonwealth;

(b) determine the classes of leather into which hides may be manufactured;

(c) determine the quantities of leather which are required for the purposes of the leather manufacturing industries of the Commonwealth;

(d)determine the quota of the output of leather of each tannery which shall be made available for manufacturing purposes within the Commonwealth;

(e) determine the quantities of hides available for export from the Commonwealth;

(f) determine the quantities of leather available for export from the Commonwealth;

(g)determine standards for the various grades of leather of the classes to which these Regulations apply;

(h) prohibit any person firm or company either absolutely or subject to any specified condition or restriction from buying or selling hides or leather;

(i) require producers manufacturers and dealers to furnish such returns as to hides and leather, and boots and shoes made from hide leathers, as are specified by the Board.

Report as to quantities of hides and leather available for export.

6. The Board shall make recommendations to the Minister for Trade and Customs regarding the quantities of hides and leather available for export.

Recommendations as to fixing of prices for hides and leather.

7. The Board may make recommendations to the Minister for Defence regarding the prices to be fixed under War Precautions (Prices) Regulations 1916, for hides and for leather of respective grades for military and civilian purposes.

Classes of leather to which Regulations apply.

8. The classes of leather to which these Regulations shall apply shall be those used by Commonwealth manufacturers in the manufacture of military boots and boots and shoes for every-day wear by adults and children, namely, sole leather, box hide and all other cattle hide upper leathers,

Prices of leather.

9. (1) The prices at which the classes of leather specified in these Regulations may be sold shall not exceed the following:—

For factory sole leather—1s. 9d. per lb. 1st quality—2½ per cent. discount 30 days.

For box hide leather—1s. 3¼d. per foot 1st quality—2½per cent. discount 30 days.

All other standard cattle hide upper leathers the same relative values of such leathers to box hide existing on the 1st December, 1916.

And any person who buys or sells leather of any class in excess of the maximum price fixed for that class shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) Where an inferior or lower grade of any class of leather to which these Regulations apply is supplied, the ratio between the price of that grade and the price of first quality leather of that class shall be the same as existed on 1st December, 1916.

Appointment and duties of Inspectors.

10. (1) The Comptroller-General of Customs may, on the recommendation of the Board, appoint one or more inspectors of hides and leather in each State.

(2) Upon the request of the Board, each inspector shall, under the direction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, inspect hides and leather.

(3) Each inspector shall furnish the Board, through the Comptroller-General, with a certificate in an approved form in the case of each lot of hides or leather inspected by him.

Settlement of disputes between manufacturers and tanners.

11. (1) The Local Committee shall deal with any disputes that arise within the State between boot manufacturers and tanners in regard to quality, grades and prices of leather supplied.

(2) In the event of the Local Committee being unable to effect a settlement of any dispute brought before it, the Local Committee shall refer the matter to the Board, whose decision shall be final.

Prohibition at purchase and sale of leather and hides by certain persons.

12. (1) Any prohibition against any person firm or company from buying or selling hides or leather shall be notified in the Gazette.

(2) Any person firm or company who buys or sells hides or leather in contravention of any such prohibition shall be guilty of an offence.

Failure to supply returns.

13. Any producer manufacturer or dealer who fails to furnish any return specified by the Board, as to hides, leather or boots or shoes made from hide leathers, shall be guilty of an offence.

14. (1) For the purposes of these Regulations every person thereto authorized by the Minister for Defence in writing (in these Regulations referred to as an authorized officer) shall have power to—

(a) ask questions and require the production of documents in relation to the purchase, sale, disposal, origin or treatment of any hide, or the actual or probable supply of hides, or the production of leather therefrom; and

(b) enter at any reasonable hour in the daytime upon any premises or place in which there are, or are believed by him to be, any hides or leather, and inspect any hides or leather therein or any plant or process for the treatment of hides.

(2) For the purposes of this Regulation any person who has been appointed an authorized officer under any Regulation repealed by these Regulations shall be deemed to have been appointed an authorized officer under these Regulations.

(3) Any person who refuses or fails to answer questions or produce documents asked for or required in pursuance of this Regulation, or who resists, obstructs or in any way interferes with an authorized officer in the exercise of any power conferred upon him by this Regulation, shall be guilty of an offence.

15. The War Precautions (Hides) Regulations (Statutory Rules 1916, No, 125) are hereby repealed.

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Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.