Australian Rifle Club Regulations (Amendment)

Legislation au C1936L00016 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1936. No. 16.

––––––

REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903-1934.*

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 Defence Act 1903-1934.

Dated this Fourteenth

day of February          , 1936.

(SGD.) GOWRIE.

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

ARCHDALE PARKHILL

Minister of State for Defence.

 

Amendment of Australian Rifle Club Regulations.†

Parts.

1. Regulation 3 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by adding at the end the words and figures “Part IV.—Miscellaneous”.

Particulars in application to a Club.

2. Regulation 13 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by omitting from paragraph (b) the words “, and whether the grant under sub-regulation (1) of regulation 49 is sufficient to enable a suitable range to be constructed”.

3. Regulation 16 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended—

Active members.

(a) in paragraph (a) of sub-regulation (1) by omitting the word “Persons” and inserting in its stead the words “Male persons”; and

Honorary members.

(b) by omitting sub-regulation (2) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(2) Male persons who are British subjects may be elected as honorary members by the Committees of Rifle Clubs which they desire to join, but honorary members shall not have a voice in the management of Rifle Clubs, and their names shall not be shown in any list of active members in respect of any claim for any privilege or concession allowed to active members.”

 

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on   , 1936.

† Statutory Rules 1931, No. 120, as amended by Statutory Rules 1932, Nos. 47 and 108; and 1934, No. 15.

247.—12/21.1.1936.—Price 3d.


Instalments to be guaranteed by Club.

4. Regulation 37 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulation (1) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(1) A rifle shall not be sold to a member of a Rifle Club on the deferred payment system unless the Captain and the Secretary, acting on behalf of the Rifle Club, undertake to act as guarantors for the due fulfilment of the agreement by the purchaser.”

Grants for rifle ranges.

5. Regulation 49 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

“49. (1) The District Base Commandant may approve of a grant (which shall not, without the approval of the Military Board, exceed £75) for the construction and equipment of a rifle range for each newly-formed Rifle Club.

(2) In order that every rifle range shall at all times be safe for rifle practice the District Base Commandant may approve of such grants as are required, from time to time, to carry out re-construction, alteration or repairs thereto: provided that the maximum grant to a Rifle Club in respect of any particular work of re-construction, alteration or repair shall not, without the approval of the Military Board, exceed £75.

(3) All grants under sub-regulations (1) and (2) of this regulation shall be subject to provision being made by Parliament and shall be within the allocation made to the Military District concerned.”

Conditions governing grants for construction and repairs.

6. Regulation 50 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

50. (1) All grants for the construction, equipment and maintenance of rifle ranges shall be subject to the following conditions:—

(a) The amount of the grant shall, unless it is less than £10, be based on the written report of a qualified person who has inspected the site and calculated the probable cost of the work proposed.

(b) The land upon which the range is situated shall be held by the Commonwealth under a permissive occupancy, or, in the case of private property, under an approved lease of at least five years’ duration or such less time as may be approved by the Military Board. (In the case of alteration, re-construction or repairs the unexpired tenure held by the Commonwealth over the site shall be taken into consideration.)

(c) All rifle ranges shall be available for use by the Naval, Military and Air Forces and Senior Cadets at such times as are arranged between the Captain of the Rifle Club and the officers commanding the units concerned.

(2) Except with the approval of the Military Board a grant shall not be paid towards the establishment of a branch range in connexion with any Rifle Club.

(3) A claim for any work on a rifle range which is carried out without proper authority shall not be recognized.”


District Union ranges.

7. Regulation 53 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is repealed.

Grants—miniature rifle ranges.

8. Regulation 54 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by omitting sub-regulations (1) and (2) and inserting in their stead the following sub-regulation:—

“(1) The District Base Commandant may approve of a grant not exceeding £30 towards the construction of a miniature rifle range which is established by a Rifle Club: provided that where two or more Rifle Clubs unite for the building of a joint or central range a grant of such amount as is approved by the Military Board may be made. All grants under this sub-regulation shall be subject to provision being made by Parliament and shall be within the allocation made to the Military District concerned”

Efficiency grant.

9. Regulation 61 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by inserting at the end the words:—

“: provided further that the District Base Commandant may approve of affiliation fees being deducted from the efficiency grant and paid direct to the appropriate State Rifle Association and District Rifle Club Union”.

Standard rules.

10. Regulation 71 of the Australian Rifle Club Regulations is amended by omitting rule (2) and inserting in its stead the following rule:—

“(2) A person who is eligible for membership under Australian Rifle Club Regulation 16 shall be enrolled as a member provided that he has been duly elected in accordance with the by-laws and has paid the prescribed entrance fee and annual subscription. This rule shall not apply to transfers approved under Australian Rifle Club Regulation 26.”

 

By Authority: L. F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1936 No. 16, made under the Defence Act 1903-1934, were enacted to amend the Australian Rifle Club Regulations with specific focus on the financial and operational aspects of rifle clubs. The Defence Act 1903-1934 provided the legislative framework for the regulation of defence-related activities, including the oversight of rifle clubs which were seen as integral to the training and preparedness of the civilian population. These regulations aimed to streamline the administrative procedures and financial obligations of rifle clubs, ensuring they operate efficiently and safely within the parameters set by the Defence Act. The enacting body was the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council, which underscores the central role of these regulations in maintaining the integrity of defence-related activities in Australia. The policy objective behind these amendments was to provide clearer guidelines for the management of rifle clubs, ensuring they are adequately funded and maintained while also being subject to the overarching control of the Military Board and the Defence Act.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules 1936 No. 16, made under the Defence Act 1903-1934, amend the Australian Rifle Club Regulations to modify various provisions concerning membership, financial obligations, and grants for rifle ranges. These regulations apply specifically to Rifle Clubs in Australia, regulating their activities, membership criteria, and the financial assistance available for constructing and maintaining rifle ranges. The amendments introduce changes to eligibility for active and honorary membership, stipulating that only male persons can be active members and that honorary members, who must also be male British subjects, do not have a voice in the management of Rifle Clubs. The Regulations also impose conditions on the sale of rifles on a deferred payment system, requiring the Captain and Secretary of a Rifle Club to act as guarantors for the purchaser. Furthermore, the Regulations establish limits on grants for the construction, equipment, and maintenance of rifle ranges, and outline the terms under which such grants may be approved by the District Base Commandant, subject to approval from the Military Board and parliamentary provision. These regulations extend to Rifle Clubs across Australia and are subject to further specifications and limitations through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Statutory Rules 1936, No. 16, under the Defence Act 1903-1934, introduce several amendments to the Australian Rifle Club Regulations. Firstly, the regulations add a "Part IV.—Miscellaneous" section, enhancing the existing structure (Regulation 3). Additionally, they modify Regulation 13 to remove the requirement for assessing the sufficiency of a grant for constructing a suitable range (Regulation 13). Regulation 16 is also updated to specify that only male persons can be active members, and introduces honorary memberships for male British subjects, though these honorary members do not have voting rights or appear on active membership lists (Regulation 16). These regulations impose several obligations on the parties involved. Rifle clubs are now required to have their Captain and Secretary act as guarantors for the fulfilment of deferred payment agreements for rifles (Regulation 37). Furthermore, any grants for constructing or repairing rifle ranges must adhere to specific conditions, such as basing the grant amount on a qualified person's inspection report and ensuring the land is held under the appropriate tenure (Regulation 50). Clubs must also make their ranges available for use by the Naval, Military, and Air Forces and Senior Cadets, with usage times arranged between the club and the relevant officers (Regulation 50). Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to significant consequences. While the specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the provided excerpt, breaches of statutory rules under the Defence Act typically result in civil or criminal penalties. These may include fines, imprisonment, or other sanctions as determined by the relevant authorities. The severity of penalties can vary based on the nature and extent of the breach, with maximum penalties often stipulated in the primary legislation or associated regulations.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.