STATUTORY RULES.
1913. No. 187.
PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903-1912.
Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of the Commonwealth—Regulation 545—Amendment.
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that on account of urgency the following Regulation under the Defence Act 1903-1912 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.
Dated this fourth day of July, One thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
DENMAN,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
E. D. MILLEN.
REGULATIONS (PROVISIONAL) FOR THE MILITARY FORCES OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
Amendment.
Regulation 545, is cancelled and the following substituted therefor:—
“545. On or before the 15th July in every year, the Captain of each Club shall prepare and forward a return, which shall contain a statutory declaration by him as to its correctness, showing:—
The names of all active members of the Club on the 30th June who performed the course of musketry during the year.
Printed forms for the returns will be supplied. No free ammunition will be issued to any Club from which this return has not been received.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.8603—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules of 1913, No. 187, promulgated Provisional Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1912 to address the need for organised oversight and reporting in the management of military forces in Australia. Enacted by the Governor-General in Council, the regulations aimed to ensure that military clubs adhered to training requirements by mandating that club captains submit an annual return detailing the names of active members who completed musketry courses. This was intended to maintain readiness and compliance among the military personnel associated with these clubs. The regulations also stipulated that printed forms would be provided for the returns, and free ammunition would not be issued to clubs failing to comply with the reporting requirement, thereby enforcing a direct link between administrative compliance and operational readiness.
Scope and Application
The Provisional Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1912, particularly Regulation 545, applies to the Captains of Clubs associated with the military forces of the Commonwealth. These Clubs are likely to be military-affiliated organizations or associations that support the welfare and training of military personnel. The Regulation mandates that each Club Captain prepares and submits an annual return by 15 July, detailing the names of all active members who completed the musketry course by 30 June of that year. This submission must be accompanied by a statutory declaration affirming the correctness of the information provided. Failure to submit the required return results in the Club not receiving any free ammunition for the subsequent year. The scope of this regulation is focused on ensuring that military-affiliated Clubs maintain accurate records of members' musketry training, which is integral to the readiness and discipline of the military forces. The regulation's jurisdictional reach is national, applying uniformly across all military-affiliated Clubs in the Commonwealth of Australia. The application of the Act does not specify any exclusions or exemptions, implying that all eligible Clubs are subject to the regulation’s requirements.
Key Provisions
The main operative section of this Provisional Regulation, section 545, mandates that the Captain of each Club must, on or before the 15th of July each year, prepare and submit a return showing the names of all active members of the Club who completed the course of musketry during the previous year. This return must include a statutory declaration by the Captain affirming its accuracy (Reg. 545). Printed forms for these returns will be provided, and no free ammunition will be issued to any Club that fails to submit this return (Reg. 545).
The Act imposes several obligations on the parties it governs. Firstly, the Captain of each Club is required to ensure that the return is prepared and submitted by the specified deadline, 15th July each year. This return must list the names of all active members who completed the course of musketry by the end of the preceding year, 30th June. Additionally, the Captain must sign a statutory declaration confirming the correctness of the information provided in the return (Reg. 545). Failure to meet this obligation results in the Club being ineligible for free ammunition.
Failure to comply with the requirements set out in section 545 may have specific consequences. The key consequence is that Clubs which do not submit the required return by the stipulated deadline will not receive free ammunition. This is a direct penalty intended to enforce compliance with the regulation. The Act does not specify any further civil or criminal penalties for non-compliance beyond the withholding of free ammunition. The emphasis is on ensuring that Clubs maintain accurate records and submit the required information promptly to avoid this consequence.