National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations (Amendment)

STATUTORY RULES.

1945. No. 41.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY ACT 1939-1943.*

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 National Security Act 1939-1943.

Dated this twenty-first day of March, 1945.

HENRY

Governor-General.

By His Royal Highness’s Command,

J. B. CHIFLEY

for and on behalf of the Minister of State for Defence.

Amendments of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations.†

Definitions.

1. Regulation 2 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations is amended by omitting the definition of “the Departments” and inserting in its stead the following definition:—

“‘the Departments’ means the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Army and the Department of Air (in these Regulations referred to as ‘the Service Departments’) and, in the case of Departments concerned with the supply of defence requirements, those Departments in respect of their activities in connexion with the supply of defence requirements.”.

Delegation by Board.

2. Regulation 6 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-regulation (2.) the words “or Business Administration Representative”; and

(b) by omitting from that sub-regulation the words “or Representative”.

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 22nd March, 1945.

† Statutory Rules 1939, No. 182, as amended by Statutory Rules 1940, No. 221; 1941, No. 27; 1942, No. 58; and 1943, No. 44.

350—Price 3d.

Appointment of Chief Inspector, Administration, and officers.

3. Regulation 8 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations is amended by omitting the words “Inspector-General of Administration” and inserting in their stead the words “Chief Inspector, Administration”.

4. Regulations 9 and 10 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations are repealed and the following regulations inserted in their stead:—

Powers and functions of Board of Business Administration.

“9.—(1.) The powers and functions of the Board shall be as follows:—

(a) To advise concerning proposals for expenditure by the Service Departments within the approved programme as notified by the Treasurer in connexion with works, supplies or services related to the defence of the Commonwealth or the prosecution of the war, and as to the nature and scope of the expenditure and the possibility of effecting economies;

(b) To advise generally on business and accounting aspects of the organization and administration of the Service Departments with a view to promoting efficiency and economy and co-ordination;

(c) To provide for such inspection as the Board considers necessary to enable it to ascertain directly the situation in regard to matters in respect of which the Board is concerned;

(d) To investigate and report on any matters referred to the Board by the Department of the Treasury or any of the Departments, or by the Minister administering any of the Departments or by the Minister of State for Defence or the Department of Defence, whether or not those matters are within the approved programme referred to in paragraph (a) of this sub-regulation or within subparagraphs (i) to (vii) of the definition of “works, supplies or services” in sub-regulation (2.) of this regulation; and

(e) To submit reports on any matters which, in the opinion of the Board, it is desirable to bring under the notice of the Minister.

“(2.) For the purposes of this regulation—

‘works, supplies or services’ does not include the following:—

(i) Urgent construction of operational and strategical roads;

(ii) Major strategical railway works (other than railway extensions, sidings and other like works associated with Defence Service Establishments such as depots, workshops and the like);

(iii) Arms, guns, ammunition, explosives and pyrotechnics;

(iv) Tanks, machine gun carriers and armoured cars and spare parts therefor;

(v) Aircraft, airframes and aircraft engine spares;

(vi) Naval ship construction (other than corvettes, frigates and small craft); and

(vii) Any other items which the Minister, on the recommendation of the Board, specifies.

Inspection of premises, &c.

“10. Any member of the Board, or any officer or adviser thereto authorized in writing by the Chairman of the Board, or any member of a State Business Administration Committee, may enter the premises occupied by any of the Service Departments or any premises under the control of those Departments in which any arms, armament, ammunition, material, equipment, clothing or supplies for defence purposes are being stored or used, and may make such inspections and investigations as appear to him to be necessary in connexion with—

(a) the observance of regulations affecting business administration and the carrying out of orders in relation thereto so as to secure efficient and economical business administration;

(b) the observance of such business methods as will secure the proper handling, storage and distribution of rations, supplies, clothing and equipment, and the maintenance of adequate (but not excessive) stocks;

(c) the correct indenting for the issue of rations, supplies, clothing and equipment, and the proper accounting therefor;

(d) the co-ordination of action taken by Receiving Officers, Supply Officers and Finance Branches in respect of contractors’ claims for supplies, including the efficient check of deliveries of supplies, the correct certifying of claims for payment and the keeping of proper records and books in connexion therewith;

(e) the periodical testing of weights and measures;

(f) the prevention of waste, extravagance and unauthorized issue and the saving, winning and disposal of by-products;

(g) the safe and proper keeping of property belonging to the Commonwealth;

(h) the general efficiency and suitability of personnel associated with business aspects;

(i) the keeping of records of motor transport running and maintenance expenses, the periodical review of costs in connexion therewith, and the proper supervision of the use of motor transport vehicles; and

(j) any other matters relating to the functions and powers of the Board.

Investigations.

“10a. For the purpose of enabling the Board to discharge its functions under these Regulations, the Board may also make arrangements for investigations, by any member of the Board, or any officer or adviser thereto authorized in writing by the Chairman of the Board, or any member of a State Business Administration Committee, of matters related to defence supply activities of the Department.”.

State Business Committees.

5. Regulation 12 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-regulation (1.) the words “or a Business Administration Representative”; and

(b) by omitting from sub-regulation; (2.) the words “and each Business Administration Representative”.

6. Regulation 13 of the National Security (Board of Business Administration) Regulations is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—

Functions of State Business Administration Committees.

“13. The functions of a State Business Administration Committee shall be—

(a) to exercise on behalf of the Board such powers as are delegated to the Committee; and

(b) to carry out such investigations and inspections and to submit such reports as the Board requires.”.

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