STATUTORY RULES
1920. No. 232.
REGULATIONS UNDER THIS NAVAL DEFENCE ACT 1910-1918.
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 Naval Defence Act 1910-1918, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this seventeenth day of November, 1920.
FORSTER,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. H. LAIRD SMITH,
Minister of State for the Navy.
Amendment of Naval Brigade Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1919, No. 190, as amended by Statutory Rules 1920, No. 100.)
1. Before regulation 1, the following is inserted:—“These Regulations may be cited as the ‘Naval Reserve Regulations’”
2. Immediately after the words “Royal Australian Naval Reserve”, and also after the initial letters “R.A.N.R.” wherever respectively appearing in these Regulations (as amended on 15th June, 1920 by Statutory Rules 1920, No. 100), the word “(Sea-going)” is inserted.
3. “Wherever appearing in these Regulations, the word “Brigade” and the initial letters “R.A.N.B.” are omitted, and the word “Reserve” and the initial letters “R.A.N.R.” are respectively inserted in their stead.
4. Regulations 1a, 2, 3, and 4 are repealed and the following regulations are inserted in their stead:—
D.N.R.M
“1a. The powers of the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization as regards authorizing expenditure by District Naval Officers are laid down in Naval Financial Regulations but authorizations by him are to be considered by the District Naval Officers as part of the sum allowed by regulations to be expended for the District.
R.A.N.R Districts and Sub-districts.
2. The Royal Australian Naval Reserve shall be organized into Districts; these Districts shall be subdivided into Sub-districts, as follows:—
District. | Sub-districts. |
Queensland ...................... | Thursday Island. Townsville. Brisbane. |
New South Wales.................. | Newcastle. |
Sydney. |
Victoria ........................ | Port Melbourne. |
Williamstown. |
Geelong. |
South Australia.................... | Birkenhead. |
Western Australia.................. | Fremantle. |
Albany. |
Tasmania ....................... | Hobart. |
Launceston. |
(2) Additional Naval Districts or Naval Sub-districts may be formed with the approval of the Naval Board.
3. Each Naval District shall be commanded by the District Naval Officer, who shall be a Commissioned Officer.
4. Each Naval Sub-district shall be commanded by a Sub-district Naval Officer, who shall be a Commissioned Officer or a Warrant Officer”
5. Regulation 220 is amended by inserting after the words “except leather gear” the words “and knives.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
Overview
The Naval Reserve Regulations 1920 were made under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 to provide for the organisation and mobilisation of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. The Regulations were enacted by the Governor-General in Council, pursuant to section 15 of the Act. The policy objective of the Regulations was to facilitate the efficient organisation and mobilisation of the Naval Reserve for the defence of Australia, as well as to provide for the financial management of the Reserve. The Regulations amended the existing Naval Brigade Regulations to reflect the changes in the structure and nomenclature of the Naval Reserve, and introduced new provisions for the organisation of the Reserve into Districts and Sub-districts, as well as the appointment of District and Sub-district Naval Officers. The Regulations also provided for the amendment of the Naval Financial Regulations to clarify the financial powers of the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization.
Scope and Application
The Naval Reserve Regulations made under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 apply to the organisation and administration of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR), specifically detailing the structure of its sea-going component and its various districts and sub-districts across Australia. These regulations delineate the command structure, with District Naval Officers and Sub-district Naval Officers being commissioned officers or warrant officers, as applicable. The geographic scope of these regulations is national, covering all states and territories of Australia, with additional districts or sub-districts permissible subject to Naval Board approval. The regulations also extend their applicability to the financial authorisations for expenditure by District Naval Officers, which must be considered within the overall sum allowed by regulations for the respective districts. The regulations do not explicitly state any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, but their application is contingent on the provisions of Naval Financial Regulations. The regulations came into operation forthwith and are enforceable under the authority of the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of the Naval Reserve Regulations (C1920L00232) pertain to the citation of the Regulations, the modification of existing terms, and the organisation of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANR) into districts and sub-districts. The Regulations are to be cited as the "Naval Reserve Regulations" (regulation 1). The term "Sea-going" is inserted after "Royal Australian Naval Reserve" and "R.A.N.R." wherever they appear (regulation 2). The terms "Brigade" and "R.A.N.B." are omitted and replaced with "Reserve" and "R.A.N.R." respectively (regulation 3). Additionally, the Regulations outline the organisation of the RANR into districts and sub-districts across various states, with specific sub-districts named, and provide for the possibility of additional districts or sub-districts with Naval Board approval (regulation 2). These regulations detail how the RANR is to be structured and managed.
The obligations imposed by the Naval Reserve Regulations include the organisation of the RANR into specified districts and sub-districts, with each district commanded by a District Naval Officer, who must be a Commissioned Officer, and each sub-district commanded by a Sub-district Naval Officer, who can be either a Commissioned Officer or a Warrant Officer (regulation 2(3) and (4)). Furthermore, the powers of the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization concerning expenditure authorisation by District Naval Officers are governed by Naval Financial Regulations, with these authorisations to be considered as part of the sum allowed for expenditure in the district (regulation 1a). These provisions ensure a structured command and financial oversight framework for the RANR.
The Regulations do not explicitly outline offences, penalties, or specific civil/criminal consequences for breach. However, given the context of the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 under which these Regulations are made, any breach of these Regulations could potentially lead to disciplinary action under the Act or other relevant military laws. The potential penalties for such breaches could range from administrative penalties to more severe disciplinary measures, depending on the nature and severity of the breach. It is essential for parties and entities governed by these Regulations to comply with them to avoid any adverse consequences.