STATUTORY RULES.
1929. No. 113.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE 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 twenty-first day of October, 1929.
STONEHAVEN
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command.
H. S. GULLETT
for Minister of State for Defence.
Amendment of Naval Forces Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1926, No. 196, as amended to this date.)
(Sixth Amendment.)
1. Regulation 83 is amended by omitting paragraph (c) and inserting in its stead the following paragraph:—
(c) Members appointed for special duty on shore, including members of the Naval Dockyard Police, who shall hold relative rank as follows:—
Sub-Inspector—Commissioned Officer from Warrant rank, or Warrant Officer.
Sergeant—1st Class
Sergeant—2nd Class —Chief Petty Officer.
Constable—Petty Officer.”
2. Regulation 89, sub-regulation (2), is amended by inserting after the words “Warrant Officer”, where first occurring, the words “(including Sub-Inspector of the Naval Dockyard Police)”.
3. Regulation 101 is amended—
(a) by inserting before the word “Lieutenant-Commander” where last occurring in sub-regulation (1) the word “Commander,”; and
(b) by omitting from sub-regulation. (2) the expression “1st January, 1924”, twice occurring, and inserting the expression “1st July, 1924” in its stead.
4. Regulation 130 is amended by adding the following new paragraphs —
“(g) Classes of ratings not provided for in King’s Regulations and Admiralty Instructions may, at the discretion of the Naval Board, he added to the list of ratings eligible for the award of Good Conduct Badges, and Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
(h) All service in the “Royal Australian Navy and/or in the Naval Forces of any of His Majesty’s other Dominions which corresponds to the service in the Royal Navy qualifying for the award of Good Conduct Badges or Long Service and Good Conduct Medal shall, together with any such service in the Royal Navy, count towards the service necessary for similar awards in the Royal Australian Navy.
(j) A Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which has been forfeited on account of misconduct may, with the sanction of the Naval Board, be restored to a petty officer or man on completion of his engagement, provided that his character during the last five years of his service has been continuously “Very Good”.
(k) The Naval Board may approve, on considering the merits of any particular case, of the restoration of a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal where the period of continuous “Very Good” character between the date of deprivation of the medal and the date of completion of the engagement is less than five years.
(l) The medal may also, with the sanction of the Naval Board, be restored at any time if a petty officer or man has rendered some special service.”
5. The words and figures “Section VIII.—Medals, for Conspicuous Gallantry” and “Long Service and Good Conduct” immediately preceding regulation 150 are omitted, and the words and figures “Section VIII.—Miscellaneous” inserted in their stead.
6. Regulation 150 is repealed.
7. The words and figures “Section IX.—Miscellaneous” immediately preceding regulation 154 are omitted.
By Authority: H. J. Green, Government Printer, Canberra.
Overview
The Statutory Rules of 1929, No. 113, Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918, were enacted by the Governor-General in Council to amend the existing Naval Forces Regulations. This legislative instrument addresses the need to update the roles and rank structures within the Naval Dockyard Police and to clarify the eligibility and restoration criteria for Good Conduct Badges and Long Service and Good Conduct Medals within the Royal Australian Navy. The policy objective appears to be to modernise the administrative structure and recognition systems within the naval forces to align with contemporary practices and to ensure fair and consistent application of service awards. The Regulations were made with the authority of the Federal Executive Council and came into operation immediately upon their enactment.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 pertain to the governance and administration of the Royal Australian Navy, establishing a framework for various aspects of naval service. These regulations apply to the personnel within the Royal Australian Navy, including commissioned officers, warrant officers, and other ratings, as well as members of the Naval Dockyard Police. The regulations set out the relative ranks for specific positions, modify the eligibility criteria for awards such as Good Conduct Badges and Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, and outline the procedures for the restoration of forfeited medals. The amendments also extend to the dates and classes of service that count towards these awards, with specific attention to service rendered in the Royal Australian Navy and other Dominion naval forces. The scope of these regulations is confined to the Commonwealth of Australia, governing conduct and service within the Australian naval forces. The regulations do not explicitly state exclusions or thresholds, but rather provide a comprehensive set of rules that are subject to the discretion and sanction of the Naval Board for specific cases. Subordinate instruments may further extend or restrict the application of these regulations as deemed necessary by the Naval Board.
Key Provisions
The Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 include several significant amendments and new provisions that alter the structure and operational standards of the Royal Australian Navy. Firstly, Regulation 83 has been amended to specify the relative ranks of members appointed for special duty on shore, including members of the Naval Dockyard Police (Reg. 83(c)). The ranks are now defined as: Sub-Inspector (Commissioned Officer from Warrant rank, or Warrant Officer), Sergeant—1st Class (Sergeant), Sergeant—2nd Class (Chief Petty Officer), and Constable (Petty Officer).
These Regulations impose several obligations on the parties involved, including the proper classification and recognition of ranks within the Naval Dockyard Police. Additionally, Regulation 89 has been amended to include Sub-Inspectors of the Naval Dockyard Police within its purview (Reg. 89(2)). Regulation 101 has also been amended to insert the rank of Commander between Lieutenant-Commander and to update a date reference from 1st January, 1924 to 1st July, 1924 (Reg. 101(a) and (b)).
Further amendments introduce new criteria for the award of Good Conduct Badges and Long Service and Good Conduct Medals. Regulation 130 now allows the Naval Board to add new classes of ratings eligible for these awards (Reg. 130(g)). It also stipulates that service in the Royal Australian Navy or any other Dominion's Naval Forces, corresponding to service in the Royal Navy, will count towards the necessary service for such awards in the Royal Australian Navy (Reg. 130(h)). Additionally, it provides for the restoration of forfeited Long Service and Good Conduct Medals under certain conditions, including a period of "Very Good" character and special service (Reg. 130(j) and (k)).
In terms of penalties and consequences, the Regulations do not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties for breaches. However, given the military context, non-compliance with these Regulations could result in disciplinary action, which might include administrative penalties, demotion, or other forms of sanction as determined by the Naval Board or higher authorities.