STATUTORY RULES.
1922. No. 175.
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, unless otherwise specified herein.
Dated this twentieth day of December, 1922.
FORSTER,
Governor- General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. MASSY GREENE,
Minister of State for Defence.
Amendment of Naval Forces Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1921, No. 1, as amended by Statutory Rules 1922, No. 76.)
1. Regulation 36a is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulations:—
“(3) In the absence of the District Naval Officer on short leave, i.e., for periods not exceeding four days, the next senior officer of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve Staff at the port where the District Naval Officer has his office, irrespective of whether such Officer is a Sub-District Naval Officer or an Officer on the Staff of the Sub-District Naval Officer, shall act for the District Naval Officer and sign all papers ‘for D.N.O., absent on leave.’”
“(4) In the absence of the District Naval Officer on long leave or from any other cause for a period exceeding four days, the next Senior Officer of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve Staff in the District shall assume command of the District, unless special arrangements shall have been made for some other Officer to be appointed temporarily as Acting District Naval Officer, and shall sign papers ‘for D.N.O., absent on leave’ (sick or otherwise, as the case may be). If the next senior Officer of the District is stationed at a Port other than that in which the District Naval Officer has his office, and in another Sub-District, it shall be the duty of the District Naval Officer, before proceeding on leave or on duty (or of the senior Officer at the Head-quarters port of the District, in case of sickness or emergency) to obtain instructions from the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization as to the temporary command of the District.”
2. Regulation 62 is amended as follows:—
(1) by omitting from the first line of sub-regulation (1) the word “two” and inserting in its stead the word “ten”.
(2) by omitting sub-regulation (2) and inserting in its stead the following sub-regulation—
“(2) The period of appointment shall be for three years, provided that, in the case of an Officer who is on loan from the Royal Navy, his appointment as Honorary Aide-de-Camp shall cease at the same time as he ceases to be attached to the Royal Australian Navy, if that occurs before the period of three years is completed.”
3. Regulation 112 is amended by omitting the words “and other” in the second last line and inserting in their stead the words “Officers from Warrant Rank and”.
4. Regulation 114 is amended by omitting from the last line the words “under regulation 97 to” and inserting in their stead the words “under these Regulations for”.
5. Regulation 115 is amended as from 31st May, 1922, by inserting after the words “Commissioned Officer” in the seventh line of the table in sub-regulation (1) the-word “promoted”.
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 Defence Act 1910-1918 was enacted to provide for the defence of the Australian coastline and the management of the Royal Australian Navy. The Act established the framework for naval defence and laid the foundation for subsequent regulations to govern the operations of naval forces. These regulations were introduced to address the operational needs of the navy, ensuring a structured and efficient command system in place for the smooth functioning of naval operations, especially in the absence of key personnel. The enactment body responsible for these regulations is the Governor-General in Council, acting on the advice of the Minister of State for Defence, as outlined in the statutory rules. The overarching policy objective is to maintain the readiness and operational capability of the naval forces, ensuring they are well-prepared to respond to any maritime threats against Australia.
Scope and Application
The Regulations under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918, as amended by Statutory Rules 1922, No. 175, apply to the personnel and operations of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. These regulations specifically address the chain of command and administrative duties when the District Naval Officer is absent from their duties. In instances where the District Naval Officer is on short leave of up to four days, the next senior officer in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve Staff at the port is authorised to act on their behalf and sign relevant documents. For longer absences exceeding four days, the next senior officer in the District assumes command unless other temporary arrangements have been made. These provisions ensure continuity and clarity in the command structure and operational functions of the Naval Reserve in the absence of the District Naval Officer. Additionally, the Regulations modify the terms of appointment and duties of Honorary Aides-de-Camp, extending their appointment period to three years, among other adjustments.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these regulations amend various provisions under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918. Firstly, Regulation 36a is amended to clarify the procedures for the absence of the District Naval Officer (DNO) (Reg. 36a(3)-(4)). When the DNO is absent on short leave (not exceeding four days), the next senior officer at the port will act on their behalf and sign relevant documents. For longer absences or due to other reasons exceeding four days, the next senior officer in the district assumes command and also signs documents on behalf of the DNO. If the next senior officer is in another sub-district, specific instructions must be obtained from the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization regarding temporary command arrangements.
These regulations impose obligations on various officers within the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. The next senior officer at the port is required to act for the DNO in their absence on short leave and must sign documents accordingly (Reg. 36a(3)). For longer absences, the next senior officer in the district must assume command, again signing documents on behalf of the DNO (Reg. 36a(4)). They must also ensure that, if they are located in another sub-district, they obtain specific instructions from the Director of Naval Reserves and Naval Reserve Mobilization regarding temporary command arrangements. Failure to follow these procedures could result in a breakdown in the chain of command and potentially compromise the effective operation of naval defence activities.
There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences mentioned within these regulations for breaches of the specified procedures. However, any failure to follow the outlined command protocols could be considered a breach of service regulations and may result in disciplinary action under the Naval Defence Act 1910-1918 or other relevant military regulations. Such actions might include administrative penalties, reprimands, or further disciplinary measures as deemed appropriate by the relevant authorities.