Naval Forces (Women's Services) Regulations

STATUTORY RULES.

1943. No. 67.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVAL DEFENCE ACT 1910-1934.*

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 1910-1934.

Dated this twenty-third day of March, 1943.

(SGD.) GOWRIE.

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

Minister of State for the Navy.

NAVAL FORCES (WOMEN’S SERVICES) REGULATIONS.

Part I.—Introductory.

Citation and administration.

1.—(1.) These Regulations may be cited as the Naval Forces (Women’s Services) Regulations.

(2.) These Regulations shall be administered by the Minister of State for the Navy.

Parts.

2. These Regulations are divided into Parts, as follows:—

Part I.—Introductory.

Part II.—Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service.

Part III.—Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.

Part IV.—Discipline.

Part V.—General.

Definitions.

3. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—

“Director of Naval Medical Services” means the officer appointed by the Naval Board to administer the Medical Services of the Royal Australian Navy;

“member” means a woman appointed to or enlisted in a Women’s Service under these Regulations;

“officer” means any member other than an enlisted member;

“rating” means an enlisted member;

“Women’s Service” means one of the Services specified in regulation 4 of these Regulations.

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1943.

Establishment of Women’s Services.

4. There shall be the following Services, composed of women, appointed or enlisted in accordance with these Regulations, which shall form part of the Naval Forces:—

The Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service.

The Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.

Part II.—Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service.

Constitution.

5. The Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service shall consist of officers appointed to that Service for the performance of such duties in connexion with nursing of members of the Naval Forces as the Naval Board determines.

Appointments.

6. The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Naval Board, recommend to the Governor-General suitable candidates for appointment as officers of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service.

Eligibility.

7. A woman may be appointed an officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service, if she—

(a) is not less than twenty-one or more than forty-five years of age;

(b) is a nurse registered as such under the provisions of any law of the Commonwealth or of any State or Territory of the Commonwealth; and

(c) has had not less than three years’ service and training in medical and surgical nursing in a hospital approved by the Director of Naval Medical Services:

(d) has passed such medical examination as is approved by the Naval Board.

Provided that a woman who is more than forty-five years of age may be appointed as a Matron or Superintending Sister, if the Naval Board certifies that she has special qualifications or that it considers that special circumstances warrant her appointment.

Grades and relative ranks.

8. The grades of officers of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service shall be those set out in the first column of the following table and, for the purpose of determining relative rank, they shall correspond with the ranks of male officers of the Naval Forces specified opposite thereto respectively in the second column of the table:—

Promotion.

9.—(1.) An officer of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service may be promoted to a higher grade if she is selected for promotion thereto by the Naval Board upon a recommendation by the Director of Naval Medical Services.

(2.) Subject to sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation—

(a) a Sister (Grade II.) or Staff Masseuse (Grade II.) may be graded as Sister (Grade I.) or Staff Masseuse (Grade I.), as the case may be, upon her completion of twelve months’ continuous and satisfactory service.

(b) an officer may be graded as Superintending Sister or Matron if a vacancy in the grade exists in the authorized establishment.

Authority in hospitals.

10. In a Naval hospital and in its vicinity, a member of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service shall, in matters of medical service, have authority next after officers of the Medical Branch of the Royal Australian Navy and shall at all times be obeyed accordingly.

Command and subordination.

11. Members of the Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service shall be under the command of the Commanding Officer of the Establishment to which they are attached, but the control of the nursing staff shall be the responsibility of the Matron or, if there is no Matron in charge for the time being, the Superintending Sister.

Part III.—Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.

Constitution

12. The Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service shall consist of female officers and ratings appointed to, or enlisted in, that Service for the performance of such duties in relation to the Naval Forces as the Naval Board determines.

Officers.

13. The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Naval Board, recommend to the Governor-General suitable candidates for appointment as officers of the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service.

Enlistment.

14. A woman shall be eligible for appointment to, or enlistment in, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, if she has—

(a) attained the age of eighteen years, but has not attained the age of forty years; and

(b) passed such medical examination as is approved by the Naval Board:

Provided that a woman who has attained the age of forty years, but has not attained the age of fifty years, may be appointed to, or enlisted in, the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, if the Naval Board certifies that she has special qualifications or that it considers that special circumstances warrant her appointment or enlistment.

Period of enlistment.

15. Ratings of the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service shall be enlisted for the period of the duration of the war and six months thereafter or two years, whichever period is the greater.

Ranks of officers.

16. The ranks of officers in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service shall be those set out in the first column of the following table, and, for the purpose of determining relative rank, they shall correspond with the ranks of male officers of the Naval Forces specified opposite thereto in the second column of that table:—

Ratings.

17. The ratings of women enlisted in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service shall be those set out in the first column of the following table, and, for the purpose of determining relative rating, they shall correspond with the ratings of men of the Naval Forces specified opposite thereto in the second column of that table:—

Rating upon entry.

18. Women may be entered with such rating as the Naval Board, having regard to the qualifications of the candidates and the vacancies in the authorized establishment, approves.

Promotion and advancement.

19.—(1.) An officer may be promoted to a higher grade, if she is recommended for promotion by the Naval Board and a vacancy in that grade exists in the authorized establishment.

(2.) The Naval Board may advance any servicewoman to a higher rating, if she is recommended for advancement by her Commanding Officer, or possesses special qualifications for advancement to that rating, and a vacancy in that rating exists in the authorized establishment.

Discharge.

20. The Naval Board may for any reason discharge a rating from the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service at any time.

Command.

21. An officer or rating of the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service shall not exercise command over any person other than members of the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service or members of the Naval Forces detailed or attached for duty under her command and inferior in rank or rating to herself.

Part IV.—Discipline.

Disposal of charges summarily.

22.—(1.) Subject to these Regulations, any officer of the Naval Forces who is authorized to deal summarily with a charge against a member of the Naval Forces of having committed any offence may, if he finds a member of a women’s service guilty of an offence, award to her any one or more of the following punishments:—

(i) disrating or reduction to the ranks;

(ii) deprivation of good conduct badges;

(iii) a fine not exceeding Five pounds or forfeiture of all ordinary pay for a period not exceeding fourteen days;

(iv) extra duties for a period not exceeding fourteen days;

(v) stoppage of leave for a period not exceeding fourteen days;

(vi) reprimand;

(vii) any deduction from ordinary pay which he may lawfully order to be made in respect of the offence of which the member has been found guilty,

but no other punishment.

(2.) An officer authorized to deal summarily with a charge against a member of a Women’s Service may, as to any member found by him to be guilty of an offence—

(a) in addition to, or in lieu of awarding any of the punishments specified in that sub-regulation, if he considers the offence or the circumstances in which it was committed to be of such a nature as so to warrant, recommend that she be dismissed or discharged; or

(b) if he considers that she has committed an offence under the National Security Act 1939-1940, adjourn the case and take the necessary steps for her prosecution for that offence.

(3.) Where a recommendation that a member of a Women’s Service be dismissed or discharged is made in pursuance of sub-regulation (2.) of this regulation, an authority having power to dismiss or discharge the member may, in lieu of giving effect to the recommendation, in addition to any punishment already awarded her by the officer making the recommendation, award her any one or more of the other punishments specified in sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation.

Guarding of members in custody.

23. A member under close arrest and awaiting the disposal of a charge against her shall be guarded by female guards unless female guards are unavailable.

Part V.—General.

Leave of absence.

24. Leave of absence may be granted to members for such periods and upon such conditions as the Naval Board, from time to time, directs.

Uniform.

25. The uniform to be worn by members shall be as approved by the Naval Board.

Application of the Naval Forces Regulations.

26. The Naval Forces Regulations for the time being in force shall, subject to such modifications and adaptations as are expressly provided or necessarily implied by these Regulations, apply to and in relation to any Women’s Service and the members thereof.

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