Navigation (Health) Regulations

Legislation au C1923L00006 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1923. No. 6.

 

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVIGATION ACT 1912-1920.

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 Navigation Act 1912-1920, to come into operation on and from the first day of February, 1923.

Dated this fifteenth day of January, 1923.

FORSTER,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

ARTHUR S. RODGERS,

Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

 

Navigation (Health) Regulations.

Short title.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Navigation (Health) Regulations.

Medical examination of seamen.—Fees, Sec. 123.

2. (1) Subject to these Regulations; the fee to be paid by an applicant for the medical examination of a seaman or apprentice shall be—

(a) Where the place at which the examination is to be made is within a radius of 2 miles from the General Post Office at the port—for each seaman or apprentice examined, Five shillings; or

(b) Where the place at which the examination is to be made is outside a radius of 2 miles from the General Post Office at the port—for each seaman or apprentice examined, Five shillings, plus a charge of Two shillings for each mile or portion of a mile that the place of examination is beyond that radius:

Provided that the Minister may authorize the remission of the fee specified in this regulation where, in his opinion, special circumstances warrant the remission.

Charge for overtime services.

(2) Where the services of a Medical Inspector of Seamen are required outside ordinary official hours, or on any Sunday or holiday, the applicant therefor shall pay, in addition to the fee prescribed in the preceding sub-regulation, an overtime charge as follows: —

On any Customs working day, before 10 a.m. or

 

after 4 p.m.

.............................

£0

10

6

On any Sunday or holiday

....................

1

1

0

Examination by practitioners not in the Public Service.

3. At ports where medical practitioners not in the Public Service of the Commonwealth act as Medical Inspectors of Seamen, the fee to be paid by the applicant for the medical examination of a seaman or apprentice shall be £1 ls.

Anti-scorbutics, sec. 124.

4. (1) The master of every foreign-going ship registered in Australia or trading from an Australian port as head-quarters shall serve out to each member of the crew, so soon as the ship has been at sea for ten days, and during the remainder of the voyage, a supply of an anti-scorbutic in accordance with this regulation:

C.10.—Price 3d.

Provided that the supply may be temporarily discontinued during any period when the ship is in port and the crew are there being supplied with fresh provisions.

(2) The anti-scorbutic to be supplied under this regulation shall be lime or lemon juice, as prepared and bottled in bond under the supervision of the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom, or, as regards lime and lemon juice prepared in Australia, of a quality approved by the Director of Navigation.

(3) The anti-scorbutic shall be served out daily at the rate of one fluid ounce to each member of the crew, mixed with sugar and water in the proportion of one ounce of sugar and not less than half-a-pint nor more than a pint of water to each ounce of anti-scorbutic.

(4) The sugar provided with the anti-scorbutic shall be white sugar of good quality and shall be in addition to the sugar required to be provided under the scale of provisions set out in the agreement with the crew.

 (5) The issue of anti-scorbutic shall be made at such time before the dinner hour as will enable the crew to drink it during the meal.

Certain ships to carry medical man, s. 133 (1).

5. The owner or master of every—

(a) foreign-going ship, or

(b) Australian-trade ship on a voyage between consecutive ports of call which exceeds 650 nautical miles,

having one hundred persons or upwards on board, shall cause to be carried, as part of the complement of the ship, a duly qualified medical practitioner.

Certain ships carry person qualified to render first aid, s. 133 (2).

6. (1) The owner or master of every—

(a) foreign-going ship, or

(b) Australian-trade ship on a voyage between consecutive ports of call which exceeds 650 nautical miles,

having more than ten and less than one hundred persons on board, and not carrying a duly qualified medical practitioner as part of her complement, shall cause to be carried, as part of the complement of the ship, a person certified by a Medical Inspector or by an approved authority as qualified to render “ first aid.”

(2) For the purposes of this regulation the following shall be deemed to be approved authorities, namely:—

(a) St. John’s Ambulance Association,

(b) St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association,

(c) St. Patrick’s Ambulance Association,

(d) British Red Cross Society,

(e) London County Council,

(f) Glamorgan County Council,

(g) Leith Technical College,

(h) Any other body approved in writing by the Director of Navigation, and

(i) A Medical Officer of one of His Majesty’s ships.

Repeal.

7. The Navigation (Health) Regulations 1921 (Statutory Rules 1921, No. 199, as amended by Statutory Rules 1922, Nos. 1, 23, 35, 71, and 116) are hereby repealed.

 

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Navigation (Health) Regulations 1923 were enacted under the Navigation Act 1912-1920 to address health and safety concerns among seafarers, particularly those on foreign-going and long-distance Australian trade ships. These regulations were made by the Governor-General in Council, acting on the advice of the Minister of State for Trade and Customs. The policy objective of these regulations was to ensure that ships carried the necessary medical provisions and personnel to maintain the health of their crews, with a particular focus on preventing scurvy through the provision of anti-scorbutics. The regulations established fees for medical examinations, required certain ships to carry qualified medical practitioners or individuals capable of providing first aid, and mandated the provision of anti-scorbutics to crew members on long voyages.

Scope and Application

The Navigation (Health) Regulations, made under the Navigation Act 1912-1920, establish specific requirements and procedures for the medical examination of seamen and apprentices, the provision of anti-scorbutics on ships, and the need for qualified medical personnel or first aid-qualified individuals on certain vessels. These regulations apply to all foreign-going ships registered in Australia or trading from an Australian port, as well as Australian-trade ships on voyages exceeding 650 nautical miles with specified numbers of persons on board. The Regulations mandate that seaman and apprentices must undergo a medical examination, with fees charged based on the distance from the General Post Office at the port. Additionally, foreign-going ships and Australian-trade ships on lengthy voyages must provide anti-scorbutics to crew members, and specific vessels must carry a qualified medical practitioner or a first aid-qualified person. The regulations provide for the remission of fees in special circumstances and outline the fees for overtime medical services. The Regulations also specify that the anti-scorbutics must be of a certain quality and served out daily, with a temporary suspension allowed when the ship is in port. These provisions are designed to ensure the health and safety of crew members during voyages. The Regulations repeal previous Navigation (Health) Regulations from 1921 and 1922, consolidating the current health-related maritime requirements.

Key Provisions

The Navigation (Health) Regulations (1923) under the Navigation Act 1912-1920 establish a framework for the health requirements of seafarers on certain ships. Firstly, they detail the fees for medical examinations of seamen and apprentices, with a base rate of Five shillings per examination, adjusted by distance from the General Post Office at the port and including potential overtime charges for examinations conducted outside of regular hours or on holidays (Section 2). The Regulations also stipulate that ships must carry a supply of anti-scorbutics, such as lime or lemon juice, for the prevention of scurvy, to be provided to crew members daily once the ship has been at sea for ten days (Section 4). Furthermore, the Regulations mandate that certain ships carry qualified medical practitioners or individuals certified to provide first aid, depending on the number of people on board and the length of the voyage (Sections 5 and 6). The Regulations impose obligations on ship owners and masters to ensure compliance with health provisions. Specifically, they must arrange for medical examinations of seamen and apprentices, pay the associated fees, and ensure that anti-scorbutics are supplied to the crew during long voyages. In addition, ship owners or masters are required to carry a qualified medical practitioner if the ship has a crew of one hundred or more, and a person qualified to render first aid if the crew is between ten and one hundred, unless a medical practitioner is already on board (Sections 2, 4, 5, and 6). The Regulations also provide for the repeal of previous health regulations, indicating an update or replacement of existing health standards (Section 7). Failure to comply with the provisions of these Regulations may result in legal consequences. While the specific penalties for breaches are not detailed within the text of these Regulations, violations of maritime health and safety regulations generally may lead to civil or criminal penalties under the Navigation Act 1912-1920 or other relevant maritime laws. Penalties can include fines or imprisonment, depending on the severity and nature of the breach.

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Area of Law
Maritime Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Fees & Charges
Medical Requirements
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.