Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921

Legislation au C1921L00230 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1921. No. 230.

————

REGULATIONS UNDER THE QUARANTINE ACT 1908-1920.

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 Quarantine Act 1908-1920, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this eighth day of December, 1921.

FORSTER,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

W. MASSY GREENE,

Minister for Health.

__________

Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921.

2. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, "proclaimed place" means a place proclaimed under section 12 of the Quarantine Act 1908-1920 as infected with plague.

3. No person shall consign, send or convey from a proclaimed place, in any State or Territory of the Commonwealth to a place in any other State or Territory or to any place outside the Commonwealth any package of merchandise or goods unless the package—

(a) have been so packed as to entirely prevent access of rats to the interior of the package;

(b) have been packed to the satisfaction of an authorized Officer; or

(c) have, after examination by an authorized Officer been found to be free from rats.

4. No person shall consign, send or convey from any premises, in or upon which plague in man or rodent has occurred, to a place in any other State or Territory of the Commonwealth, any merchandise or goods, until the Health Authority of the State in which the premises are situate has, by certificate in writing, declared that, on the application of all recognised tests, the premises are, in the opinion of that Health Authority no longer infected.

5. For the purposes of regulations 3 and 4 of these Regulations the word “person” includes the owners, agents, or master of any vessel and the Commissioners or any other persons having the control of any railway.


6. (1) The Master of every vessel arriving in any Australian port from any proclaimed place in Australia shall not—

(a) permit any person (other than an authorized person) to board or quit the vessel; or

(b) permit any goods to be removed from the vessel,

until he has furnished to an authorized person a certified report in the form prescribed by the Regulation, of passengers and crew on board the vessel, and has made before, and handed to, an authorized person a declaration to the following effect:—

(1) That there are not at the time of making the declaration, and there have not been on board during the voyage—

(a) any person affected with any fever, with or without any glandular swelling; or

(b) any dead or apparently sick rats or mice.

(2) That the report furnished in accordance with this regulation is a true and correct list of all passengers and crew on board the vessel.

REPORT OF PASSENGERS AND CREW.

Report of Passengers and Crew on board the s.s.

on the 19 , at

from

Master Medical Officer

Agents

No.

Name.

Class or Rating.

Port of Embarkation.

Address at Destination.

 

 

 

 

 

I hereby certify that the above is a true and complete list of all passengers and crew on board the s.s.              on arrival at              together with the addresses of their destinations.

Master

(2) The Master of every such vessel who is unable to make a declaration under this regulation shall not, until pratique is granted, allow the vessel to be brought into any part of the port within the Quarantine line.

7. (1) The Master of any vessel shall not, unless authorized by a Quarantine Officer, allow the vessel to leave the limits of any port in any proclaimed place in Australia until a medical inspection has been made by a Quarantine Officer of all persons on board.

(2) For the medical inspection and certificate issued relating thereto a fee of £2 2s. shall be paid by the Master, Owner or Agent.

(3) The Master of any such vessel shall not allow the vessel to leave the limits of the port with any person on board who was not present at the time of medical inspection. Penalty: Fifty pounds.

8. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall, where no other penalty is provided, be liable to a penalty not exceeding One hundred pounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________

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

Overview

The Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921 were enacted to address the problem of plague outbreaks in Australia and to prevent the spread of the disease across state borders and internationally. This legislative instrument was established under the Quarantine Act 1908-1920 by the Governor-General in Council, with the primary objective of controlling the movement of goods and people from areas infected with plague. The regulations specify strict requirements for the packing and transport of merchandise to prevent the spread of rats, which could carry the disease. They also mandate the certification of vessels by the Master before entry into Australian ports, ensuring that no infected individuals or rodents are onboard. These measures aimed to maintain public health and prevent the interstate and international spread of plague during this period.

Scope and Application

The Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921 apply to individuals, including shipmasters, owners, agents, and any person having control of any railway, who are involved in the transportation of goods and merchandise from places infected with plague or where plague in humans or rodents has occurred. These regulations apply across all States and Territories of the Commonwealth of Australia and extend to any place outside the Commonwealth. The Regulations prohibit the movement of merchandise or goods from proclaimed places or premises infected with plague unless they meet specific conditions, such as being rat-proof or certified by a Health Authority as free from infection. Shipmasters are required to furnish a report of passengers and crew, and a declaration stating the vessel's health status before being allowed to enter an Australian port or leave a proclaimed place. Failure to comply with these provisions constitutes an offence with penalties specified in the Regulations.

Key Provisions

The Quarantine (Plague) Regulations 1921, issued under the Quarantine Act 1908-1920, set forth strict provisions to control the spread of plague. Section 3 mandates that any merchandise or goods being sent from a place proclaimed to be infected with plague must be securely packed to prevent access by rats, or verified to be free from rats by an authorised officer. Similarly, Section 4 requires that goods from any premises where plague has been detected cannot be transported until a written certificate from the relevant health authority confirms that the premises are no longer infected. Section 5 extends the definition of "person" to include owners, agents, masters of vessels, and any person in control of a railway, ensuring a broad scope of applicability. These regulations impose several obligations on the parties they govern. Under Section 6, the master of any vessel arriving from a proclaimed place must provide a certified report of all passengers and crew, and make a declaration that no diseased individuals or animals are on board. This is crucial for preventing the spread of disease upon arrival in Australian ports. Section 7 mandates that no vessel may leave the port of a proclaimed place without a medical inspection of all persons on board, with a specified fee for the inspection service. Additionally, the vessel must not leave with any person who was not present during the inspection, thereby ensuring that everyone onboard is accounted for and inspected. The regulations also establish penalties for non-compliance. Section 8 states that any person contravening or failing to comply with the provisions of these regulations commits an offence and is liable to a penalty not exceeding one hundred pounds. This penalty serves as a deterrent against non-compliance and ensures that the measures are strictly enforced to maintain public health and safety.

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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.