STATUTORY RULES.
1914. No. 185.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS ACT 1905.
I, RONALD CRAUFURD MUNRO FERGUSON, the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, do hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulations under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulations to come into operation forthwith as Provisional Regulations.
Dated this fourteenth day of December, One thousand nine hundred and fourteen.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. O. ARCHIBALD,
Minister of State for Home Affairs.
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Statistics Regulations.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Statistics (Commodity) Regulations 1914.
2. In addition to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) to (k) in section 16 of the Act, and in paragraph 18 of the Statistics Regulations 1913, the Statistician shall, subject to that section, collect statistics in relation to the following matters:—
(i) Foodstuffs for man and beast
(ii) Commodities.
(iii) Trade.
(iv) Industry.
3. Every person who has in his possession or custody a quantity of any commodity, specified from time to time by Order in Council published in the Gazette, greater than the quantity specified opposite thereto in such Order in Council shall from time to time when required by the Statistician so to do, and within such time or times as he may be required by the Statistician so to do, furnish to the Statistician the particulars set out in the Order in Council.
4. In order to comply with this Regulation, every such person shall fill in the required particulars, in the place provided for that purpose, in the form specified from time to time by Order in Council, and shall sign the form and transmit it to the Statistician in accordance with the instructions contained in or accompanying the form.
5. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in Part 8 of the Statistics Regulations 1913, no person who is required to furnish a return or form to the Statistician under this Regulation shall be exempted from any penalty he may have incurred by failure to do so by reason of his not having received personal notice to furnish the return, or by reason of his not having been supplied with a form of return; but every such person shall himself obtain all copies of forms which he is required to fill in and transmit to the Statistician.
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.16136—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statistics (Commodity) Regulations 1914 were enacted to address the need for more comprehensive data collection in relation to commodities, foodstuffs, trade, and industry as part of the broader Census and Statistics Act 1905. These regulations were introduced to provide the Statistician with additional authority to gather detailed statistics on these matters, thereby enhancing the quality and breadth of statistical data available for policy and economic decision-making. The enactment of these regulations was overseen by the Governor-General in Council, reflecting the urgency and importance of the information required. The policy objective was to ensure that the Commonwealth had access to accurate and detailed statistics to inform its economic and social policies effectively.
Scope and Application
The Statistics (Commodity) Regulations 1914, made under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905, establish the responsibilities and processes for the collection of specific statistical data. These regulations apply to all persons in possession of commodities specified in Orders in Council published in the Gazette, requiring them to furnish particulars of these commodities to the Statistician when requested. The scope of the regulations includes statistics on foodstuffs, commodities, trade, and industry, extending beyond the general provisions of the Act and previous regulations. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, applying across the Commonwealth of Australia, and they are effective immediately upon proclamation as Provisional Regulations. The regulations do not provide for any exemptions from penalties for non-compliance, thereby emphasising the importance of fulfilling the data submission requirements. Subordinate instruments, such as Orders in Council, may further specify the details and particulars required for compliance with these regulations.
Key Provisions
The primary operative sections of the Statistics (Commodity) Regulations 1914 (Regs. 1-5) establish the collection of specific statistical data beyond what is already mandated under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Regulation 2 mandates that the Statistician collect statistics not only on the matters specified in section 16 of the Act but also on foodstuffs for man and beast, commodities, trade, and industry. Regulation 3 imposes a requirement on any individual in possession of a quantity of a specified commodity exceeding the quantity specified in an Order in Council to provide the Statistician with particulars as specified in the relevant Order in Council. Regulation 4 details how the required particulars must be filled out and submitted, using a form specified by the Statistician, while Regulation 5 clarifies that no exemptions apply in cases of failure to provide the required information, even in the absence of personal notice or a supplied form.
The obligations and requirements imposed by the Regulations on parties governed by them are primarily concerned with data provision and compliance. According to Regulation 3, individuals who possess a quantity of a specified commodity exceeding the quantity specified by an Order in Council must furnish the Statistician with the particulars set out in the Order in Council. This includes filling in the required particulars in the place provided for that purpose in the specified form and transmitting it to the Statistician as instructed. Regulation 4 further requires that the form be signed and sent to the Statistician, ensuring that all necessary information is correctly provided and submitted.
The Regulations also address the consequences of non-compliance, although specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not explicitly stated within the text of these Regulations. However, Regulation 5 indicates that there will be no exemption from penalties incurred by failing to provide the required information, even if the individual did not receive personal notice or a supplied form. This implies that failure to comply with the Regulations could result in penalties, although the exact nature and severity of these penalties are not detailed within the Regulations themselves.