STATUTORY RULES.
1920. No. 130.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE WAR GRATUITY ACTS 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 Regulation under the War Gratuity Acts 1920, to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this twenty-eighth day of July, 1920.
R.M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
W. H. LAIRD SMITH,
for the Treasurer.
———
Amendment of the War Gratuity Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1920, No. 85.)
Regulation 6 of the War Gratuity Regulations is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sub-regulation:—
“(2) Any person summoned as a witness in pursuance of this regulation who refuses or fails without just cause to appear as a witness or to be sworn, or to produce documents, books and papers which he is lawfully required to produce, or to answer questions which he is lawfully required to answer, shall be guilty of an offence against these Regulations.
Penalty: Twenty 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 Statutory Rules 1920, No. 130, which are the Regulations under the War Gratuity Acts 1920, were introduced to address the practicalities of administering war gratuities to eligible individuals following World War I. Enacted by the Governor-General in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, these regulations were designed to ensure the smooth implementation of the War Gratuity Acts 1920. The regulations aim to streamline processes and provide clear directives on the administration of war gratuities, thereby supporting the policy objective of recognising and compensating those who served in the armed forces during the war. The specific amendment to Regulation 6 aims to enforce the appearance of witnesses, production of documents, and answering of questions under the regulation, with penalties for non-compliance.
Scope and Application
The War Gratuity Regulations, as amended by Statutory Rules 1920, No. 130, apply to any individual who is summoned as a witness in relation to matters arising under the War Gratuity Acts 1920. This encompasses any person who is required to testify, produce documents, or answer questions pertinent to claims or investigations under the Act. The Regulations are binding on all individuals across the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring a uniform approach to compliance and enforcement. Failure to comply with the summons, without just cause, constitutes an offence under the Regulations, with a specified penalty of Twenty Pounds. This amendment extends the application of the War Gratuity Regulations to enforce more stringent compliance measures, thereby ensuring the integrity of the processes governed by the War Gratuity Acts.
Key Provisions
The primary operative sections of this legislation pertain to the War Gratuity Regulations, specifically amending Regulation 6 (paragraph 2). These regulations are designed to ensure that individuals who are summoned as witnesses under the War Gratuity Acts 1920 comply with their obligations. Section 6(2) states that any person summoned as a witness who refuses or fails to appear as required, or who fails to produce documents, books, and papers, or answer questions, commits an offence against these regulations. This amendment adds a penalty for non-compliance, which is a fine of twenty pounds.
The amended War Gratuity Regulations impose certain obligations on individuals who are summoned as witnesses. These individuals are required to appear as witnesses, be sworn if necessary, produce any documents, books, and papers that are lawfully requested, and answer any questions that are lawfully asked of them. The obligation is clear and unambiguous: any person who is summoned must comply with these requirements or face potential legal consequences.
The legislation also outlines specific consequences for breach of the amended regulation. Any person who refuses or fails to comply with the requirement to appear, produce documents, or answer questions, without just cause, commits an offence. The penalty for this offence is a fine of twenty pounds, as stated in Section 6(2). This penalty is intended to ensure that individuals understand the seriousness of their obligations under the War Gratuity Acts 1920 and to deter non-compliance.