War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916 (Amendment)

Legislation au C1916L00176 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES.

1916. No. 176.

———

THE WAR PRECAUTIONS (ALIENS REGISTRATION) REGULATIONS 1916.

(Regulations 9 and 10—Amendments.)

I, SIR ARTHUR STANLEY, Governor of the State of Victoria and its Dependencies, in the Commonwealth of Australia, acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following regulations under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this seventh day of August, 1916.

A. L. STANLEY,

Deputy of the Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE,

Minister of State for Defence.

________

War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916.

(Statutory Rules 1916, No. 165.)

Regulation 9, which reads as follows:—

Obligation on aliens to notify change of abode.

9. (1) Every alien, whether registered in accordance with these Regulations or not, who changes his place of abode, shall within seven days after so changing his place of abode notify that fact to the aliens registration officer nearest to his new place of abode, and every alien who refuses or fails to do so shall be guilty of an offence;

(2) The notification shall be given by the alien properly completing a notice (in duplicate) in accordance with Form C in the Schedule to these Regulations, and attending in person with such notice before that aliens registration officer;

(3) This Paragraph does not apply to an alien who travels in the Commonwealth, or who travels in a vessel between Commonwealth ports as a member of the crew or as a passenger, without changing his usual place of residence.

is cancelled and the following substituted:—

Obligation on aliens to notify change of abode.

9. (1) Every alien who changes his place of abode, shall within seven days thereafter notify that fact to the aliens registration officer nearest to his new place of abode, and every alien who refuses or fails to do so shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) The notification shall be given by the alien properly completing a notice (in duplicate) in accordance with Form C in the Schedule to these Regulations, and attending in person before that aliens registration officer with such notices and with the certificate of his registration as an alien.

 

C.10377.—Price 3d.


(3) This paragraph does not apply to an alien who travels in the Commonwealth, or who travels in a vessel between Commonwealth ports as a member of the crew or as a passenger, without changing his usual place of residence.

Regulation 10 (register of aliens to be kept by hotelkeepers, &c.), is amended by substituting for sub-paragraph (1), which reads as follows:—

10. (1) It shall be the duty of the keeper of every hotel, inn, boardinghouse, and lodginghouse in Australia, to ascertain and enter in a register kept for the purpose the names and nationalities of all aliens staying at the hotel, inn, boardinghouse, or lodginghouse, together with the dates of their arrival and departure, their destinations on departure, and such other particulars as may be required by the Minister by notice published in the Gazette, and if the keeper of an hotel, inn, boardinghouse, or lodginghouse, fails to do so, or if he make any entry in any such register which he knows, or could by the exercise of reasonable diligence have ascertained to be false, he shall be guilty of an offence.

the following new sub-paragraph:—

Register of aliens to be kept by hotelkeepers, &c.

10. (1) It shall be the duty of the keeper of every hotel, inn, boardinghouse, and lodginghouse in Australia, to ascertain and enter in a register kept for the purpose the following particulars of all aliens staying at the hotel, inn, boardinghouse, or lodginghouse:—

Name,

Nationality,

Date of arrival,

Previous place of abode,

If arrived by vessel, name of vessel,

Date of departure,

Destination on departure,

If departing by vessel, name of vessel,

and if the keeper of an hotel, inn, boardinghouse, or lodginghouse, fails to do so, or if he makes any entry in any such register which he knows, or could by the exercise of reasonable diligence have ascertained to be false, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Form A., B, and C in the Schedule are repealed and the following substituted:—

Form A.

The War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916.

Form of Application for Registration.

If a member of a ship’s crew state here name of ship, port at which voyage commenced and port to which bound.

This form is to be filled up in duplicate, and the alien is to attend in person with the duplicate forms before the member of the police force in charge of the police station nearest to his usual place of abode,

Name (in full)

Nationality Sex

Birth place Date of birth

Place of residence

Place of business (if any)*

Occupation

Date of entry to Commonwealth


Personal Description,

Height Colour of eyes

Colour of hair Notable marks

Remarks

Date of application Signature of alien

This space for office use only.

Certificate No. Issued on

Remarks

Signature of Aliens Registration Officer

Police station

_______

Form D.

The War Regulations (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916.

Certificate of Registration.

No.

Name of holder

Nationality Date of birth

Place of abode

Personal Description.

Height, Colour of eyes

Colour of hair Notable marks

Remarks

Date of issue

Signature of Aliens Registration Officer

Police station

Registered Changes of Abode.

New address

Registered at

Date

Signature of Aliens Registration Officer

_________

Form C.

The War Regulations (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916.

Notice of Change of Abode.

To

The Aliens Registration Officer

Take notice that I (name in full) formerly residing at (former place of abode), (Occupation), have changed my place of abode to

I am registered as an alien of  nationality under the War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916, the number of the certificate issued to me at                                          being

Signature of alien

Date

Note.—This form is to be filled up in duplicate and within seven days after changing his place of abode the alien is to attend in person with the duplicate forms and with his certificate of registration as an alien before the member of the police force in charge of the police station nearest to his new place of abode.

_________________________

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

Overview

The War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916, promulgated under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, were enacted by the Governor of the State of Victoria, Sir Arthur Stanley, in his capacity as the Deputy of the Governor-General. The primary purpose of these regulations was to address concerns about the presence and activities of aliens in Australia during the period of World War I. By requiring aliens to notify authorities of changes in their place of abode and mandating that hoteliers, innkeepers, boarding house, and lodging house keepers maintain detailed registers of aliens' information, the regulations aimed to enhance surveillance and control over the movements and identities of non-citizens. This was intended to mitigate potential security risks posed by the presence of foreign nationals during a time of international conflict.

Scope and Application

The War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916 applies to all aliens within the Commonwealth of Australia. This encompasses individuals who are not citizens or subjects of Australia and who are residing in or travelling through the country. The regulations impose obligations on these aliens to notify authorities of any changes to their place of residence and require hoteliers and other accommodation providers to maintain detailed records of alien guests. These regulations extend to the entire Commonwealth, ensuring uniform application across all states and territories. There are specific exclusions, such as aliens who travel within the Commonwealth or between Commonwealth ports on vessels without altering their usual place of residence. The regulations also provide for amendments and further specifications through subordinate instruments, allowing for adjustments and clarifications as necessary.

Key Provisions

The War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulations 1916 include several key operative sections that outline the requirements for aliens in Australia during wartime. Regulation 9, for instance, stipulates that any alien who changes their place of abode must notify the nearest aliens registration officer within seven days (Reg. 9(1)). The notification must be made by completing a specific form (Form C) in duplicate and attending in person at the office of the aliens registration officer, along with the registration certificate as an alien (Reg. 9(2)). This requirement does not apply to aliens who travel within the Commonwealth or between Commonwealth ports as crew members or passengers without changing their usual place of residence (Reg. 9(3)). Additionally, Regulation 10 imposes duties on the keepers of hotels, inns, boardinghouses, and lodginghouses to maintain a register of all aliens staying at their establishments. This register must include details such as the alien's name, nationality, date of arrival, previous place of abode, and other specific information as may be required by notice from the Minister (Reg. 10(1)). Failure to comply with these requirements can result in an offence (Reg. 10(2)). The obligations imposed by the Act on aliens and accommodation providers are clearly defined. Aliens are required to notify any changes in their place of residence to the appropriate authorities within a specified timeframe, ensuring that their current whereabouts are accurately recorded (Reg. 9). This notification process involves completing a designated form and presenting it to the aliens registration officer. Accommodation providers, on the other hand, must maintain detailed records of all aliens staying at their establishments. This includes capturing information such as the alien's name, nationality, and dates of arrival and departure, among other details (Reg. 10). These obligations are critical in ensuring that the authorities have up-to-date information on the whereabouts and movements of aliens during wartime, which is essential for national security purposes. Breaches of these regulations can lead to serious consequences, both civil and criminal. Under Regulation 9, any alien who refuses or fails to notify a change of abode within the stipulated timeframe is guilty of an offence (Reg. 9(1)). Similarly, Regulation 10 imposes penalties for failure to maintain accurate records or for knowingly making false entries in the register of aliens. The specific penalties for these offences are not detailed in the provided text, but it is common for such breaches to result in fines or other forms of legal action. The seriousness of these offences underscores the importance of compliance with the registration requirements and the potential ramifications for non-compliance.

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National Security Law
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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.