War Precautions (Meat) Regulations 1917

Legislation au C1917L00038 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES

1917. No. 38.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1916.

WHEREAS, by reason of circumstances arising out of the present state of war, it is expedient, for the better conservation of live stock and meat, and for the better supply of meat to the Imperial Government and to the people of the Commonwealth, and for the better defence of the Empire and of the Commonwealth, and for the more effectual prosecution of the war, that control of the disposal of live stock and meat should be exercisable by the Government of the Commonwealth:

Now therefore 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 War Precautions Act 1914–1916 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this sixteenth day of February, 1917,

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE,

Minister of State for Defence.

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The War Precautions (Meat) Regulations 1917.

Short title.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the War Precautions (Meat) Regulations 1917.

Definitions

2. For the purpose of these Regulations—

“Live stock” means cattle, sheep, or pigs.

“Meat” means beef, mutton, lamb, pork, or bacon.

Returns.

3. The Minister may, by notice in writing, require any persons, with such exceptions or subject to such limitations as may be specified in the notice, to furnish, at such times and in such manner as may be therein specified, such returns as may be therein specified of all live stock and meat owned or possessed by them.

Power to prohibit disposal.

4. The Minister may, by notice in writing, forbid, with such limitations or exceptions, or except subject to such conditions as he may specify, the sale or disposal by or to any persons or class of persons, or by or to any State or any authority constituted under a State, of any live stock or meat.

Power to permit removal.

5. The Minister may, by notice in writing, direct or permit, under such conditions as he may specify, the removal of any live stock or meat, whether owned or possessed by any person or by any State or by any authority constituted under a State, from any part of the Commonwealth to any other part of the Commonwealth.

C.2019.—Price 3d.


Effect of notice.

6. Any notice, direction, permission, or prohibition made or given in pursuance of these regulations shall be valid and effectual, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law or regulation of any State.

Publication or service of notice.

7. Any notice in pursuance of these Regulations shall be deemed to have been given to any persons or class of persons or State or State authority named or described therein when it has been published in the Gazette, or to have been given to any person named therein—

(a) when it has been served on such person or at his place of business or last known place of abode; or

(b) when it has been posted by registered letter addressed to him at his place of business or last known place of abode, and should, in the ordinary course of post, have been delivered.

Power to enter and inspect.

8. Any person thereto authorized in writing by, or by the authority of, the Minister, may enter into and upon any land or building and inspect any live stock or meat thereon or therein.

Duty of furnishing information,

9. Every person shall, in writing or otherwise as required, answer such questions and furnish such information as he is required, by any person thereto authorized in writing by or by the authority of the Minister to answer or furnish, in relation to any live stock or meat, or in relation to any matter within the scope of these Regulations.

Offences.

10. (1) Any person who—

(a) does anything, or assists any other person to do anything, which is forbidden by or under these Regulations; or

(b) hinders, obstructs, or prevents any person from doing anything which he is directed, required, authorized, or permitted to do by or under these Regulations; or

(c) fails or neglects to do anything which he is directed or required to do by or under these Regulations, shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) It shall be no defence in a prosecution under these Regulations that the act or thing charged was done in pursuance of, or under the authority of, the Government of a State or any law or regulation of any State.

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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 (Meat) Regulations 1917 were enacted to provide the Commonwealth Government with the necessary controls over the disposal and distribution of live stock and meat during the First World War. These regulations were introduced to ensure the efficient conservation of livestock and meat, and to secure an adequate meat supply for the Imperial Government and the people of the Commonwealth, as well as for the defence of the Empire and the Commonwealth. The Regulations were made under the War Precautions Act 1914–1916 and came into effect on 16 February 1917. They were issued by the Governor-General in Council, with the intent to effectively manage the wartime requirements for meat and livestock in support of the war effort. The policy objective was to centralise control over the disposal and movement of meat and livestock to meet the heightened demands of the war.

Scope and Application

The War Precautions (Meat) Regulations 1917 apply to all persons within the Commonwealth of Australia, including individuals, businesses, and state authorities. The regulations focus on the control of the disposal of live stock and meat, specifically defining “live stock” as cattle, sheep, and pigs and “meat” as beef, mutton, lamb, pork, or bacon. The Minister has the authority to require individuals to furnish returns regarding their possession of live stock and meat, to prohibit the sale or disposal of these items to specified persons or classes of persons, and to permit the removal of live stock or meat within the Commonwealth under certain conditions. These regulations have a national reach and override any conflicting state laws or regulations. While the regulations do not explicitly outline exclusions, the Minister's discretion in issuing notices suggests that certain persons or transactions may be exempted based on the specific circumstances outlined in the notice. The regulations are made under the War Precautions Act 1914–1916 and are effective immediately upon publication.

Key Provisions

The War Precautions (Meat) Regulations 1917, introduced under the War Precautions Act 1914–1916, serve to provide the Commonwealth Government with the authority to control the disposal of livestock and meat to better meet the needs of the Imperial Government and the Commonwealth during a period of war. The Minister is granted extensive powers to manage these resources effectively. For example, Section 3 allows the Minister to require individuals or entities to submit detailed returns on their livestock and meat holdings. Section 4 enables the Minister to prohibit the sale or disposal of livestock or meat to specific persons or classes of persons, or to any state or state authority, under specified conditions. Furthermore, Section 5 permits the Minister to direct or allow the movement of livestock or meat within the Commonwealth, again subject to certain conditions. These regulations impose specific obligations on those they govern. Under Section 9, every individual is required to provide information and answer questions relating to livestock or meat, as directed by an authorised person. The Minister also has the authority, under Section 8, to allow authorised individuals to enter and inspect any land or building to verify compliance with the regulations. Additionally, the provisions of these regulations are to be considered superior to any conflicting state laws, as outlined in Section 6. Breaching any of the provisions of these regulations constitutes an offence. According to Section 10, individuals who contravene the regulations, assist others in doing so, hinder compliance, or fail to comply with a directive are liable. It is pertinent to note that acting under state government authority does not absolve an individual from liability under these regulations. While the specific penalties are not detailed within the regulations themselves, the nature of the offences suggests potential criminal consequences, given the historical context of wartime regulations.

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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.