STATUTORY RULES.
1917. No. 223.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914-1916.
I, SIR ARTHUR LYULPH 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 eleventh day of September, 1917.
A. L. STANLEY,
Deputy of the Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
G. F. PEARCE,
Minister of State for Defence.
Amendment of the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations 1917.
(Statutory Rules 1917, No. 98, as amended by Statutory Rules 1917, No. 132).
1. Regulation 8 of the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations is amended—
(a) by inserting therein after the word “skins” the words “which are in his possession or under his control which have been”;
(b) by omitting therefrom the word “or”; and
(c) by adding at the end thereof the following proviso:—
“Provided that, where any skins have been offered for sale by public auction under Regulation 9 of these Regulations and have not been sold, the Government Agent shall not, from the date of the auction, be responsible for the safe custody of the skins.”
2. Regulation 9 of the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations; is amended by omitting from paragraph (a) thereof the words “at the price set forth in Regulation 5 of these Regulations” and by inserting in lieu thereof the words—
“upon payment—
(i.) of the price set forth in Regulation 5 of these Regulations; and
(ii.) of all remuneration and charges payable to the Government Agents under Regulation 10 of these Regulations; and
(iii.) of an amount, calculated at a rate to be determined from time to time by the Prime Minister, to defray any other expenses incurred by the Commonwealth in making the skins available.”
C.12277.—Price 3d.
3. Regulation 10 of the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations is amended—
(a) by adding at the end of Sub-regulation (i.) the following proviso:—
“Provided that the Prime Minister may, in respect of the purchase and disposal of any rabbit skins, increase the remuneration to be paid to the Government Agents under this Regulation”; and
(b) by inserting, after Sub-regulation (i.) the following Sub-regulation:—
“1a. For the purposes of these Regulations ‘prices realized’ shall not be deemed to include any amount payable by the purchaser under Sub-paragraph (a) (iii.) of Regulation 9 of these Regulations.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
Overview
Statutory Rules 1917 No. 223, enacted under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, addresses the management and sale of rabbit skins during the war period. This legislative instrument, issued by the Governor of the State of Victoria acting as the Deputy of the Governor-General and advised by the Federal Executive Council, amends existing regulations to ensure the efficient and responsible handling of rabbit skins. The primary objective of these regulations is to streamline the process for selling rabbit skins, ensuring that the government is not unduly burdened by the responsibility of their safe custody once offered for sale and to accurately account for all expenses incurred in making the skins available for sale. The amendment also allows for the adjustment of remuneration for government agents and clarifies the calculation of prices realized, reflecting the policy objective of effective wartime resource management.
Scope and Application
These regulations are made under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916 and apply to the management and sale of rabbit skins in the state of Victoria, with the regulations being issued by the Deputy of the Governor-General. The regulations amend the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations 1917, affecting all persons or entities involved in the possession, control, sale, or purchase of rabbit skins within the state of Victoria. The regulations also outline the prices and additional charges for the sale of rabbit skins, with the Prime Minister having the authority to determine rates and increase the remuneration to Government Agents involved in the process. It should be noted that the regulations do not apply to rabbit skins that have been offered for sale by public auction and subsequently remain unsold, as the Government Agent is no longer responsible for their safe custody from the date of the auction. These amendments extend the application of the original regulations and provide greater clarity on the financial obligations and responsibilities of all parties involved in the sale and purchase of rabbit skins during wartime.
Key Provisions
The operative sections of these Regulations pertain to the amendment of the War Precautions (Rabbit Skins) Regulations 1917. Specifically, Regulation 8 is amended to clarify the circumstances under which the Government Agent is responsible for the safe custody of rabbit skins. Regulation 9 is revised to change the payment requirements for the sale of rabbit skins, now including not only the price set in Regulation 5 but also remuneration and charges payable to Government Agents under Regulation 10, as well as an additional amount determined by the Prime Minister to cover other expenses. Regulation 10 is also modified to allow for an increase in the remuneration paid to Government Agents and to define "prices realized" to exclude any amounts payable by the purchaser under Regulation 9(a)(iii).
The obligations imposed by these Regulations on parties involved in the sale and custody of rabbit skins include ensuring that all payments for skins include not only the base price but also remuneration and charges to Government Agents, and any additional expenses determined by the Prime Minister. The Government Agent is no longer responsible for the safe custody of skins after they have been offered for sale by public auction and have not been sold. Additionally, the Regulations provide the Prime Minister with the authority to increase the remuneration to Government Agents for the purchase and disposal of rabbit skins.
Breach of these Regulations may result in civil or criminal consequences depending on the nature of the non-compliance. For instance, failure to adhere to the payment requirements or the conditions regarding the safe custody of rabbit skins could be considered an offence under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916. The exact penalties for such breaches are not specified in these Regulations but would typically be determined by the relevant courts based on the severity and intent of the breach. It is essential for all parties involved to comply fully with the stipulated obligations to avoid potential legal repercussions.