War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations 1916 (Amendment)

Overview

The War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations 1916, enacted as Statutory Rule No. 248, is a legislative instrument introduced under the authority of the War Precautions Act 1914-1916. This regulation was created to address the immediate needs of the government during wartime by providing additional powers and measures beyond those specified in the primary Act. The regulation was made by the Governor-General in Council, and its policy objective was to facilitate the efforts of the State Recruiting Committee and recruiting officers in locating individuals for military service, thereby ensuring efficient and effective mobilisation during the war. The regulation allows postmasters to disclose postal addresses of individuals to recruiting officers, overriding the restrictions imposed by the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912.

Scope and Application

The War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations 1916, as amended by Statutory Rules 1918 No. 248, extend the application of the War Precautions Act 1914-1916 by allowing postmasters to provide postal addresses to Recruiting Officers. This regulation applies to postmasters who are required to supply postal addresses upon request from the Secretary of the State Recruiting Committee, an authorised person, or a Recruiting Officer. The regulation overrides the restrictions set out in the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912 and any subordinate regulations under that Act. This legislation operates at the Commonwealth level and is designed to facilitate the recruitment efforts during wartime by ensuring that the relevant authorities can access necessary information to contact potential recruits. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds in the regulation itself, though broader exceptions or conditions may be provided under the overarching War Precautions Act 1914-1916. The regulation’s effect can be extended or modified by additional subordinate instruments made under the authority of the Act.

Key Provisions

The War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations 1916, as amended by Statutory Rule 1918 No. 248, introduces a new regulation under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916. Specifically, Regulation 47 authorises postmasters to provide postal addresses to recruiting officers (Regulation 47). This provision allows for the disclosure of personal postal addresses, which would otherwise be protected under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912. Under this regulation, postmasters are obligated to supply the requested postal addresses to recruiting officers or authorised persons when requested by the Secretary of the State Recruiting Committee or by a recruiting officer. This obligation is specifically outlined in Regulation 47, which overrides any conflicting provisions in the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1912 or any regulations made under it. The purpose of this regulation is to facilitate the recruitment efforts during wartime by ensuring that recruiting officers have access to necessary information to contact potential recruits. Breaches of these regulations may have legal consequences, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the statutory rule. However, given the context of wartime measures, it is likely that any failure to comply with these regulations could be subject to penalties under the broader War Precautions Act 1914-1916. Such penalties could potentially include fines or imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of non-compliance in a time of national emergency. The specific maximum penalties would be determined by the courts based on the severity of the breach and other relevant circumstances.