STATUTORY RULES.
1919. No. 35.
REGULATION UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914-1918.
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 Precautions Act 1914-1918 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this twelfth day of February, 1919.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
E. J. RUSSELL,
Acting Minister of State for Defence.
Amendment of the War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations as Amended to this Date.
After regulation 52 of the War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations the following regulation is inserted:—
Financial arrangements with State Governments and Banks regarding wheat harvest.
“53. (1) In this regulation ‘the scheme’ means ‘The Government Scheme for Transportation and Marketing of the Australian Wheat Harvests 1915-1919 (under War Conditions)’, that is, the scheme entered into by the Governments of the Commonwealth and of the States of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia (in this regulation referred to as ‘the States’) for the transportation and marketing of the Australian Wheat Harvests 1915-1919 (under War Conditions).
“(2) The Prime Minister may, on behalf of the Commonwealth—
(a) enter, in conjunction with representatives of the Governments of the States, into an agreement with Banking Corporations carrying on business in Australia for providing for the financial requirements of the States to enable them to operate the scheme so far as it relates to the Australian Wheat Harvest 1918-1919; and
(b) give to those Banking Corporations a guarantee that each of those State Governments will repay to each Bank the advances made by the Bank to it under the agreement.
“(3) The Prime Minister may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, arrange with representatives of the Governments of the States for the undertaking by the Commonwealth of a proportion of the liability in respect of advances made at the request of or by arrangement with the Government of the Commonwealth to growers of wheat under the scheme so far as it relates to the Australian Wheat Harvests 1917-1918 and 1918-1919.”
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 of 1919, No. 35, issued under the War Precautions Act 1914-1918, introduced regulations to address the financial requirements of the Australian states for the transportation and marketing of wheat harvests during war conditions. The Governor-General, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, enacted these regulations to ensure the smooth operation of the Government Scheme for Transportation and Marketing of the Australian Wheat Harvests from 1915 to 1919. The objective was to facilitate agreements with Australian banking corporations to provide the necessary financial support to the states, while also offering guarantees to the banks for the repayment of advances made to the states. Additionally, the Commonwealth took on a share of the liability for advances made to wheat growers, thereby supporting the agricultural sector during wartime.
Scope and Application
The regulation pertains to financial arrangements specifically related to the transportation and marketing of the Australian wheat harvests under war conditions during the years 1915-1919. This regulation applies to the Commonwealth of Australia and the State Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, as well as Australian banking corporations involved in these financial arrangements. It addresses the financial needs of the State Governments to facilitate the wheat marketing scheme, ensuring that the necessary funds are made available to support the scheme's operations. The regulation empowers the Prime Minister to enter into agreements with banking corporations and provide guarantees for the repayment of advances made to the State Governments. Additionally, the regulation allows the Commonwealth to assume a share of the liability concerning advances made to wheat growers under the scheme, covering the wheat harvests of 1917-1918 and 1918-1919.
Key Provisions
The key operative sections of this Statutory Rule revolve around financial arrangements concerning the transportation and marketing of Australian wheat harvests during the war years, specifically for the 1918-1919 season. Section 53(1) introduces the term "the scheme," which refers to the Government Scheme for Transportation and Marketing of the Australian Wheat Harvests 1915-1919 under war conditions, an agreement involving the Commonwealth and the States of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Section 53(2) authorises the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Commonwealth, to enter into an agreement with Australian Banking Corporations to provide the necessary financial resources to the State Governments for operating the scheme related to the 1918-1919 wheat harvest, and to guarantee repayment by the State Governments to these Banks. Section 53(3) further allows the Commonwealth to assume a share of the liability for advances made to wheat growers under the scheme for the 1917-1918 and 1918-1919 harvests.
The obligations imposed by this Act include the requirement for the Prime Minister to negotiate financial agreements with Australian Banking Corporations on behalf of the Commonwealth and the State Governments. This entails ensuring that the Banks provide the necessary financial support for the wheat marketing scheme, and that the Commonwealth provides guarantees for the repayment of these advances. Furthermore, the Commonwealth is mandated to undertake a portion of the financial liability for advances made to wheat growers under the scheme. These obligations are essential for facilitating the smooth operation of the wheat marketing scheme during the war period.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this Statutory Rule can lead to various consequences. Although the specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the excerpt, breaches of regulations under the War Precautions Act 1914-1918 could potentially lead to criminal or civil liabilities. Under the broader Act, penalties can include fines and imprisonment, with the severity of the penalties depending on the nature and extent of the breach. The precise penalties for violations of these specific regulations would be governed by the terms of the War Precautions Act and any related legislation.