STATUTORY RULES.
1917. No. 146.
REGULATION UNDER THE WAR PRECAUTIONS ACT 1914-1916.
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 1914-1916 to come into operation forthwith.
Dated this second day of July, 1917.
R. M. FERGUSON,
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
JOHN FORREST,
for Minister of State for Defence.
Amendment of the War Precautions (Wool) Regulations 1916.
(Statutory Rules 1916, No. 322, as amended by Statutory Rules 1917, Nos. 41, 52, and 71.)
The War Precautions (Wool) Regulations are amended by inserting, after regulation 13 thereof, the following regulation:—
Prime Minister may require returns to be furnished.
“13a.—(1.) The Prime Minister may, upon the recommendation of the Central Committee, by notice in the Gazette, require any person, firm, or company, holding, or having under his or its control, stocks of wool, to furnish to the Central Committee, such returns, within such times, as are specified by him.
“(2.) Any person, firm, or company, who or which refuses or fails to furnish to the Central Committee, within such time as is specified by the Prime Minister, any return which he or it is required, in pursuance of this regulation, to furnish, shall be guilty of an offence.”
Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.
C.8303.—Price 3d.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1917, No. 146, enacted under the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, was introduced to address the need for stringent control over the wool industry during the First World War. The enactment was made by the Governor-General in Council, which highlights the urgency and national significance of the matter. This legislative instrument aimed to enhance the regulatory oversight of wool stocks, enabling the government to better manage and allocate resources crucial for the war effort. The policy objective was to ensure that the wool industry contributed effectively to the national war supply by mandating the submission of detailed returns on wool stocks. This was intended to prevent shortages and ensure equitable distribution, thereby supporting the broader war strategy.
Scope and Application
The War Precautions (Wool) Regulations 1916, as amended by Statutory Rules 1917, No. 146, apply to any person, firm, or company that holds or controls stocks of wool within the Commonwealth of Australia. The regulation is an instrument of the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, thereby extending the reach of Commonwealth authority to manage wartime resources. The amendment allows the Prime Minister, on the recommendation of the Central Committee, to mandate these entities to submit returns detailing their wool stocks. Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes an offence, indicating the stringent measures in place to ensure compliance during wartime. The regulations do not specify exclusions or exemptions but operate broadly across the industry, with any deviations potentially managed through further subordinate instruments.
Key Provisions
The main operative section of this regulation (section 13a) provides that the Prime Minister, on the recommendation of the Central Committee, may require any person, firm, or company holding or having under their control stocks of wool to furnish specific returns to the Central Committee within specified times. These returns are to be published in the Gazette (subsection 13a(1)). This regulation is an amendment to the War Precautions (Wool) Regulations 1916 and is intended to ensure that the Central Committee has accurate and timely information about wool stocks, which could be critical for the war effort.
The obligations imposed by this regulation are clear and direct. Any person, firm, or company that holds stocks of wool must comply with the Prime Minister’s requirement to furnish specified returns to the Central Committee within the designated timeframe (subsection 13a(1)). Failure to comply with this requirement constitutes an offence under the regulation (subsection 13a(2)). This means that any entity subject to this regulation must actively participate in providing the necessary information to the Central Committee as requested by the Prime Minister.
The consequences of breaching this regulation are specified in section 13a(2), which states that any person, firm, or company that refuses or fails to furnish the required returns within the specified time is guilty of an offence. While the regulation does not detail the specific penalties or legal consequences of such an offence, it implies that there are serious repercussions for non-compliance. The regulation's language suggests that the breach of this requirement could lead to legal action, although the exact nature of the penalties or proceedings is not explicitly stated in the regulation itself.