War Service Regulations 1916 (Amendment)

Legislation au C1916L00285 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

STATUTORY RULES

1916. No. 285.

___________

REGULATIONS UNDER THE DEFENCE ACT 1903-1915 AND 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 within Regulations under the Defence Act 1903-1915 and the War Precautions Act 1914-1916 to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this tenth day of November, One thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE,

Minister of State for Defence.

___________

War Service Regulations 1916.

Amendments.

1. After Regulation 11 of the War Service Regulations the following Regulation is inserted:—

Person to serve forthwith if application refused.

11a. (1) Where a Local Exemption Court has refused to grant a certificate of exemption to a person, he shall forthwith be liable to render military service.

(2) The lodging of an appeal against the decision of a Local Exemption Court refusing to grant a certificate of exemption shall not exempt a person from the liability to forthwith render military service.”

2. Regulation 13b of the War Service Regulations is omitted and the following Regulation inserted in its stead:—

Proof of certain matters.

13b. In any proceedings against a person for failure to enlist when required by the Defence Act so to do, the averments of the prosecutor contained in the information or complaint that the defendant on the second day of October One thousand nine hundred and sixteen

(a) was a male inhabitant of Australia;

(b) was not exempt from service in the Defence Force;

(c) had resided in Australia for six months;

(d) was a British subject;

(e) was of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, but under the age of thirty-five years;

(f) was unmarried or was a widower without children shall be deemed to be proved in the absence of proof to the contrary.”

 

 

C.14999.—Price 3d.


3. After Regulation 13b the following Regulation is inserted:—

Service by post.

13c. The service of a notice authorized by these Regulations to be served by post shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be deemed to be effected by addressing the same to the person’s last known place of abode and properly prepaying and posting the notice as a letter, and, unless the contrary is proved, shall be deemed to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered; in the ordinary course of post.”

4. Regulation 35 of the War Service Regulations is amended—

(a) by omitting from paragraph (e) of Sub-Regulation (1) the words “prior to the second day of October One thousand nine hundred and sixteen” and inserting in their stead the words “in the Australian Imperial Force or in any Naval or Military unit of His Majesty’s Forces or of the Forces of an allied power on active service beyond the limits of the Commonwealth”;

(b) by adding in paragraph (f) of Sub-Regulation (1) after the word “sole” the words “or main”;

(c) by adding in Sub-Regulation (1a) after the words “only son” the words “or a sole remaining son”;

(d) by adding at the end thereof the following Sub-Regulation:—

“(4) Where on any application for the grant of a certificate of exemption on the ground referred to in paragraph (f) of Sub-Regulation (1) of this Regulation, the Court is satisfied that the applicant, notwithstanding that he is the sole or main support of any of the persons referred to in that paragraph, could, if required to render military service, contribute to the support of those persons an amount not less than that which he at present contributes to their support, or an amount sufficient for their reasonable support, the Court shall refuse to grant a certificate of exemption”, and

(e) by inserting after Sub-Regulation (1a) the following Sub-Regulation:—

(1b). The Minister for Defence may by notice published in the Gazette exempt from military service for such period or periods and subject to such conditions as he thinks fit persons engaged in any employment specified by him.”

5. Regulation 36 of the War Service Regulations is amended:—

(a) by omitting from Sub-Regulation (1) the words and figures “prior to the 2nd day of October 1916” (wherever they occur) and inserting in their stead the words “in the Australian Imperial Force or in any Naval or Military unit of His Majesty’s Forces or the Forces of an allied power on active service beyond the limits of the Commonwealth”; and


(b) by omitting Sub-Regulation (2) and inserting in its stead the following Sub-Regulation:—

“(2) where an application is made under Sub-Regulation (1) of this Regulation, all the sons affected by the application shall furnish to the Chief Registrar such information as he requires”.

6. Regulation 54 of the War Service Regulations is amended by adding thereto the following paragraph:—

“or (e) That the certificate was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation”.

7. Regulation 58 of the War Service Regulations is amended by omitting Sub-Regulation (2) thereof and inserting in its stead the following Sub-Regulation:—

“(2) The Supreme Court and the County or District Courts of a State shall be District Appeal Courts for the Military District corresponding to the State, and the jurisdiction of the Courts shall be exercisable by a single Judge.

8. Sub-Regulation (1) of Regulation 60 of the War Service Regulations is amended by omitting the words “a District Appeal Court” and inserting in their stead the words “the nearest District Appeal Court”.

Further medical examination where desirable.

9. After Regulation 78 of the War Service Regulations, the following Regulation is inserted:-—

78a (1) Where it appears to a Military Registrar that it is desirable that a person, to whom a medical certificate of unfitness has been granted by a medical referee board, should be required to undergo a further medical examination by a medical referee board, the Military Registrar may serve on him by post a notice requiring him to attend at a time and place specified in the notice before a Medical Referee Board for further medical examination.

(2) The person to whom the notice was posted shall attend at the time and place specified in the notice and shall submit to a further medical examination by the Medical Referee Board and shall produce to the Board his medical certificate of unfitness.

(3) If the Board is satisfied after the further medical examination that the person is fit for military service, it shall retain the medical certificate of unfitness and shall enter on his attestation papers that upon a further medical examination the Board finds that he is fit for military service.

(4) If the Board is satisfied that the person is unfit for military service it shall return the medical certificate of unfitness to him.

(5) A person on whom notice is served in accordance with Sub-Regulation (1) of this Regulation and who fails to attend at the time and place specified in the notice shall be guilty of an offence:

Penalty: Twenty pounds or imprisonment for three months”.


10. After Regulation 86 of the War Service Regulations the following Regulation is inserted:—

Notification where holder of certificate changes employment.

86a (1) Where a certificate of exemption has been granted to a person, an employer by whom that person is employed shall, forthwith on the person ceasing to be in his employ, notify the Military Registrar of the Sub-District in which the person resides that he has ceased to be in his employ.

“(2) An employer who engages as an employee a person to whom a certificate of exemption has been granted shall forthwith notify the Military Registrar of the Sub-District in which that person resides that he has engaged that person as an employee.

“(3) Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of Sub-Regulation (1) or (2) or this Regulation shall be guilty of an offence.

Penalty: Twenty pounds or imprisonment for three months”.

______________________

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 Service Regulations 1916 were enacted to address the need for stricter enforcement of military service obligations during a period of heightened military activity and national emergency. This legislative instrument was made under the authority of the Defence Act 1903-1915 and the War Precautions Act 1914-1916 by the Governor-General in Council, reflecting the urgency and gravity of the situation at the time. The primary policy objective of these regulations was to ensure that all eligible males were available for military service by clarifying the procedures and penalties for non-compliance with military service obligations. The regulations introduced amendments to the War Service Regulations to strengthen the enforcement mechanisms and clarify the responsibilities of individuals and employers in relation to military service exemptions and enlistments.

Scope and Application

The War Service Regulations 1916, established under the Defence Act 1903-1915 and the War Precautions Act 1914-1916, pertain to individuals who are liable to render military service within the Commonwealth of Australia. These regulations mandate that any male inhabitant of Australia, who is not exempt from service in the Defence Force, has resided in Australia for six months, is a British subject, and falls within the age bracket of twenty-one to thirty-five years, is required to enlist when called upon by the Defence Act. Exemptions from this requirement are narrowly defined, and refusal by a Local Exemption Court to grant a certificate of exemption obligates the individual to serve forthwith, with appeals against such refusals not exempting them from this obligation. Furthermore, the regulations address the service of notices and certificates by post, the amendment of certain exemptions, and the procedures for further medical examinations where deemed necessary. The Minister for Defence is empowered to exempt specific categories of employment from military service, subject to conditions outlined in the Gazette. The geographic scope of these regulations is national, applying uniformly across the Commonwealth of Australia, and they extend to individuals serving in the Australian Imperial Force or any Naval or Military unit of His Majesty’s Forces or allied powers on active service beyond the Commonwealth's limits.

Key Provisions

The War Service Regulations 1916 include several key amendments and additions, notably around the enforcement of military service and exemptions. Section 11a mandates that if a Local Exemption Court refuses to grant a certificate of exemption to a person, that person must immediately be liable to render military service, regardless of any pending appeals (s. 11a). Furthermore, Section 13b outlines that specific averments regarding an individual's eligibility for military service are deemed proved unless evidence to the contrary is presented (s. 13b). Regulation 13c provides for the service of notices by post, specifying the method and presumption of delivery (s. 13c). Additionally, Regulation 35 is amended to expand the grounds for exemption and clarify the conditions under which the Minister for Defence may exempt certain individuals from military service (s. 35). Regulation 36 is revised to adjust the requirements for applications related to sons in military service and the information needed from affected parties (s. 36). Regulation 54 is expanded to include fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining a certificate as grounds for disqualification (s. 54). Regulation 58 designates Supreme and District Courts as District Appeal Courts for military districts, limiting their jurisdiction to a single judge (s. 58). Regulation 60 modifies the procedure for appeals by specifying the nearest District Appeal Court (s. 60). The War Service Regulations impose several obligations on individuals and employers. Individuals who are deemed fit for military service must comply with the requirement to serve immediately if their exemption certificate is refused (s. 11a). Employers must notify the Military Registrar when an employee who holds an exemption certificate either ceases employment or is newly hired (s. 86a). These notifications are crucial for maintaining accurate records of individuals who are eligible or ineligible for military service. Individuals who fail to comply with these notification requirements commit an offence and face penalties (s. 86a). Additionally, individuals who receive a notice for further medical examination must comply by attending and undergoing the examination as specified (s. 78a). Breaches of these regulations can lead to serious consequences. Failure to comply with the requirement to attend a further medical examination results in an offence and carries a penalty of up to twenty pounds or imprisonment for three months (s. 78a). Similarly, employers who fail to notify the Military Registrar of changes in employment status of individuals holding exemption certificates are also guilty of an offence, with the same penalty of up to twenty pounds or imprisonment for three months (s. 86a). These penalties underscore the importance of adhering to the regulations and the legal ramifications of non-compliance.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Defence Law
Military Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Offence Provisions
Enforcement Powers
Licensing & Registration
Regulatory Standards

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.