Commonwealth legislation

War Census Regulations 1915 (Provisional)

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

134 of 1915

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

This regulation creates a mandatory secrecy oath (declaration) for government officers conducting the World War I census.

What the census does: The War Census requires adult men to register personal details (age, occupation, and marital status) so the government can identify potential recruits and track national resources for the war effort.

What this regulation requires: Any officer appointed to collect or handle census forms must formally swear that they will:

Perform their duties faithfully and not abandon their post without good reason
Not falsify, alter, or sign untrue documents
Keep all personal information strictly confidential, only disclosing it when specifically permitted by the Act or regulations

Why it matters: The regulation protects citizens' privacy by legally binding officials to secrecy, ensuring sensitive personal data collected for national defence isn't misused, leaked, or altered.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in War Census Regulations 1915 (Provisional).

War Census Regulations 1915 (Provisional)

STATUTORY RULES.

1915. No. 134.

PROVISIONAL REGULATION UNDER THE WAR CENSUS ACT 1915.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby certify that, on account of urgency, the following Regulation under the War Census Act 1915 should come into immediate operation, and make the Regulation to come into operation forthwith as a Provisional Regulation.

Dated this fourth day of August, One thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

W. M. HUGHES,

Attorney-General.

The War Census Act 1915.

Declaration by Officer under Section 12.

I, of being an Officer executing powers and duties conferred and imposed under the above-named Act or the Regulations, do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will faithfully and to the best of my ability execute the powers and duties so conferred and imposed, and that I will not desert from my duty, or refuse or wilfully neglect, without just cause, to perform the duties of my office, or wilfully or without lawful authority alter any document or form under the said Act, or wilfully sign any untrue document or form, or, except as allowed by the said Act or the Regulations, divulge the contents of any form filled up in pursuance of the said Act, or any information furnished in pursuance of the said Act.

View image in the official sourceDeclared at this

*..........................

day of , 19 .

Before me †..........................

* Signature of officer.

† Signature of Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Affidavits or Commissioner for Declarations.

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

C.10615.—Price 3d.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 War Census Regulations 1915 (Provisional)