1War Precautions Act 1914

WAR PRECAUTIONS.

No. 10 of 1914.

An Act to enable the Governor-General to make Regulations and Orders for the safety of the Commonwealth during the present state of war.

[Assented to 29th October, 1914.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and incorporation.

1. This Act may be cited as the War Precautions Act 1914, and shall be incorporated and read as one with the Defence Act 1903–1912.

Duration of Act.

2.—(1.) This Act shall continue in operation during the continuance of the present state of war, and no longer.

(2.) For the purposes of this Act, the present state of war means the period from the fourth day of August One thousand nine hundred and fourteen, at the hour of eleven o’clock post meridiem reckoned according to Greenwich standard time, until the issue of a proclamation by the Governor-General that the war between His Majesty the King and the German Emperor and between His Majesty the King and the Emperor of Austria King of Hungary has ceased.

Application of Act to regulations, &c., made since commencement of state of war.

3. All regulations and orders made by the Governor-General since the commencement of the present state of war shall be deemed to have been made in pursuance of the powers conferred by this Act, and any contravention thereof or non-compliance therewith, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to be an offence against this Act and shall be punishable accordingly.

Regulations.

4.—(1.) The Governor-General may make regulations for securing the public safety and the defence of the Commonwealth, and for conferring such powers and imposing such duties as he

thinks fit, with reference thereto, upon the Naval Board and the Military Board and the members of the Naval and Military Forces of the Commonwealth.

(2.) The regulations may authorize the trial by Courts-Martial and punishment of persons contravening any of the provisions of such regulations designed—

(a) to prevent persons communicating with the enemy, or obtaining information for that purpose or for any purpose calculated to jeopardize the success of the operations of any of His Majesty’s forces, in Australia or elsewhere, or to assist the enemy; or

(b) to secures the safety of any means of communication, or of any railways, docks, harbors, or public works; or

(c) to prevent the spread of reports likely to cause disaffection or alarm,

in like manner as if such persons were members of the Military Forces of the Commonwealth and had on active service committed an offence under section five of the Army Act.