STATUTORY RULES.

1917. No. 182.

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REGULATIONS 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 Regulations under the War Precautions Act 1914–1916, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this fourteenth day of August, 1917.

R. M. FERGUSON,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

G. F. PEARCE,

Minister of State for Defence.

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War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations.

(Statutory Rules 1916, No. 97, as amended by Statutory Rules 1916, Nos. 112, 122, 128, 129, 135, 167, 218, 219, 250, 253, 254, 255, 263, 271, 272, 289, 293, 298, 300, 301, 303, 328, and Statutory Rules 1917, Nos. 12, 17, 37, 56, 65, 73 and 94.)

The War Precautions (Supplementary) Regulations are amended by inserting at the end thereof the following Regulations:—

Unlawful assemblies prohibited.

“27.—(1) It shall not be lawful for any number of persons exceeding twenty to meet in the open air in any part of the proclaimed place for any unlawful purpose or for the purpose or on the pretext of making known their grievances or of discussing public affairs or of considering of or presenting or preparing any petition memorial complaint remonstrance declaration or other address to His Majesty or to the Governor-General or to both Houses or either House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth or to any Minister or officer of the Commonwealth for the repeal or enactment of any law or for the alteration of matters of State.

“(2) Any person who takes part in any meeting in contravention of the last preceding sub-regulation shall be guilty of an offence.

“(3) Any Justice may proceed with or without assistance to any part of the proclaimed place in which any meeting is being held in contravention of this Regulation and may then and there read or repeat aloud to the persons then and there present a notice in the words following:—

‘Our Sovereign Lord the King strictly charges and commands all persons here assembled immediately to disperse themselves and peaceably depart hence. God save the King.’

“(4) If any person wilfully and knowingly in any way obstructs hinders or hurts any Justice who attempts to read or repeat the above-mentioned notice so that the notice is not read or repeated, or after the expiration of fifteen minutes after the notice has been read or repeated or has been so hindered from being read or repeated remains at the place of meeting, he shall be guilty of an offence.

“(5) Any officer of police or officer thereto authorized in writing by the Minister for Defence may arrest without warrant any person who appears to him to have been guilty of an offence against the provisions of this Regulation.

“(6) In this Regulation ‘the proclaimed place’ means the area within that part of the City of Melbourne which is contained within the following boundaries:—

‘Commencing at the junction of Exhibition-street and Flinders-street running along Flinders-street and Wellington-parade to Lansdowne-street; thence by Lansdowne-street to Victoria-parade; thence by Victoria-parade to its junction with Exhibition-street; thence by Exhibition-street to the point of starting including the said streets.’”

Obstruction of Officers of Parliament.

“28. Any person who wilfully obstructs or resists any officer of the Parliament while engaged in the discharge or attempted discharge of the duties of his office shall be guilty of an offence.”

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