ANNO QUADRAGESIMO OCTAVO
V I C T O R I A E REGINAE.
No. X X V I I I
An Act to provide for the government dis­
cipline payment and maintenance of the
Australian Contingent engaged and des­
patched for service with Her Majesty's
Regular Forces in Egypt and for the
indemnification of all persons employed
or concerned in the engagement and
despatch of such Contingent and for the
validation of all acts done and payments
made in connection therewith in anticipa­
tion of the sanction of Parliament. [27th
March, 1885.]
W
H E R E A S by the " A r m y A c t 1 8 8 1 " (being the A c t of the
I m p e r i a l L e g i s l a t u r e passed in t h e Session o f t h e forty-fourth
a n d forty-fifth y e a r of t h e reign o f H e r M o s t G r a c i o u s M a j e s t y ) it
is e n a c t e d t h a t w h e r e a n y force o f V o l u n t e e r s or o f M i l i t i a or a n y
o t h e r force is raised in I n d i a or in a Colony a n y l a w o f I n d i a or the
C o l o n y m a y e x t e n d to t h e officers n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers a n d m e n
b e l o n g i n g to such f o r c e w h e t h e r w i t h i n or w i t h o u t t h e l i m i t s o f I n d i a
or t h e C o l o n y — a n d w h e r e any such force is serving with p a r t o f H e r
M a j e s t y ' s r e g u l a r f o r c e s — t h e n so far as t h e l a w o f I n d i a or t h e C o l o n y
h a s n o t provided for t h e g o v e r n m e n t and discipline o f such f o r c e t h e
said c i t e d A c t and a n y o t h e r A c t for t h e t i m e b e i n g a m e n d i n g t h e
s a m e s h a l l s u b j e c t to s u c h e x c e p t i o n s and modifications as m a y b e
specified in t h e general orders o f t h e G e n e r a l Officer c o m m a n d i n g H e r
Majesty's
M a j e s t y ' s forces w i t h w h i c h s u c h force is s e r v i n g a p p l y to t h e officers
n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers a n d m e n o f s u c h force in l i k e m a n n e r as t h e y
apply to t h e officers n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers a n d m e n r e s p e c t i v e l y
m e n t i o n e d i n t h e o n e h u n d r e d a n d seventy-fifth and one hundred a n d
s e v e n t y - s i x t h sections o f t h e said A c t as officers a n d soldiers s u b j e c t t o
m i l i t a r y l a w A n d whereas on t h e t w e l f t h day o f F e b r u a r y i n t h i s
p r e s e n t y e a r a n offer was m a d e b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t of this C o l o n y to H e r
M a j e s t y ' s I m p e r i a l G o v e r n m e n t t o s u p p l y from a n d on b e h a l f o f t h e
said C o l o n y a M i l i t a r y C o n t i n g e n t in aid o f H e r M a j e s t y ' s forces t h e n
e n g a g e d i n s e r v i c e i n E g y p t to consist o f F i v e h u n d r e d I n f a n t r y a n d
T w o B a t t e r i e s o f A r t i l l e r y fully e q u i p p e d and to b e despatched to E g y p t
a n d m a i n t a i n e d w h i l e e m p l o y e d in H e r M a j e s t y ' s S e r v i c e a t t h e sole
cost o f t h e said C o l o n y A n d whereas t h e said offer was afterwards on
t h e f o u r t e e n t h day o f F e b r u a r y in t h e said y e a r a c c e p t e d b y H e r
M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t s u b j e c t to a c e r t a i n r e d u c t i o n i n t h e A r t i l l e r y
F o r c e A n d whereas on t h e t h i r d day of M a r c h in t h e said y e a r t h e said
C o n t i n g e n t to t h e n u m b e r o f five h u n d r e d a n d s e v e n t y I n f a n t r y a n d two
h u n d r e d and o n e A r t i l l e r y w e r e t o g e t h e r w i t h horses a n d a l l n e c e s s a r y
e q u i p m e n t s and stores despatched from t h e C o l o n y in fulfilment o f t h e
offer so a c c e p t e d A n d whereas i t is e x p e d i e n t t h a t effective provision
should b e m a d e for t h e g o v e r n m e n t a n d discipline o f t h e said C o n t i n g e n t
w h i l e a b s e n t from t h e C o l o n y and e m p l o y e d on H e r M a j e s t y ' s S e r v i c e —
a n d i t has b e e n considered desirable for s u c h purpose t h a t n o doubts
should e x i s t as to t h e a p p l i c a b i l i t y o f t h e one h u n d r e d a n d s e v e n t y s e v e n t h section o f t h e said " A r m y A c t 1 8 8 1 " to t h e officers non­
c o m m i s s i o n e d officers a n d m e n o f t h e said C o n t i n g e n t A n d w h e r e a s
i t is e x p e d i e n t t h a t P a r l i a m e n t a r y provision for t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f
t h e said I n f a n t r y a n d A r t i l l e r y F o r c e s d u r i n g t h e t e r m o f t h e i r e n g a g e ­
m e n t should b e m a d e as soon as p r a c t i c a b l e a f t e r t h e i r d e p a r t u r e f r o m
t h e C o l o n y a n d t h a t all persons employed or c o n c e r n e d in t h e e n g a g e ­
m e n t o r e q u i p m e n t o f s u c h forces should b e indemnified a n d held
h a r m l e s s i n r e s p e c t o f a n y t h i n g done b y t h e m in c o n n e x i o n w i t h s u c h
e n g a g e m e n t or e q u i p m e n t a n d f u r t h e r t h a t a l l P r o c l a m a t i o n s R e g u l a ­
t i o n s D e l e g a t i o n s W a r r a n t s a n d o t h e r I n s t r u m e n t s m a d e or issued or
p u r p o r t i n g to bo m a d e or issued u n d e r t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e " M i l i t a r y
and Naval Forces Regulation A c t " (being the A c t thirty-four
V i c t o r i a n u m b e r n i n e t e e n ) and a l l e n g a g e m e n t s and o a t h s m a d e or
p u r p o r t i n g to be m a d e t e n d e r e d or t a k e n u n d e r t h e said l a s t - m e n t i o n e d
A c t for t h e purpose in a n y o f t h e aforesaid cases o f or in a n y w a y i n
c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e r a i s i n g of t h e said C o n t i n g e n t or its service out o f
t h e C o l o n y and t h a t a l l p a y m e n t s m a d e a n d c o n t r a c t s entered i n t o b y
or on b e h a l f o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t b u t w i t h o u t t h e s a n c t i o n of P a r l i a m e n t
for t h e e n g a g e m e n t v i c t u a l l i n g t r a n s p o r t or e q u i p m e n t o f such
C o n t i n g e n t should b e d e c l a r e d valid a n d effectual in law B e i t t h e r e ­
fore e n a c t e d b y t h e Q u e e n ' s M o s t E x c e l l e n t M a j e s t y b y a n d w i t h t h e
advice a n d c o n s e n t o f t h e L e g i s l a t i v e C o u n c i l and L e g i s l a t i v e A s s e m b l y
of N e w S o u t h W a l e s in P a r l i a m e n t a s s e m b l e d and b y t h e a u t h o r i t y o f
t h e same:—1. T h i s A c t m a y b e c i t e d as t h e " A u s t r a l i a n M i l i t a r y C o n t i n ­
g e n t A c t " — a n d i n its c o n s t r u c t i o n t h e t e r m " C o n t i n g e n t " m e a n s and
i n c l u d e s t h e officers n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers and m e n o f t h e I n f a n t r y
a n d A r t i l l e r y F o r c e s raised a n d despatched b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f
N e w S o u t h Wales for service with H e r M a j e s t y ' s R e g u l a r F o r c e s i n
E g y p t p u r s u a n t to t h e offer a n d a c c e p t a n c e o f troops h e r e i n b e f o r e
r e c i t e d — a s w e l l as a n y officers n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers and m e n
w h o m a y h e r e a f t e r b e e n g a g e d to m a i n t a i n t h e F o r c e s so serving
up to t h e o r i g i n a l s t r e n g t h o f e a c h a r m t h e r e o f or to s u c h increased
or r e d u c e d s t r e n g t h as P a r l i a m e n t m a y a t a n y t i m e d e t e r m i n e a n d
appoint.
2.
2. T h e C o n t i n g e n t is h e r e b y d e c l a r e d to b e a F o r c e l a w f u l l y
e n g a g e d for t h e purposes a n d w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e " M i l i t a r y
and N a v a l F o r c e s R e g u l a t i o n A c t " n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h a t t h e i n t e n d e d
p l a c e o f service o f s u c h C o n t i n g e n t was a n d m a y b e outside t h e C o l o n y
or t h a t t h e intended service was or m a y b e a service with H e r M a j e s t y ' s
R e g u l a r F o r c e s in E g y p t A n d t h e said C o n t i n g e n t is f u r t h e r declared
to b e a F o r c e raised in a Colony for t h e purposes a n d w i t h i n t h e
m e a n i n g o f t h e one h u n d r e d a n d s e v e n t y - s e v e n t h section o f t h e A c t
of: t h e I m p e r i a l L e g i s l a t u r e forty-fourth a n d forty-fifth V i c t o r i a c h a p t e r
fifty-eight
B u t n o t h i n g in t h i s section contained shall p r e j u d i c e or
affect t h e power o f t h e G o v e r n o r t o m a k e rules a n d r e g u l a t i o n s u n d e r
or t o e x e r c i s e a n y o t h e r power conferred b y t h e said " M i l i t a r y a n d
N a v a l F o r c e s R e g u l a t i o n A c t " — o r shall p r e j u d i c e or affect t h e rates or
scale of pay a n d a l l o w a n c e s appointed or to b e a p p o i n t e d for t h e Con­
t i n g e n t — o r t h e period t e r m s or conditions o f service for or u n d e r which
t h e officers n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers a n d m e n o f s u c h C o n t i n g e n t
have b e e n or m a y hereafter b e engaged.
3 . T h e s u m o f one h u n d r e d and fifty t h o u s a n d pounds is h e r e b y
appropriated f r o m t h e Consolidated R e v e n u e o f t h e C o l o n y for t h e
transport p a y m e n t m a i n t e n a n c e a n d e q u i p m e n t of t h e C o n t i n g e n t
for t h e y e a r one t h o u s a n d e i g h t h u n d r e d and eighty-five
The
G o v e r n o r w i t h t h e advice of t h e E x e c u t i v e C o u n c i l m a y m a k e r e g u l a ­
tions for g i v i n g effect t o t h e provisions o f t h i s section w h i c h r e g u l a ­
tions shall b e laid before P a r l i a m e n t i f i n session w i t h i n f o u r t e e n days
after p u b l i c a t i o n t h e r e o f i n t h e Gazette
a n d i f n o t i n session t h e n
w i t h i n fourteen days from t h e c o m m e n c e m e n t o f t h e t h e n n e x t
session.
4i. A l l persons who h a v e b e e n e m p l o y e d or c o n c e r n e d in
e n g a g i n g a n y o f t h e officers non-commissioned officers a n d m e n
despatched on t h e t h i r d day o f M a r c h i n this present y e a r for service
w i t h H e r M a j e s t y ' s R e g u l a r F o r c e s i n E g y p t or w h o h a v e authorised
or directed a n y o t h e r persons to e m p l o y or e n g a g e a n y s u c h officers
n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d officers or m e n or w h o h a v e m a d e or authorised a n y
p a y m e n t s from t h e Consolidated R e v e n u e F u n d to b e m a d e or w h o
h a v e e n t e r e d into a n y c o n t r a c t for t h e p u r c h a s e of stores v i c t u a l s
horses forage or e q u i p m e n t s o f a n y description w h a t s o e v e r for t h e use
of t h e c o n t i n g e n t or for t h e t r a n s p o r t t h e r e o f or for a n y purpose i n
c o n n e c t i o n t h e r e w i t h are h e r e b y declared to b e indemnified and held
h a r m l e s s i n t h e e v e n t of a n y l e g a l or o t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s b e i n g i n s t i t u t e d
a g a i n s t s u c h persons i n respect o f a n y t h i n g done b y t h e m i n or a b o u t
a n y s u c h p a y m e n t e m p l o y m e n t or e n g a g e m e n t a u t h o r i t y direction or
c o n t r a c t as aforesaid A n d every s u c h p a y m e n t and c o n t r a c t is h e r e b y
decared to b e valid a n d effctual i n law and for a l l o t h e r purposes
whatsoever.
5. A l l p r o c l a m a t i o n s regulations delegations w a r r a n t s orders
a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s a n d a c t s m a d e done or issued or
p u r p o r t i n g so t o b e u n d e r t h e a u t h o r i t y of t h e " M i l i t a r y a n d N a v a l
F o r c e s R e g u l a t i o n A c t " for t h e purpose o f r a i s i n g e q u i p p i n g v i c t u a l ­
l i n g or d e s p a t c h i n g t h e C o n t i n g e n t or o f m a i n t a i n i n g its g o v e r n m e n t
a n d discipline a r e h e r e b y declared to be a n d to h a v e b e e n w i t h i n t h e
r e s p e c t i v e powers conferred b y t h e said A c t .