Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923

Offences in relation to billeting.

58.—Every person subject to military law who commits any of the following offences (in this Act referred to as offences in relation to billeting), that is to say:—

(1) The offence of ill-treating (by violence, extortion or making disturbances in billets) the occupier of a house in which any person or horse is billeted; or

(2) Being an officer, the offence of refusing or neglecting on complaint and proof of such ill-treatment by any officer or soldier under his command, to cause compensation to be made for the same; or

(3) The offence of failing to comply with the provisions of this Act with respect to the payment of just demands of the person on whom he or any officer or soldier under his command, or his or their horses have been billeted, or to the making up and transmitting of an account of the money due to such person; or

(4) The offence of wilfully demanding billets which are not actually required for some person or horse entitled to be billeted; or

(5) The offence of taking or knowingly suffering to be taken, from any person any money or reward for excusing or relieving any person from his liability in respect of billeting or quartering of officers, soldiers or horses, or any part of such liability; or

(6) The offence of using or offering any menace to or compulsion on any constable or other civil officer to make him give billets contrary to this Act, or tending to deter or discourage him from performing any part of his duty under the provisions of this Act relating to billeting or tending to induce him to do anything contrary to his said duty; or

(7) The offence of using or offering any menace to or compulsion on any person tending to oblige him to receive, without his consent, any person or horse not duly billeted upon him in pursuance of the provisions of this Act relating to billeting or to furnish any accommodation which he is not thereby required to furnish;

shall, on conviction by Court-Martial be liable to suffer imprisonment or such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned.