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EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1926

EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1926 - LONG TITLE

An Act to make provision for the protection of the community in
Northern Ireland in cases of emergency.
[6th May 1926]
Issue of proclamations of emergency.

EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1926 - SECT 1

1. If at any time it appears to the Governor of Northern Ireland
that [there have occurred, or are about to occur, (whether in
Northern Ireland or elsewhere) events of such a nature] as to be
calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food,
water, fuel, or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive
the community in Northern Ireland, or any substantial portion of
that community, of the essentials of life, the said Governor may,
by proclamation (in this Act referred to as a proclamation of
emergency), declare that a state of emergency exists.

A proclamation of emergency shall continue in force until revoked by
the said Governor.

EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1926 - SECT 2
Emergency regulations.

2.(1) Where a proclamation of emergency has been made, and so long
as the proclamation is in force, it shall be lawful for the said
Governor, by Order in the Privy Council of Northern Ireland to make
regulations for securing the essentials of life to the community,
and those regulations may confer or impose on any Minister or
Ministry of Northern Ireland, officer of the Government of Northern
Ireland (including any police officer or constable), local authority,
or other person acting on behalf of the said Government, such
powers and duties as the said Governor may deem necessary for the
preservation of the peace, for securing and regulating the supply
and distribution of food, water, fuel, light, and other necessities,
for maintaining the means of transit or locomotion, and for any
other purposes essential to the public safety and the life of the
community, and may make such provisions incidental to the powers
aforesaid as may appear to the said Governor to be required for
making the exercise of those powers effective:

Provided that no such regulation shall make it an offence for any
person or persons to take part in a strike, or peacefully to
persuade any other person or persons to take part in a strike.

(2) Any regulations so made shall be laid before Parliament as soon
as may be after they are made.

(3) The regulations may provide for the trial, by courts of summary
jurisdiction, of persons guilty of offences against the regulations;
so, however, that the maximum penalty which may be inflicted for
any offence against any such regulations shall be imprisonment,...
for a term of three months, or a fine of one hundred pounds, or
both such imprisonment and fine, together with the forfeiture of any
goods or money in respect of which the offence has been committed:

Provided that no such regulations shall alter any existing procedure
in criminal cases, or confer any right to punish by fine or
imprisonment without trial.

(4) The regulations so made shall have effect as if enacted in
this Act, but may be added to, altered, or revoked by regulations
made in like manner and subject to the like provisions as the
original regulations.

(5) The expiry or revocation of any regulations so made shall not
be deemed to have affected the previous operation thereof, or the
validity of any action taken thereunder, or any penalty or
punishment incurred in respect of any contravention or failure to
comply therewith, or any proceeding or remedy in respect of any
such punishment or penalty.

S.3 rep. by 1973 c.53 s.31 sch.5

EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1926 - SECT 4
Short title.

4. This Act may be cited as the Emergency Powers Act (Northern
Ireland), 1926.