236
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

than before, we come to the conclusion that the twelve
years' term is about two years in excess of a fair
period."

26. The Commission thus fully admit the propriety
    of reduction, and the inevitable consequence of that
    reduction, viz., some retardation of promotion; but
    they conclude not only that such retardation is
    inadmissable under the guarantee, but that, in this
    particular case, the advancement of Lieutenant-
    Colonels to the Colonel's allowance should be
    expedited by one year, that is, service in the grade
    of Lieutenant-Colonel reduced from eleven years to
    ten.

27. With regard to the Lieutenant-Colonels
    promoted on and after the 1st January, 1862, the
    Commission report as follows:-

    "As regards Lieutenant-Colonels promoted on
    and after the 1st January, 1862, the
    Paras. 50 and 51. twelve years' rule has been made abso-
    lute from that date forward.
    "As a general period, looking to the future of the
    Indian service, and probably not representing
    eventually more than thirty-eight years' total service,
    it may not be in excess."

28. Having thus recorded their opinion upon the
    fourth point of their inquiry, being one of the two
    cases in which Lord Cranworth's Commission
    pronounced a doubtful opinion, the Commission
    proceed to consider the length of service to which
    some of the older Officers in the Army have attained,
    notwithstanding, as they observe, with reference to
    certain Lieutenant-Colonels of the 1st January, 1862,
    "that some of these Officers have had their promotion
    to Lieutenant-Colonel accelerated by the retirement
    of Officers upon the increased pensions;" and believ-
    ing that it might be for the advantage of the public
    service to provide a means of relieving
    Para. 55. the Indian Army from old and worn
    Para. 57. out Officers, such as some may even now be, and as
    more will hereafter become, they suggest, the addition
    of two higher rates of retiring allow-
    ance for thirty-five and thirty-eight
    years' service respectively, either in the form of
    pension or of part pension and part capital, these
    periods usually representing a total service of seldom
    less than forty and forty-three years.

29. In further support of this proposal, the Com-
    mission observes as follows:-

    "Para. 54. And we may here observe that the
    periods of service of Officers in the grades of Major
    and Captain are, in numerous instances, much longer
    than is generally supposed; so that, with all the
    advantages of accelerated promotion, they will, for the
    greater part, reach to forty or more years' service
    before promotion to regimental Colonel. There are,
    for example, many Officers, now regimental Captains,
    who have already completed more than twenty-five
    years' service."

And they give examples of some Officers who, under
the ordinary chances of the service, have been unlucky
in their promotion.

30. The cases of these Officers, who, it is admitted,
    have had or will have their promotion accelerated by
    recent measures, did not properly fall within the
    limits of the inquiry entrusted to the Commission;
    but it must be observed, in connection with this
    subject, that so far as promotion, present and prospec-
    tive, is concerned, a careful comparison between the
    Indian Army Lists of 1860 and 1866, will show that,
    by the several measures introduced during that period,
    viz., the introduction of new rules of promotion for
    the Officers joining the Staff Corps, the offer of
    special annuities, inducing above 300 of the senior
    Officers to retire, the removal of the names of all
    Staff Corps Officers when attaining to the position of
    Lieutenant-Colonel in the List of the Indian Army,

and the brevet arrangement of 1864, the promotion
of the Officers of the Indian Army has been greatly
accelerated within that period, and this, too, while
the Native Army itself was undergoing reduction to
the extent of one-half of its strength in 1857.

31. Upon the 5th point the Commission have
    reported as follows:--

    "We have given our most anxious and earnest
    consideration to this very difficult and
    complicated question, and we consider
    Paras. 65 & 66. 5th Point. that we shall not fulfil the duty im-
    posed on us if we fail to submit our opinion that the
    measure adopted by your Majesty's Government
    upon this point has not been effectual and sufficient
    to remove the grievance originally complained of.
    The main ground of that grievance we consider to be
    the regimental connexion between the local line and
    the Staff Corps, by the retention of the names of
    Staff Corps Officers on the cadres of regiments, and
    also by the retention on the old European regimental
    cadres of the names of those Officers who have been
    transferred to the new line regiments.
    "The measure adopted by Your Majesty's Govern-
    ment, therefore, falls short of what is required,
    inasmuch as it has not removed the cause of grievance,
    whilst the grievance itself has been aggravated by the
    disturbing effect of the general brevet.
    "The removal of Staff Corps Officers from regi-
    mental cadres might not prevent supersession either
    of the local Line Officers by those of the Staff Corps,
    or of Staff Corps Officers by those of the local line,
    but-belonging as they would then do to entirely
    distinct cadres, each body having its own distinct
    terms of service-such individual supersession would
    constitute no invasion of principle."

32. And they sum up their observations upon this
    point in the following words :-

    "On Point V. we consider that the measure
    adopted by Your Majesty's Government has not been
    effectual and sufficient, because of-
    (1.) The non-removal from the cadres of regi-
    ments of the Officers transferred to the Staff
    Corps and the new line regiments, as indicated
    by the Committee assembled by the Secretary
    of State, 30th July, 1860, of which Lord Hotham
    was President.
    (2.) The consequent withholding of promotion.
    (3.) The disturbing effect of the brevet.
    "In the settlement of questions of a most compli-
    cated character, arising out of extensive and organic
    changes in a body of such magnitude as the old
    Indian Army, accompanied with large but unavoid-
    able reductions, we cannot venture to suppose that
    all objections can be removed, or all conflicting inter-
    ests reconciled; but it appears to us perfectly prac-
    ticable to remove all just ground for complaining of
    the infraction of any real and established right in
    connexion with the particular points referred to us
    for report."

33. It will be seen that the Commission appointed
    by Her Majesty on this occasion have not confined
    themselves strictly to the questions submitted for
    their consideration.

34. They have suggested in one instance a measure,
    viz., the introduction of additional rates of retiring
    pension, which has no reference to the complaints
    brought under the consideration of Lord Cranworth's
    Commission and they have, moreover, recorded their
    opinion against an important feature in the scheme
    for the re-organization of the Indian Army, which
    the former Commission had pronounced to be no
    breach of the Parliamentary guarantee, and which,
    therefore, did not come within the scope of their
    inquiry. I allude to the retention of the names of
    Officers of the Staff Corps on the cadres of their
    former regiments.