626

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

FORMATION OF CORPS.

6. Persons wishing to form Volunteer Corps should
   place themselves in communication with the Officer
   commanding the Militia District, who will submit the
   offer of their services for the consideration of the
   Government. If there be no officer appointed to
   command the district, they will communicate direct
   with the Under Secretary for Defence (Militia and
   Volunteer), Wellington.

7. In considering the offer of the services of a new
   corps, regard will be had to the number and descrip-
   tion of the corps already existing in the same district,
   to the circumstances of the locality, and to the limits
   imposed by the amount placed at the disposal of
   Government by the General Assembly in the Volun-
   teer vote. It is therefore desirable that in forwarding
   such offers of services it should be stated—

a. The circumstances which may appear to render
it advisable to sanction the formation of the
proposed corps.
b. The place proposed for the head-quarters of the
corps.
c. The number of persons who are prepared to
enrol themselves.
d. For Artillery.—Where it is proposed that the
Artillery practice of the corps shall be carried
on, and whether such practice will interfere
with the safety or convenience of the public.
For other Arms.—That the use of a rifle practice
ground can be secured; the situation of the
proposed ground; the extent of range afforded
—which must not be less than 300 yards;
and what arrangements are required to secure
the safety and convenience of the public.
For Naval Volunteers it should, in addition, be
stated where, and by what means, it is pro-
posed to carry on evolutions afloat.
e. That a safe storehouse and magazine for any
arms and ammunition which may be issued can
be provided.

PRECEDENCE.

8. In the Volunteer Force, the different arms rank
   in the following order, viz.,—
   Light Horse Volunteers. ditto
   Artillery ditto
   Engineer ditto
   Rifle ditto
   Naval ditto

9. In every district the relative precedence of the
   different corps of any one arm is determined by the
   date on which the Governor has accepted the offer of
   service of each such corps.

10. The relative precedence of officers is according
    to the rank and date of their commissions; and that of
    officers holding commissions of the same rank and
    date, is determined by the order in which the appoint-
    ments appear in the Gazette.

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

11. Applications for the appointment of Commis-
    sioned Officers must be made in accordance with
    clause 13 of "The Volunteer Act, 1865," and
    forwarded through the Adjutants of the Permanent
    Staff, and Officers Commanding Districts.

12. A candidate for a commission or promotion
    will be required to pass satisfactorily the following
    examination before his appointment is confirmed,
    viz.,—

For first Commission under the rank of Captain.
The candidate will be examined as to his know-
ledge of squad and company drill, the manual and
firing exercise, and his ability to put his company
through both. He will further be required to tell off
and prove his company, and to take the lock of a rifle
to pieces and put it together again.

For appointment or promotion to Captain.
The candidate will be called upon to put his com-
pany through squad and company drill, rifle and
bayonet exercises, and skirmishing drill. He will
also be examined as to his general knowledge of the
Acts and Regulations relating to Militia and Volun-
teers, according to which of the Forces he belongs.
Candidates may, however, while qualifying them-
selves for the duties of their respective ranks, receive
acting appointments, and, while holding such, shall
exercise the same authority as though they were
permanently appointed: Provided always that no
person by virtue of such acting appointment shall be
competent to sit on any Court Martial or Court of
Inquiry; and that no person shall hold an acting
appointment for a longer period than six months.

13. All proposed resignations are to be submitted
    for the Governor's acceptance by the Officer Com-
    manding the District, or in his absence by the
    Adjutant of the Permanent Staff.

14. When any Officer resigns his commission, and
    at the same time receives another, not involving pro-
    motion, he is allowed to retain the date of his former
    commission.

15. A fee of one guinea is to be paid by every
    Officer, on receiving his commission, into the general
    fund of the corps to which he is appointed, and is to
    be appropriated in such a manner as the Finance
    Committee of such corps may direct.

16. The appointment of an Honorary Colonel to
    a corps under the command of a Field Officer is per-
    mitted.

17. The appointment of Honorary Chaplains is
    allowed.

18. No Officer holding an honorary commission
    can, in virtue of it, take precedence of any Officer
    holding a substantive commission of the same rank.

19. Every Officer must give a proper attendance
    at the drills and parades of his corps, and any Officer
    who does not attend the number of drills prescribed
    for the enrolled Volunteers to qualify them for cer-
    tificates of efficiency will not be allowed to retain his
    commission, unless it shall be represented by the
    Officer Commanding the District that there are
    special reasons for a relaxation of this regulation.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

20. The Non-commissioned Officers shall be ap-
    pointed by the Commanding Officer of the corps.

21. A Non-commissioned Officer may be reduced
    (with the consent in writing of the Officer Com-
    manding the District) by the Commanding Officer
    of his corps, for any sufficient cause.

ENROLLED MEMBERS.

22. No person below the age of seventeen is to be
    enrolled in a Volunteer Corps, except as a Bands-
    man.

23. Apprentices are not to be enrolled without
    consent in writing of their masters.

24. Any Volunteer who wishes to be transferred
    to another corps may, except when on actual service,
    at any time, by giving one week's previous notice,
    claim to be transferred upon his delivering up to the
    Commanding Officer of the corps which he is about
    to leave, in good order, fair wear and tear only ex-
    cepted, the arms and accoutrements or other property
    of the Government issued to him, and shall not be
    accepted in another corps until he produces a certi-
    ficate showing that he has paid all money due by him
    under these Regulations or the rules of the corps:
    And provided further that the capitation allowance
    for such Volunteer shall be paid to the corps in which
    he may be serving at the termination of the Volunteer
    year.