Jan. 12.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 25

130. An officer or a non-commissioned officer will attend stable-parade, and see that the men groom their horses properly.

131. Whenever possible, the police will supply themselves with wood and water; but otherwise, the officer in charge will make the most economical arrangement in his power, unless where contracts exist.

132. Relatives of members of the force, discharged constables, or other persons not connected with the service, will not be allowed to sleep in barracks; and no person, except on public business, will be allowed to frequent police premises, or have access to the records. Any person who has been dismissed from the force will not be allowed to enter police quarters on any excuse whatsoever; nor will any member of the force associate with such person if the offence for which he was dismissed was of a disgraceful nature.

133. Smoking in the sleeping-rooms of the barracks, card-playing, or any other species of gambling, will not be permitted. Members of the force in uniform, whether on duty or not, are prohibited from smoking in the streets of towns or in public places.

134. Officers in charge of districts will pay particular attention to the establishment of messes, and take all necessary steps for forming and adapting them to the requirements of the police under their charge, and for so managing them that constables from other stations, who may be passing on duty, may obtain their meals at a moderate cost. In all matters relating to the expense and management of the mess, the minority must give way to the majority, the officer in charge being appealed to if desired. No mess debts by members or to tradesmen will be incurred.

135. Regularity of hours, cleanliness, proper costume, and correct behaviour at meals will be strictly observed.

136. Every article in a barrack-room, when not in use, will have its appointed place, and a list of the Government property in each room, signed by the non-commissioned officer in charge of the station and countersigned by the Inspector, shall be hung up therein. Provisions will not be exposed to view, nor mess utensils left lying about or dirty. Uniform, arms, &c., to be carefully arranged. Boots to be always kept cleaned, ready for parade.

137. The officer in charge of a station will take charge of the private effects of any constable who dies thereat, and make a careful inventory of the same in the presence of a subscribing witness, and transmit a true copy of such inventory, together with a list of debts (if any), to the officer in charge of his district, who will again transmit the same, with all necessary information regarding pay and allowances due, to the Commissioner, with a view to the proper disposal of such property in accordance with the law.

HORSES AND FORAGE.

138. Horses will be purchased for the force by the Commissioner, or by some officer authorized by him, and the horses so procured will, whenever practicable, be examined by a veterinary surgeon, and their soundness, age, and general fitness for service certified before payment is made.

139. Police horses requiring a rest should be turned out when authorized by the officer in charge of the district. Horses worn out or unfit for service will be examined and reported upon to the Commissioner, who will decide how they should be disposed of. If condemned, they will be branded with the letter R on off rump, and sold by auction.

140. Every member of the mounted police will be furnished with a horse branded with a Crown and number, and will be held responsible for its treatment and general condition. Any member of the force either illtreating, or permitting to be illtreated, or neglecting any horse under his charge, will, in addition to such other punishment as may be inflicted upon him, be dismounted, and ordered to return to foot-police duty, or, in extreme cases, dismissed.

141. No member of the foot police will be permanently mounted, nor any mounted constable dismounted, without authority from the Commissioner.

142. Each officer in charge of a district will keep a register of the horses under his charge, in which their numbers and description will be carefully entered. A similar record will be kept at each station of the horses thereat.

143. Officers in charge of districts and sub-districts will see that every police horse, as well as its rider, has a fair share of work, and will not allow some horses to be petted and kept idle in the stables while others are injured by over-work or neglect; nor are horses, unless when sick or clipped, to be clothed in stables.

144. All members of the mounted force must be particular to see that their saddles are carefully fitted to the horses’ backs, and the officers in charge of districts will hold the men accountable for horses in their charge having sore backs or girth galls (which in most cases are caused by hard riding or inattention in not seeing that the saddles are properly fitted), as well as for any other injuries which could have been prevented by attention; and unless the cause can be traced to some other source than ill-usage or neglect, the constable to whom the horse was told off will be charged for the forage or paddocking of the animal while unfit for use, in addition to such other punishment as may be awarded.

145. No horse should be allowed to travel at a pace exceeding five miles per hour unless in cases of emergency, such as the pursuit of offenders, &c.

146. No troop-horse will under any circumstances be used in harness, unless it be ordered for Government purposes by competent authority, nor will any member of the force use his horse unless in the performance of his duty.

147. No subordinate officer will be allowed to forage and use a private horse in the discharge of his duty without first obtaining authority to do so, nor will he be allowed to make use of any Government horse in addition to his own unless in case of emergency, when it must be shown that his own was injured in the service or otherwise unfit for duty; nor will he be allowed to make use of the horse so kept at the public expense in harness or for private purposes, or to dispose of it without the sanction of the Commissioner.

148. Police horses must not be ridden, unless under special authority, by any other person than a member of the force.

149. Tenders for shoeing and forage are to be called for in the prescribed form, in the month of March each year, and submitted to the Commissioner; and officers are specially enjoined to see that the shoeing is properly performed. Where there is only one farrier, or it can be shown that no advantage will accrue from entering into a contract, no tenders need be called.

150. Members of the force in charge of stations will give timely notice to contractors, stating the supplies of forage needed, in accordance with the terms of contract.

151. When forage is delivered at any station by a contractor the net weight must be ascertained, and the receipt signed for that quantity for which the officer in charge, who signs the receipt, will, in his issues, be held responsible.

152. If a station be under the charge of a subordinate member of the force, he will permit no one but himself to issue forage when at the station; at large stations one constable only will be authorized to have charge, issue, and keep the account.

153. When a fresh supply of forage is received at a station it will not be issued until the old stock is consumed.