684
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 33

practise any profession, trade, or business, unless by special permission of his officer.

149. No member of the Permanent Militia is to incur debts to publicans, storekeepers, or others, it being clearly understood that the Government does not hold itself responsible for private debts incurred by them; and members against whom debts are proved in a civil Court will have such recorded in their defaulter-sheets, and entries of this description will be a bar to promotion or advancement, if not more severely dealt with.

150. It must be understood that seniority, length of service, and good conduct are not the only recommendations for promotion; for, although they will always have their due weight, efficiency and qualification for the particular vacancy will be the principal considerations. All personal applications for promotion or advancement are in future forbidden.

151. All applications for transfer, leave, permission to marry, &c., are to be made through the proper official channel only. Members of the force seeking by outside influence to obtain personal advantages are warned that such procedure will be considered a breach of these regulations, and will be dealt with accordingly.

152. Every attention that justice, reason, and expediency admit will be paid to the wants or wishes of the men.

The means of redress are at all times open to any member of the Permanent Militia who may think himself aggrieved, but it is to be understood that the protection will be equally afforded to any person against whom frivolous or unfounded complaints may be made; and the person making such, more especially when against his own superiors, will himself be liable to a proportionate punishment.

153. For the purpose of enabling members of the Permanent Militia to provide themselves with the different articles of uniform, necessaries, &c., according to the regulated pattern and quality, the material and articles can be obtained on requisition from the Defence Store.

154. The prices to be charged for articles thus obtained will be the lowest at which they can be sold without loss to the department.

155. All debts incurred by members of the force for clothing or articles supplied by the Storekeeper's Department will be deducted from their pay by monthly instalments.

156. They are at liberty, however, to procure any article of clothing or uniform from any other source; but it must be in strict accordance, both as regards pattern and quality, with those issued from the Defence Store.

157. Members of the Permanent Militia must be scrupulously exact in the care of their arms, clothing, and appointments, as, independently of other considerations, men who are negligent in these respects must be looked upon as likely to be careless and slovenly in the execution of their duties.

158. The arms must be kept in the highest order, and always fit for immediate service, a precaution which may be frequently indispensable for the men's own safety. It is the bounden duty, therefore, of the officers or others in charge of stations to take care that no article requiring it is left for a single day without repair.

159. A board, with a list of articles the property of the Government, will be hung up in each room, and the non-commissioned officer in charge will be held responsible for the articles mentioned therein; and, in the event of such non-commissioned officer being removed, the one relieving will take care that the articles correspond with the list, and are in such condition as stated on the board; if not, a report must be made to the Officer Commanding.

160. Every part of the barracks, its approaches, passages, and yards, are to be kept clean and in good order.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE.

161. No officer is to absent himself from his district or station, except on duty, without permission from the Officer Commanding Permanent Militia; and every officer who shall obtain leave of absence is to return to his quarters on the evening of the day on which the period of such leave shall terminate, and is to report his return accordingly on the following day in the usual manner.

162. Leave of absence granted to an officer of the force is not to be renewed or extended except in case of urgent necessity, which must be clearly shown by the officer applying for such extension, and, in the event of illness being the plea of an extension of leave, a medical certificate of such illness must accompany the application.

163. When sergeants and men are allowed leave of absence it will be according to the following scale :—

All sergeants and men may be allowed leave of absence for a period not exceeding twelve days, on full pay, during the course of each year, provided the exigencies of the service permit of their absenting themselves from duty. The Officer Commanding Permanent Militia may extend such leave of absence, without pay, under special circumstances.

164. In all applications for leave of absence it must be stated at what periods and for what length of time the applicant has been absent during the twelve months previous to the date of application.

165. All applications for leave of absence must be made in writing through the Commanding Officer, and the intended address of the applicant must always be stated.

166. Officers returning from leave should make themselves thoroughly acquainted with all orders issued during their absence. Ignorance of orders is not accepted as an excuse.

167. Officers in charge of stations or detachments may grant leave of absence not exceeding three days, but all applications for leave for a longer period than that above specified must be submitted for approval to the Officer Commanding the Permanent Militia. It is to be clearly understood that all leave that a man obtains which causes his absence from his duty between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. will be reckoned as a day's leave. Passes that count as a day's leave or more to be furnished monthly to the Officer Commanding the Permanent Militia.

168. Every non-commissioned officer or man proceeding on pass is to leave his address with the Officer Commanding his station or detachment, so that any orders may be readily communicated to him; and he must at all times be prepared to rejoin on the shortest notice.

GUARDS.

169. The warning bugle for guards will sound a quarter of an hour before the men are required to fall in. The sergeant-major will inspect the ranks, and report to the officer on duty, who, after having made his inspection, will march the guard off to its post.

170. As guards are among the most important part of a soldier's duty, the greatest vigilance and attention are required from officers and non-commissioned officers in command of them, for the behaviour, alertness, and soldier-like appearance of the guard. They will keep their men in a constant state of readiness to turn out at a moment's notice, and take particular care that their sentries are well acquainted with their orders.

171. Upon their arrival at the guard-room, after the usual compliments are passed, they will post their sentries, and take over the articles in charge of the guard, which they must receive in a proper state, as they will be accountable for any deficiency should they not make any remark at the time of their taking them over; the orders will then be read to the guard previous to turning in, and again on the return of the first relief to the guard-room.

172. Guards are never to take off their clothes or accoutrements.

173. They will fall in at reveille, retreat, and tattoo-beating, when the officer or non-commissioned officer in charge will inspect the arms, ammunition, and accoutrements, and see that everything is in perfect order.

174. All reliefs are to be inspected before their departure, and on their return to the guard-room, by the commander of the guard.

175. The non-commissioned officers will march their reliefs in silence and with steadiness, and will be most particular that the orders are correctly given over to the new sentries, which must be done in a low tone of voice. He is never to dispense with a sentry, who is to be relieved, giving the orders to the one that succeeds him, although he should have been on the post but an hour before.

176. The non-commissioned officer of the reliefs will examine everything in a sentry's charge before he relieves him, so that, if anything be deficient or damaged, the sentry may be made responsible.

177. A sentry is forbidden to acquaint any person with his orders except in the presence of the non-commissioned officer of his guard; neither is he to receive orders from any other person, nor to allow any irregularity, nor connive at any disobedience of orders.

178. A sentry is never to take anything in charge from any person whatever, except by order of the commander of the guard.

179. A sentry is not to quit his post on any pretence whatever, or sit down, or lean against anything for support. If taken ill, or should any accident happen to him which may render it necessary that he should be relieved, he must call to the guard for that purpose. He is not to allow himself to be relieved by any person but a non-commissioned officer of his own guard; he is never on any account to let his rifle go out of his hands.

180. Guards are to turn out when armed detachments approach their post, and to stand with shouldered arms.

181. Guards turn out and present arms to the Governor, the Admiral of the Squadron, the Officer Commanding the Forces, and the Officer Commanding the Permanent Militia.