388
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 16

205. No Volunteer is to reply to an officer or non-com-
     missioned officer when found fault with on duty or in the ranks.
206. When a Volunteer in uniform wishes to address an
     officer, he must be accompanied by a non-commissioned officer.
207. No Volunteer is to address in writing an officer on any
     subject connected with duty except through the prescribed
     channel.
208. Non-commissioned officers in uniform are permitted to
     wear side-arms when off duty.
209. Officers when communicating with a superior authority
     will do so individually. The collective opinion of officers will
     not be received, being contrary to the rules of military service
     and discipline.
210. No corps is permitted to enrol, as either member or
     honorary member, any person who has been dismissed from the
     Volunteer Force till after three years of such dismissal, and
     then only subject to the approval of His Excellency the
     Governor.

Brigades or Battalions.

211. The Governor may form Naval Brigades or Battalions
     of Mounted corps or Infantry in the various districts. Officers
     and Volunteers will be appointed and enrolled for particular
     corps and companies. All promotions will go in the various
     corps or companies of the brigades or battalions.
212. The Staff Officers of a Naval Brigade will be:—
     1 Captain, with relative rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
     1 Commander, with relative rank of Major.
     1 Gunnery Lieutenant.
     1 Pay- and Quarter-master.
     2 Medical Officers.
     1 Honorary Chaplain.
213. The Staff Officers of a Battalion will be as under:—
     1 Lieutenant-Colonel, who will be at battalion head-
     quarters.
     1 Major.
     1 Captain, as Adjutant.
     1 Pay- and Quarter-master.
     2 Medical Officers.
     1 Honorary Chaplain.

Muster Parade.

214. During the last quarter of the Volunteer year Officers
     Commanding Districts shall order a muster parade of each corps
     in their command, mounted corps excepted, at which every
     enrolled member is to attend, with the arms, accoutrements, and
     Government property in his possession.
215. The muster parade for mounted corps will be held
     during the half-year in which the annual training does not
     take place.
216. The spare arms, accoutrements, &c., on issue to the
     corps are also to be produced for inspection at the same time ;
     and, in the event of articles being found missing or deficient,
     the cost of the same will be deducted from the capitation grant
     of the corps.
217. There will be an annual inspection of arms and
     accoutrements by an armourer.

Arms, Accoutrements, Ammunition, and Stores.

218. Arms and accoutrements will be supplied to all the
     enrolled members of a corps.

219. All arms, accoutrements, and other articles issued to a
     Volunteer corps shall remain the property of the Government,
     and the Commanding Officer for the time being will be held
     responsible that they are at all times in a serviceable state, and
     for their return to store (when required) in good condition,
     fair wear-and-tear excepted.

220. It shall be the duty of Officers Commanding Districts to
     require of officers relinquishing or assuming command of corps
     to sign a mutual certificate of transfer, according to Form V.—5.

221. When the Commanding Officer of a corps applies for
     leave of absence, or intends to resign his command, he must
     obtain a certificate from the officer next in command that all
     the arms and other articles issued to the corps—a list of which
     must be attached—are complete and in good order. This certi-
     ficate must accompany the application for leave, or letter ten-
     dering the resignation.

222. Rifles must invariably be cleaned immediately after
     use. Any neglect will impair the accuracy of the weapon. Any
     Volunteer who fails to keep his arms or accoutrements clean
     and in good order may for each offence be fined and otherwise
     dealt with, as prescribed in section 47 of the Defence Act.

223. Volunteers must not, under any circumstances, tamper
     with their arms, or use them for other than military purposes ;
     and any arms which, on inspection, may be found to have had
     any parts improperly altered or damaged shall be at once
     returned into store, and repaired at the expense of the corps or
     individual.

224. All surplus stores—such as excess arms, accoutrements,
     empty powder-barrels and cases, metal-lined cases, and metal
     cylinders must be forwarded to Defence Storekeepers by the
     cheapest and most direct conveyance.

225. Ammunition in the following annual proportions, to be
     reckoned from the commencement of the Volunteer year, will
     be allowed to Volunteers of the several arms without pay-
     ment, on the condition that it be expended within the year
     under the command and supervision of a commissioned officer
     in Artillery corps and of an officer or non-commissioned officer
     in other corps. The full annual allowance must be requisi-
     tioned for before the last quarter of the Volunteer year. The
     annual proportions are:—
     Heavy ordnance ammunition,—
     For Naval or Garrison Artillery Volunteers, such allow-
     ance as may be from time to time authorised by the
     Defence Minister.
     Field gun ammunition,—
     For Artillery Volunteers who have field-}
     guns, per Gun Detachment, not ex- }
     ceeding six detachments per corps }
     (bandsmen not included) ... }
     No. of Rounds.
     ... { 5 shot.
     ... { 10 shell.
     In addition an allowance for prize-firing, per
     detachment ...
     ... ... ... 3 solid shot.
     Small-arms ammunition*,—
     For every enrolled member (except reserve)... 150 ball.

226. Volunteers are not to lend any of their arms, appoint-
     ments, or Government property, nor are they to use any of
     them except on duty or when practising at the butts, and any
     contravention of this regulation will be punished as disobedi-
     ence of orders.

227. A Volunteer must immediately report any damage or
     deficiency in his arms, accoutrements, &c., to the Officer Com-
     manding his corps.

228. Yearly returns of arms and accoutrements and all
     Government property on issue to corps must be rendered to the
     Defence Storekeeper on whose books the same appear, made
     up to the 31st December, not later than the 15th January
     yearly. (Vide Forms V.—7 and 8.)

229. In the first month in each Volunteer year Officers Com-
     manding Naval Brigades will forward to Officers in Command
     of Districts a report upon the state of the boats on issue to or
     in possession of the corps, and the Officer in Command of the
     District will, after a personal examination of the boats in ques-
     tion, forward the report (with any remarks he may have to
     make thereon) to the Defence Office.

230. All deficiencies, damages, or losses of ordnance stores on
     issue to a battery are to be reported at once, and if not satis-
     factorily accounted for will be charged against capitation.

231. When ordnance stores require to be replaced from fair
     wear-and-tear they must be returned to store, or otherwise
     disposed of as may be ordered, before a fresh supply is issued.

232. No salute is to be fired by the members of any battery
     of Artillery without authority having been previously obtained
     from the Officer Commanding the District.

233. The price of all stores issued to Volunteers on terms
     of payment must be paid for in advance in cash or by post-office
     order.

Ranges.

234. All rifle-ranges used by the Defence Forces will be in-
     spected periodically by the Officer Commanding the District,
     who will report to the Defence Department annually on the
     condition of each range.
235. Government ranges, or ranges leased by Government,
     will be under the actual control of the Officer Commanding
     the District.
236. Ranges set apart by Government for the benefit of
     Volunteers and found to be unserviceable may, with the
     approval of the Defence Department, be let by the Officer
     Commanding the District; the proceeds to be applied to leasing
     others more suitable.
237. Committees for the management of each such range,
     and for their care and preservation, will be formed, of which
     the Officer Commanding the District will be ex officio Presi-
     dent. All regulations made by such Committees will be sub-
     mitted to him for approval.
238. Range reserves whilst not in use may be let by the
     Officer Commanding the District, with the approval of the
     Defence Department.

Drill-sheds.

239. Drill-sheds which are Government property shall be
     directly under the control of the Officer Commanding the
     District, who will report on their condition annually and
     furnish an estimate of money required during the succeeding
     year for their care and preservation.
240. Drill-sheds which are partly the property of the Go-
     vernment and partly the property of a Volunteer corps will be
     vested in trustees, consisting of (1) the Officer Commanding
     the District, as representing the interest of the Government;
     (2) the senior Volunteer officer using the shed, as represent-
     ing the Volunteer interest; and (3), the senior executive
     Volunteer officer in the district (other than the Officer Com-
     manding the District).

• Of this allowance 50 rounds per man will be issued under the authority
  and for purposes approved of by the Officer Commanding the District.