JUNE 1.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1063

Promotion.

Assistant engineers, qualified for advancement, are eligible for promotion to the rank of engineer after five years’ service. Assistant engineers count their probationary time towards increase of pay and promotion as stated in paragraph 34 of these regulations.

The promotion of engineers, fleet engineers, and inspectors of machinery depends on the number of vacancies that occur in the several superior ranks.

Retired-pay.

The following table shows the age for retirement from active service of engineer officers, and the maximum retired-pay of each rank:—

• Qualified for promotion.
  † Not qualified for promotion.
  ‡ Optional retirement suspended for the present.

On attaining the rank of chief engineer, and afterwards, and if forty years of age or over, the amount of retired-pay depends both on age and length of service, the maximum for each rank being as above, and the minimum rate the amount of half-pay of the officer as per scale previously given. Retirement would take place between the ages given in the above table, except in the following cases:—

(1.) Five years’ half-pay time in either of the ranks of assistant engineer, engineer, chief, staff, or fleet engineer; or seven years’ half-pay time in the ranks of inspector or chief inspector of machinery:

(2.) Physical unfitness for service:

(3.) Misconduct.

Pensions or gratuities for wounds or injuries can be granted by the Admiralty in addition to the ordinary retiring-allowances.

Retired-pay and half-pay are subject to deductions in case of misconduct.

Naval and Greenwich Hospital Pensions.

These pensions are established for affording some relief to retired officers, and are awarded to such retired officers as may be, in the opinion of the Admiralty, most deserving, under the conditions published in the Queen’s Regulations and Admiralty instructions.

Pensions to Widows.

The widows and children of engineer officers who had completed ten years’ commissioned service are eligible, under stipulated conditions, to pensions and compassionate allowances.

The rates payable and the regulations governing their award are published in the Queen’s Regulations and the Quarterly Naval List.

Relative Rank.

Engineer students rank with naval cadets according to date of entry.

Assistant engineers rank with sub-lieutenants according to date of commission.

Engineers of less than six years’ seniority rank with, but after, lieutenants under eight years’ seniority.

Engineers of six years’ seniority rank with lieutenants of less than eight years’ seniority according to date of commission.

Chief engineers rank with, but after, lieutenants of eight years’ seniority.

Staff engineers rank with lieutenants above eight years’ seniority.

Fleet engineers rank with commanders according to date of commission.

Inspectors of machinery under eight years’ service on full pay as such rank with captains under three years.

Inspectors of machinery of eight years’ service on full pay as such rank with captains of three years. The captain to reckon his seniority from the date of completing three years in that rank. The inspector of machinery to reckon his seniority from the date of completing eight years’ service as such.

Chief inspectors of machinery rank with captains of three years’ seniority according to date of commission.

PAY, ETC., OF THE ROYAL CORPS OF NAVAL CONSTRUCTORS.

The number, the designation, and the salaries of the members of the corps are as follow:—

Admiralty.—Director of Naval Construction, £1,500 a year, rising to £1,800 after five years’ service. One senior chief constructor, £850 a year, rising to £1,000 by £50 a year, and a London allowance of £150 a year. One chief constructor, £850 a year, rising to £1,000 by £50 a year, and a London allowance of £150 a year. Two chief constructors, £700 a year, rising to £850 by £25 a year, and a London allowance of £150 a year. Three constructors, £400 a year, rising to £550 by £20 a year, and a London allowance of £120 a year. Six assistant constructors, first class, £300 a year, rising to £450 by £15 a year; duty-pay of £50 a year to assistant constructor in charge of foreign records; duty-pay of £50 a year to assistant constructor acting for chief constructor. One assistant constructor, first class (for scientific experiments), £250 a year, rising to £300 by £15 a year. Eight assistant constructors, second class, £160 a year, rising to £240 by £10 a year, and a London allowance of £50 a year.

Dockyards.—Three chief constructors, Chatham, Portsmouth, and Devonport Dockyards, £700 a year, rising to £850 by £25 a year, and a house. Two chief constructors, Sheerness and Pembroke Dockyards, £600 a year, rising to £750 by £25 a year, and a house. One chief constructor, Malta Dockyard, £650 a year, rising to £800 by £25 a year, and a house. One chief constructor, Hongkong, £600 a year, rising to £750 by £25 a year; a house, or an allowance of $1,066⅔ a year in lieu thereof; and a colonial allowance of $1,066⅔ a year. Seven constructors, £400 a year, rising to £550 by £20 a year, and a house. One constructor, Bermuda, £400 a year, rising to £550 by £20 a year, a house, and a colonial allowance of £100 a year. Ten assistant constructors, first class, £250 a year, rising to £300 by £15 a year. One assistant constructor, first class, Hongkong, £250 a year, rising to £300 by £15 a year, a house-allowance of $800 a year, and a colonial allowance of $533⅓ a year. Seventeen assistant constructors, second class, £160 a year, rising to £240 by £10 a year. Nine assistant constructors, third class, £110 a year, rising to £150 by £10 a year.

While appointed for service at sea they shall have the rank of assistant engineer for temporary service, and pay at the rate of 7s. 6d. per day, being the same as that of assistant engineers who have passed through a similar training.

They shall be paid a gratuity of £50 for uniform and outfit.

While appointed for service at sea their time shall count for purposes of civil superannuation.

All regulations as to pay, pension, retired-pay, allowances, are subject to alterations. [D. 99/2178.

Volunteer Officer transferred.

Defence Office,
Wellington, 24th May, 1899.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to approve of the transfer of

Surgeon-Captain HARRY COMPTON PARSONS

from the Kaiapoi Rifle Volunteers to the Christchurch Volunteer Bearer Corps, with effect from the 16th March, 1899.

T. THOMPSON.

Bonus for the Production of Quicksilver.

Mines Office,
Wellington, 17th February, 1898.

NOTICE is hereby given that a bonus of fourpence (4d.) per pound will be paid on the production of the first one hundred thousand pounds weight (100,000lb.) of good marketable retorted quicksilver, free from all impurities, from any mine in New Zealand, on the following conditions, that is to say:—

1. That at least one-third of the quantity is produced on or before the 31st March, 1900, and the remaining two-thirds on or before the 31st March, 1901.

2. No bonus will be payable until the whole of the one hundred thousand pounds (100,000 lb.) of quicksilver has been produced as stipulated to the satisfaction of an officer