3152
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 76

accession to the throne, are published for general information.

J. G. WARD,
Minister of Defence.

Downing Street, 3rd June, 1910.

MY LORD,—I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a special Army Order which has been issued relative to a pardon to deserters which His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to grant on the occasion of his accession to the throne.

I have, &c.,
CREWE.

Governor, the Right Hon. Lord Plunket,
G.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., &c.

ARMY ORDER.

Special.

War Office, 23rd May, 1910.

PARDON TO DESERTERS, ETC.

1. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased as an act of clemency, on the occasion of his accession to the Throne, to approve of the following remission of punishment to soldiers undergoing sentence in military prisons and detention barracks, and of pardons being granted to soldiers in a state of desertion, or who, since deserting, have enlisted in other corps :—

Soldiers undergoing detention by sentence of court-martial, or by award of commanding officers at the date of this Order.

Sentences up to 56 days—to be released.

Sentences exceeding 56 days—to be granted a remission of one-half of the unexpired portion of detention.

Men undergoing imprisonment in military prisons or detention barracks at the date of this Order.

All men—a remission of one-half of the unexpired portion of imprisonment.

The remissions will take effect from the date of this Order.

2. The following instructions are issued as regards the pardon of deserters, &c. :—

3. The pardon to deserters is extended to men who have—

(a.) Deserted ;

(b.) Fraudulently enlisted, as defined in Section 13, Army Act ;

(c.) Absented themselves without leave from the Regular, Auxiliary, or Reserve Forces ;

(d.) Improperly enlisted into the Regular Forces, Special Reserve, or Territorial Force, while serving in the Army Reserve,

provided that they committed the offence before the date of this Army Order, and surrender themselves within 2 months after that date if at home, or within 4 months if abroad.

4. Deserters and absentees are required to report themselves in writing, giving full particulars, to one of the undermentioned officers, from whom they will receive instructions. If they are suffering from any physical disability which renders them unable to rejoin the Service, they should state so in their letter.

If they belonged to—
Household Cavalry
Dragoon Guards, Dragoons, and Lancers of the Line
Hussars of the Line
Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Engineers
Foot Guards
Infantry of the Line
Royal Malta Artillery
West India Regiment
Army Service Corps
Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
Army Pay Corps
Army Veterinary Corps
Corps of Military Police
Military Provost Staff Corps
Army Reserve or Special Reserve

They should write to—
Officer Commanding regiment.
Officer i/c Cavalry Records, Canterbury.
Officer i/c Cavalry Records, York.
Officer i/c Records, Woolwich.
Officer i/c Records, Dover.
Officer i/c Records, Chatham.
Officer Commanding regiment, Buckingham Gate, London S.W.
Officer i/c Records concerned.
Officer Commanding Corps.
Officer i/c Records, Jamaica.
Officer i/c A.S.C. Records, Woolwich.
Officer Commanding Corps, Woolwich.
Officer i/c R.A.M.C. Records, Aldershot.
Officer i/c A.P.C. Records, War Office.
Officer i/c A.V.C. Records, War Office.
Officer Commanding Corps, Aldershot.
Officer i/c M.P.S.C. Records, War Office.
Officer i/c Records concerned.

They are not to report themselves in person.

5. Men who enlisted before the 24th May, 1900, or who have been in a state of desertion or absence for a period of 5 years, or who are physically unfit for service, will not be called upon to rejoin for service, but will be given protecting certificates on their reporting themselves in writing, as directed in paragraph 4.

6. The officer mentioned in paragraph 4, on receiving a report from a deserter or absentee, will verify the statements made therein by reference to his documents. If the man is exempt from further service under paragraph 5 he will at once send him a protecting certificate on Army Form B 129.

7. If the man is not exempt from further service and belonged to the Regular Forces, the officer will send him instructions to present himself at the nearest military station (in London at St. George’s Barracks) for medical examination. He will at the same time notify his action to the officer commanding at the military station, specifying the station to which the man is to be sent for service if he is found to be medically fit.

8. The officer commanding at the military station will cause the man to be very strictly medically examined, and if he is reported unfit for the Service he will dismiss him with a protecting certificate. If he is found fit for service he will furnish him with railway and passage warrants and send him to join his corps at the station mentioned in the notification received in accordance with paragraph 7 ; a report of the disposal in each case being sent to the officer from whom the notification was received.

9. Absentees from the Auxiliary or Reserve Forces will not be ordered for medical examination, but will be at once taken on the strength on receipt of their applications if they are not otherwise exempt from further service under paragraph 5. If found to be serving in the Regular Forces they will be retained on Army service on their last attestation, notification being sent to the corps to which they formerly belonged.

10. Soldiers who, while serving, confess to desertion or fraudulent enlistment will be held to serve on their last attestations. Their confessions should be made to their present commanding officers.

11. Applications received from persons residing beyond the limits of the United Kingdom, and who are not exempt from further service, will, after verification in accordance with paragraph 6, be forwarded to the War Office, from which instructions will be issued in each case.

12. Deserters and men who have fraudulently enlisted will forfeit all previous service, but will not be subject to stoppages on account of free kits issued on fraudulent enlistment, or of articles lost or made away with at the time of desertion.

13. The fact of a soldier having claimed the benefit of the pardon will be entered on his record of service as follows :—

“Claimed the benefit of the King’s Pardon, having confessed to having…………………”

By command of the Army Council,

E. W. D. WARD.

Exempting Danish Ships complying with Danish Provisions from the Provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, as to Life-saving Appliances.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 2nd August, 1910.

THE following despatch, received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, London, is published for general information.

J. A. MILLAR.

(New Zealand.—No.126.)

Received 26th July, 1910. Government House, N.Z.

Downing Street, 17th June, 1910.

SIR,—I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of an Order in Council of the 22nd of April, 1910, made under section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, providing that Danish ships in ports of the United Kingdom shall be exempt from the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, relating to life-saving appliances, on proof that they have complied with the Danish regulations on the subject.

I have, &c.,
CREWE.

The Officer administering the Government of New Zealand,