May 5.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1559

Bands.

381. Officers commanding Infantry battalions and regiments of Mounted Rifles may form regimental bands up to the maximum of twenty-five bandsmen, exclusive of the bandmaster. No extra allowance or pay will be made from the Government funds for bands or in respect of men acting as bandsmen.

382. Men acting as bandsmen will perform the training laid down for their arm in para. 228, except that they will only be called upon to perform half the drills and parades laid down in para. 228 (a) and (b).

383. During the annual training in camp they will be trained as stretcher-bearers and in first-aid to the wounded.

384. Acting bandsmen when their turn comes for transfer to the Reserve may be retained with the unit as supernumerary to the establishment under agreement with their C.O. Men so retained will attend the annual training in camp, but will not be called upon to perform any other training during the year, except such as may be required in their capacity as musicians.

385. They will be entitled to rations when in camp, and to free issue of uniform and accoutrements, and will be subject to military law as Territorial soldiers.

386. Men acting as bandsmen will wear the uniform of their unit.

387. Regimental bands will not perform as such in public, or appear in uniform for any purpose outside the ordinary training, without the consent of their C.O.

Veterinary Duties, Transport, Horses, Forage, &c.

VETERINARY DUTIES.

388. Principal Veterinary Officers will be appointed in each district, and will be responsible to their respective O.C. District for,—
     (1.) The distribution, instruction, and efficiency of the N.Z. Veterinary Corps in his district.
     (2.) Supervision of veterinary instruction in units.
     (3.) Maintenance and supply of veterinary stores.
     (4.) Veterinary charge of all horses on permanent military establishments within his district, and examination of all horses submitted for purchase for permanent establishments.
     (5.) He will be the adviser of the O.C. District and other commanding officers on all points connected with his department. He will attend the O.C. District at his inspection of horses proposed for casting. He is to have free access at all times to all military stables and horses, infirmary stables, sick-horse depots, or sick-horse lines, but he will acquaint the commanding officer of his intended visit.
     (6.) Questions of veterinary hygiene.

389. Officers of the N.Z.V.C. will not exercise any military command outside their corps, except over such officers and soldiers as may be attached thereto for duty or who may be placed under their orders.

390. Other officers of the New Zealand Veterinary Corps will be responsible for—
     (1.) Veterinary duties in the units to which they are attached.
     (2.) The veterinary stores issued to the unit to which they are attached.
     (3.) Veterinary instruction in units.
     (4.) Such other duties as may be required of them by the P.V.O. from time to time.

391. Veterinary arrangements for units which have no Veterinary Officer attached will be made by the P.V.O. District.

392. The farrier-sergeants and shoeing-smiths of units will carry out their veterinary duties under the Veterinary Officers attached to the units.

393. The Veterinary Officer when the unit is in camp is to make a daily report to the commanding officer of such horses as are unfit for service through sickness, lameness, or other causes.

PRIVATELY OWNED HORSES.

394. All units will render a return, immediately on arrival at the camp of continuous training, or at manoeuvres of all privately owned horses brought in for military duty.

The return will show the age, sex, description, owner’s name, and valuation.

395. The officer in command of the camp or body of troops referred to in the preceding paragraph will have the return of horses verified as soon as possible after their arrival in camp, &c., and an official valuation will be made and inserted in the return by the Senior Veterinary Officer or any other officer detailed for the duty.

396. For compensation for loss or injury of a privately owned or hired horse, see “Financial Instructions.”

In all cases involving a claim for compensation, a Board will be assembled to investigate and report on the circumstances of the case.

REGIMENTAL TRANSPORT.

397. A C.O. will maintain the full complement of trained men for the regimental transport of the unit, as given in “Territorial Force Establishments.”

C

398. At least one month previous to a camp being held the O.C. unit will submit to the O.C. District his requirements in the matter of hired horses. Arrangements will then be made in the District Office for the hiring of the necessary horses.

GOVERNMENT HORSES.

399. A Board of officers, of which the P.V.O. District will be a member, will be nominated by O.C. Districts for the purpose of purchasing horses in each district when required.

400. Officers employed in the purchase of horses will, as soon as practicable, transmit to District Headquarters, in duplicate, a description of each horse passed into the service. A description of all horses will be recorded in a regimental or corps “horse-book,” and a number assigned to each.

401. Letters indicating the regiment or corps to which the horse is allotted will be branded on the off hind foot, the regimental or corps number assigned on the near hind foot.

402. Veterinary Officers who examine horses offered for purchase for the service and form a favourable opinion of them will certify that “These horses, from a military point of view, are practically sound and fit for the service.” Horses not so certified are not to be purchased as remounts.

403. In the event of a remount becoming unfit for service within one month after joining, a special report will be at once forwarded to District Headquarters, stating the nature and probable cause of the condition, and the prospect of recovery or otherwise.

404. The commanding officer will cause a veterinary-history sheet (in manuscript), which will be signed by himself and a Veterinary Officer, to be prepared for each remount received, and this sheet will in all circumstances accompany the horse.

405. In recording the age of horses on the veterinary-history sheet the age is to be reckoned from the 1st November in the year in which the horse was foaled.

406. In case any animals are detached, their veterinary-history sheets are to be sent with them, and not retained at regimental Headquarters. Each entry of treatment in the veterinary-history sheet will be signed by the Veterinary Officer in charge.

407. The veterinary certificate is to be rendered by veterinary officers of regiments on each occasion of transfer of Government animals, whether permanent or temporary.

408. Commanding officers will forward half-yearly, as soon after the 1st July and 1st January as possible, to O.sC. District, a return of any horse they consider unfit for the service. The return should include horses of fifteen years or upwards which are either at the time unserviceable from age or likely to become so during the following six months. This return will be considered by the O.C. District, who will himself inspect or direct another officer, assisted by the Principal Veterinary Officer, to inspect and cast the horses, and arrange for them to be replaced.

409. Reports and applications will be accompanied by the veterinary-history sheets.

410. The O.C. District may order the destruction of any horse on account of contagious disease or incurable injuries.

411. If possible, before doing so, a certificate must be obtained from the P.V.O. District showing that the disease absolutely necessitates the destruction of the horse or that the injury is incurable. In every instance, either before or after the horse is destroyed, a Board, of which the P.V.O. District will be a member, will be assembled to view the horse and take evidence of the whole of the circumstances of the case. If the horse has not already been destroyed the Board will express an opinion as to the necessity for its destruction. The proceedings will be forwarded to District Headquarters, where they will be retained.

412. If a horse dies suddenly or within twenty-four hours of its having become ill, a Board will investigate and report upon the circumstances and causes which led to the death.

413. In cases where a horse has to be urgently destroyed, a Board will assemble as soon as possible afterwards to consider the circumstances.

The proceedings will be forwarded to the District Headquarters.

Chaplains, Divine Service.

414. Chaplains will be attached to units on the recommendation of C.O.s according to the requirements of the unit.

415. A C.O. will render Chaplains every assistance in carrying out their duties.

416. Chaplains will be entitled to remuneration, as laid down in “Financial Instructions,” when detailed for duty at camps of training.

417. At the annual camp every soldier, when not prevented by military duty, will attend Divine service, but a soldier will not be obliged to attend the service of any other religious body than his own.

Soldiers will be marched to and from their places of worship, and the officer or N.C.O. in charge will remain with them throughout the service.

418. The duty of playing troops to church will not interfere with the attendance of a bandsman, drummer, bugler, or piper at the regular service of his own denomination.