MAY 5.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1567

615. The O.C. District will be responsible for rationing the troops during the annual training in camp. Rations will, wherever possible, be drawn under existing Defence Department contracts, and where no such contracts exist special contracts will be entered into. In any special case where this cannot be done, the daily ration allowance of 2s. per man will be paid to the O.C. the unit. In the case of individuals or small bodies attending courses of instruction, where the ration cannot be issued in kind, the 2s. will be paid to the individual.

616. Where Defence Department ground is not used for camping, the co-operation of the local authorities should be secured with a view to obtaining the most suitable sites on advantageous terms.

617. The supply of fuel (except petrol), light, and paillasse straw during annual training in camp will be arranged for by the A.S.C., but will not be charged against the grant. Money allowances in lieu of issues in kind are not to be authorized.

618. The term “annual training in camp” includes training in the works of defence of a defended port and attendance at manœuvres.

Maintenance Grants.

619. To meet the general expenses of administration a maintenance grant will be made to each unit of the Territorial Force, and each Senior Cadet Company at the following annual rates:—

For each mounted unit in which men supply their own horses, a sum equal to £1 per man.

For each dismounted unit and mounted units in which the man does not bring his own horse, 10s. per man.

For each company of Senior Cadets, 2s. 6d. per cadet.

620. This grant will be credited as a lump-sum to the C.O., and will be used at his discretion for purposes which are calculated to increase the efficiency of his unit and for which grants are not otherwise provided.

The grant must not be spent on providing full dress uniforms, extra rations, entertainments, or in prizes for any competitions (military or otherwise), or for training-purposes, except for the provision of extra appliances.

621. The following are examples of legitimate expenditure under this grant:—

(1.) Extra stationery, extra Training Manuals, and printing of regimental orders or instructions.

(2.) The provision of cleaning material for arms, saddlery, horses, &c.

(3.) The provision of extra appliances for camps, such as canvas water-troughs, messing utensils, necessaries, &c.

(4.) Extra training-appliances, such as sub-target machines, miniature targets, &c.

(5.) The improving of saddlery, &c.

(6.) Regimental band.

622. No moneys will be paid to individual men from this grant. The grant will not be allowed to unduly accumulate, but reasonable debits and credits will be carried on from year to year. The accounts in connection with this grant will be kept by the Adjutant, and will be audited annually.

623. Any proposed expenditure from this grant, the legitimacy of which is at all doubtful, should be referred to the O.C. District for approval before the expenditure is incurred.

SECTION XIII.—CORRESPONDENCE, FORMS, BOOKS, AND STATIONERY.

Correspondence.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.

624. An officer will only in exceptional circumstances refer to superior authority matters which he has power to decide himself. An O.C. District will impress upon officers the desirability of dealing promptly with correspondence, and will suppress any tendency to unnecessary correspondence.

625. An officer is responsible for the correctness of documents submitted by him. In transmitting correspondence to higher authority, he is to record his opinion or recommendation thereon, adding such observations, based on local knowledge, as may enable a final decision to be arrived at.

626. Correspondence will usually be dealt with as indicated below:—

(a.) Important matters, requiring the individual opinion of every officer comprised in the chain of command, must be passed through the hands of Brigade Commanders to the O.C. District, and, if necessary, to Headquarters.

(b.) Other matters, which do not require the individual opinion of each officer in the chain of command, may be transmitted direct to the authority who has power to dispose of the case, copies or précis of the correspondence being sent to any officer in the chain of command whom it is considered desirable to keep informed on the subject, but through whose office the correspondence has not actually passed.

(c.) Routine matters on which it is not necessary for the intermediate officers to be informed, and regarding which direct communication is authorized, will be so dealt with.

As no rules can be laid down classifying subjects as (a), (b), or (c), the responsibility of deciding the course to be adopted will rest with the officer originating the correspondence.

It may happen that correspondence may pass from one of the above categories to another. In such cases the officer i/c the papers when the change occurs will be responsible that they are passed through the proper channel.

627. Official letters to superior authority are to be written on foolscap paper with quarter margin. Memoranda may be written on half-foolscap size. Letters addressed to superior authority are to be headed thus:—

[Here state subject.] From [Officer or head of department.]
[Office number.] To [Officer or head of department.]
Station: . Date: .

628. Each subject must be treated in a separate letter, and is to be briefly indicated in the upper left-hand corner of the letter, thus: Discipline—Equipment—Transport—Route, &c. Paras. are to be numbered, and enclosures described in the margin or in a separate schedule. Unnecessary enclosures are to be avoided, and blank leaves removed. The rank and unit or appointment of officers are to be added after their signatures. Signatures are to be in manuscript, and not stamped. When a communication has reference to previous correspondence, the registered numbers and dates of the former letters are to be quoted.

629. Unless instructions are given to the contrary, replies, remarks, or queries arising out of an original letter or memorandum are to be made in the form of minutes. The first minute is to follow where the original ends, and the person who affixes it will mark the original No. 1, and his minute No. 2. Each succeeding minute is immediately to follow that which by date precedes it, and will be numbered in sequence. A fresh half-sheet is to be added when required. Attached documents and enclosures will be added at the end of the file in the order in which reference is made to them, and each should be distinguished by a separate alphabetical letter.

Correspondence addressed to individuals unconnected with the army will be treated in the manner customary in civil life, and replies will not be sent in minute form.

630. Correspondence, returns, &c., for Headquarters will be addressed to the “Headquarters, N.Z. Military Forces, Wellington.” Local correspondence will not ordinarily be forwarded; if the matter cannot be clearly elucidated in the letter, a précis of the local correspondence, bringing out the salient points, will usually suffice. Replies to Headquarter letters will bear in addition any further address indicated in those letters. Replies to Headquarter letters must quote the Headquarters Office registry number. All envelopes containing periodical returns are to be inscribed “Returns” in the left-hand upper corner.

631. When documents (other than periodical returns or statements), plans, or other articles are forwarded to Headquarters in a separate parcel, they will be accompanied by a memorandum identifying them with the letter to which they refer.

632. Official communications intended for Headquarters are to be transmitted through the O.C. District, except as provided in para. 626.

633. Letters for the O.C. District and for Brigade or Coast Defence Commanders and their staffs are to be addressed as follows:—

“Headquarters, . . . . . . Military District. (Place).”
“Headquarters, . . . . . . Brigade. (Place).”
“Headquarters, . . . . . . Coast Defences. (Place).”

634. An O.C. District or brigade will himself sign letters intended for superior authority which are initiative or important in their character. When an O.C. District or brigade is absent, letters of an urgent character may be signed by an officer of the staff. In letters so signed, “For O.C. Districts or brigades,” the cause of his absence will be stated.

635. In direct correspondence between O.C. Districts and brigade commanders, between C.O.s, and between heads of departments, letters are to be signed by these superior officers themselves. When an officer employs his staff to conduct any correspondence with another officer of equal rank or position, the staff of that officer is to be addressed, the general rule being that official correspondence will be conducted between equals in rank, and that any officer of junior rank corresponding with an officer of senior rank will do so through the staff officer of the latter.

636. Communications from commanders to their subordinates may be signed by a Staff officer.

637. An application from a regimental officer is to be submitted to the C.O. through the Adjutant. An application from a N.C.O. or man is to be made to his company, &c., commander, who, if necessary, will lay it before the C.O. of the unit.

638. Letters not on public service are not to be enclosed under official covers.

639. A diagram showing the channels of correspondence emanating from units of the N.Z. Military Forces is given in Appendix V.

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