514

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 9

superior intelligence, zeal, and integrity in the discharge of their Police duties. Members of the Force must therefore distinctly understand that there will be no hesitation in selecting the meritorious and efficient officer for promotion in preference to the senior but less efficient one.

414. Seniority lists shall be kept at headquarters in which officers and other members of the Force rank according to their standing in their present grade.

415. An examination qualifying for promotion shall be held in the month of September in each year at each district headquarters, due notice of which shall be given in the Police Gazette at least six months before the date fixed for such examination.

416. No member of the Force shall be permitted to present himself for examination until he has at least seven years' service.

417. From and after the 1st October, 1913, no Constable shall be promoted to the rank of Sergeant unless he shall have passed the examination qualifying for such promotion, and no Sergeant shall be promoted to the rank of Senior Sergeant unless he shall have passed the examination qualifying for promotion to the latter rank, and no Senior or other Sergeant shall be promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector unless he shall have passed the examination qualifying for promotion to the higher rank.

418. Every member of the Force who is a candidate for examination must give notice in writing to his superior officer of his intention to present himself for examination, and such notice must be given to such officer at least two months prior to the date fixed for the examination; and officers in charge of districts shall forward all such notices to the Commissioner as soon as possible after receiving them.

419. All examination-papers shall be supplied to the Superintendent or Inspector in sealed envelopes addressed to the candidates, to whom they are to be handed unopened at the hour fixed for the examination in the subject set forth in the examination-paper.

420. The examination shall be carried out under the immediate supervision of the Superintendent or Inspector, who must not delegate this duty to another member of the Force.

421. A list of all members who pass the examination shall be kept in the Commissioner's office, and published in the Police Gazette as soon as possible after the results of the examination are known.

422. Every member who passes the examination shall have an entry to that effect made in his merit sheet.

423. No man who has not passed the examination shall be recommended for promotion.

424. Officers in charge of districts shall, on or before the 20th day of December in each year, furnish to the Commissioner recommendations in favour of the promotion of Senior and other Sergeants and Constables in their districts who have passed the necessary examination and are then considered eligible for promotion to a higher rank. Such recommendations are to be submitted in the order of the men's seniority in their respective grades.

425. Their names shall then be entered upon the general promotion list of the Force kept in the Commissioner's office, according to their seniority.

426. Officers when making recommendations for promotion shall not recommend any non-commissioned officer or Constable who is not of strictly sober habits, and who is not an efficient, energetic, and trustworthy member of the Force; and the good or other qualities of each man reported upon should be dealt with exhaustively by the reporting officer. A man may be well educated and conducted, and yet, owing to want of energy, zeal, tact, and efficiency in the discharge of his duties, he may not be fit to be placed in the higher rank, where these qualifications are essential. If an officer deems a man ineligible for promotion who has passed the qualifying examination, he must state his reasons for withholding a recommendation in the man's favour. If such a man feels aggrieved at not having been recommended for promotion he may appeal to the Commissioner to have his claim investigated, and the Commissioner may then appoint a Court of inquiry, consisting of a Superintendent and an Inspector belonging to districts other than the one the appellant is stationed in, to investigate the man's claim, and report the result of the inquiry relating thereto. If the report is favourable to the appellant, his name shall be placed in its proper position on the promotion list; but if adverse, and it is shown that the appeal was made on insufficient or frivolous grounds, he may be ordered to pay the whole or a part of the cost of the inquiry.

427. No member of the Force who has been fined for any serious misconduct against discipline, or neglect of duty, within the last two years of his service, or who has been fined for intoxication within the last five years of his service, shall be promoted. If any member is punished after his name has been placed on the promotion list, the Superintendent or Inspector in charge of him shall draw attention thereto.

428. Any non-commissioned officer or Constable who is not prepared to accept promotion when it is offered to him and to be transferred to the place where his services are required shall be passed over and his name placed at the bottom of the promotion list of his grade.

429. A non-commissioned officer or Constable whose name has been placed upon the promotion list as having passed the examination qualifying him for promotion must maintain his character for efficiency and good conduct while awaiting promotion, otherwise his name shall be removed from the list.

430. When any member of the Force deems it necessary to put forward an application for promotion, such application must be written briefly, and the applicant must confine himself to facts. The Superintendent or Inspector must append to every such application a list of the applicant's records, favourable and unfavourable, together with an opinion as to the applicant's fitness or otherwise for the promotion he seeks.

431. Any member of the Force who has passed the Civil Service Junior Examination or any educational examination of equal or higher value shall not be required to pass an examination in the literary subjects prescribed as pass subjects for any Police examination, and any member who has passed the examination for a solicitor shall not be required to pass any Police examination qualifying for promotion, except one as to his knowledge of the Police Force Act and Regulations for the time being in force.

432. Constables who are candidates for promotion to the rank of Sergeant must pass an examination in the following subjects:—

(1.) English: To read intelligently an extract from a daily newspaper or a well-known standard author. To write directly at dictation a passage from a daily newspaper or an extract from a standard author. To write in a clear and legible hand an intelligent account of some ordinary event, or a description of some well-known place or district, with due attention to correct spelling and punctuation, to the proper use