Jan. 27.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 257

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.

578. 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 precis 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 Headquarters letters must quote the Headquarters Office registry number. All envelopes containing periodical returns are to be inscribed “Returns” in the left-hand upper corner.

579. 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.

580. Official communications intended for Headquarters are to be transmitted through the O.C. District, except as provided in para. 574.

581. 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 Defence [Place].”

582. 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.

583. 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.

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

585. 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.

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

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

RECORDS.

588. Officers Commanding Districts will keep a record of all correspondence passing through their offices. Files will never be sent to districts from Headquarters. O.sC. Districts will see that the system employed in their offices conforms generally to the system in force at Headquarters as detailed in “Office Instructions.”

SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS AND MAPS.

589. A document marked “Secret” is intended only for the personal information of the individual to whom it is officially entrusted, and of those officers under him whose duties it affects. He is personally responsible for its safe custody, and that its contents are disclosed to those officers and to them only.

590. A document marked “Confidential” is of a privileged nature. The contents are only to be disclosed to authorized persons or in the interests of the public service.

591. Communications addressed to any O.C., and marked “Confidential,” will be sent unopened to his private address.

592. An official document or map is not to be used for private purposes, literary or other. It is not to be referred to in any catalogue or publication which is not itself a secret or confidential document. The only legitimate use an officer or soldier may make of documents or information of which he becomes possessed in his official capacity is for the furtherance of the public service in the performance of his duty. Publishing official documents, or using them for personal controversy or for any private purpose, without due authority, will be treated as a breach of official trust under section 61 of the Defence Act.

593. A letter of a secret or confidential nature is to be marked “Secret” or “Confidential,” as the case may be. Such a letter should be enclosed in two envelopes, of which the inner one only should be marked “Secret” or “Confidential,” and the outer one should be inscribed with the address only. A confidential plan or other document is to be similarly treated. An envelope marked “Secret” or “Confidential” will only be opened by an officer, or if addressed to any particular officer by that officer.

In addition to the above precautions, postal registration is to be resorted to when secret documents are sent by post, and the same course should be adopted when sending by post any documents which the responsible officer decides to be regarded as of a confidential nature. Receipts for such documents will invariably be obtained from the person to whom they are sent.

594. Secret documents and maps issued by Headquarters for retention in commands will be sent to the O.C. District, who will be held personally responsible for the safe custody of these documents. They will forward to Headquarters on the 1st December a list of such documents and maps, with the certificate thereon duly completed. Subordinate officers in charge of such documents will also forward to the O.C. District, in time to reach him by the above-mentioned date, a list, with a similar certificate.

Reports and Returns.

595. Reports and returns will be rendered as shown in the following schedule :—

D