2372
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 99

officer is stationed, priced vouchers being furnished by the Ordnance Officer making the issue as follows :—
(a.) One copy to Command Paymaster.
(b.) Two copies to units.
As regards (b), one copy will be retained by unit to support entry in Equipment Ledger. The other copy will be forwarded to the Command Paymaster. The Command Paymaster will endorse voucher showing where the value is credited before returning same to the Ordnance Officer.
33. Indents for stores issuable on prepayment will be rendered to the Ordnance Officer of the district on form G 10 in the case of districts, and to the Camp Quartermaster in the case of Expeditionary Force camps. All such indents will be endorsed in red ink with the words “ On payment.”
Articles issuable on prepayment are set out in Appendix 3.
34. When tools are required to replace similar unserviceable articles which form part of complete tool-chests they will be demanded in detail.
35. Stores for maintaining equipments or for special services are not to be appropriated to other purposes without special authority obtained from the D. of E. & O.S.
36. When stores have been reported as ready for issue the troops will, if within a reasonable distance from the Ordnance depot, arrange for their conveyance.
For instructions governing the rendering of indents for clothing and equipment on Ordnance stores see Appendix 4.

B. Receipt and Inspection of Equipment.

37. When equipment is received by the troops, the officers or others receiving it will, before giving a receipt to the carrier, ascertain that the various packages are in good order and condition. Should any appear to have been damaged in transit or tampered with, the circumstances will be recorded on the bill of lading or carrier’s note, and pointed out to the person conveying the stores, the package being opened, if necessary, in his presence (see also King’s Regulations).
38. The stores will be examined as soon as possible after receipt by the officer responsible for the equipment, or an officer deputed by him.
    All packages will be weighed before being opened, and the ascertained weight compared with that marked on the outside. Should these weights differ in any instance, the contents will be at once counted and compared with the numbers given on the packing-note which each package must contain.
39. The equipment will be carefully inspected to determine that the articles delivered agree with the particulars in the vouchers and that they are correct. Stores received by number and weight will be both counted and weighed.
    Serviceable articles are not to be objected to on account of their being part worn.
40. The hermetically closed cases in which fuzes, tubes, and certain other articles are issued will not be opened until the contents are required for use. These cases with their contents, as well as packages containing small-arm ammunition and gunpowder, will be taken on charge unopened. Any defects or discrepancies which may be discovered when the stores are subsequently inspected or used will be at once reported, and all details upon the cases will be quoted.
41. Should the precautions in the preceding paragraphs be omitted the officer receiving the stores will render himself liable for any discrepancies.
42. Vouchers for the receipt of stores will be signed and returned without delay. Should any discrepancies be discovered, or any articles be found damaged, the C.O., after endeavouring to ascertain the cause of the loss or damage, will bring the matter to the notice of the Ordnance Officer by whom the issue was made.
43. In reporting any discrepancy the fullest information will be given, all numbers and weights, and any marks upon the packages giving evidence of their having been tampered with, being carefully recorded. The packages, with their notes and all wrappers, will be retained until the inquiry closes. Form G 74, “ Discrepancy Report,” will be used for this purpose.
44. A C.O. in receipt of articles of equipment which are not brought on charge will, pending the result of a report on their condition, be held responsible for their safe custody until a decision has been given as to their disposal, when he will either take them on charge or return them to store, as may be ordered. He will also be held responsible for the immediate return to store of any equipment issued to him which in cases of emergency he may be unable to take on charge. Should he fail to carry out these instructions he will be liable for any loss that may ensue.

C. Return of Equipment.

45. Whenever it becomes necessary or advisable to return equipment into store, except empty packages and such articles as have been replaced on indent, C.O.s will make application to the Ordnance Officer to receive them, stating their description, number, the time they have been in use, and the reasons and authority (if any) for returning them to store. The Ordnance Officer will add his instructions and return the document to the unit, by whom it will be attached to the voucher on which the stores are charged to the Ordnance Department.
46. Unserviceable and obsolete stores on charge to a unit may, under superior authority obtained through the D. of E. & O.S., be disposed of locally, to save the expense involved in transporting them to the nearest Ordnance depot for survey and condemnation. In giving effect to this arrangement the general rules to be observed in the condemnation of equipment are as follows :—
    (a.) The condemnation of stores will not be effected by the unit on whose charge they are held.
    (b.) Whenever possible, the condemning authority should be either an Ordnance Officer of District Staff or a Board of officers of other than the unit in whose charge the stores are held.
    (c.) At remote stations where there are insufficient officers to form a Board it may be undesirable, in the interests of economy, to adopt either alternative mentioned in subparagraph (b). In such cases the superior authority may instruct a competent military officer to examine the