2374

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 99

(b.) The responsible individual supervising the sorting and packing operations. If live cartridges are found in any of the packages the matter will be reported to the G.O.C. for such disciplinary action as he considers necessary.

61. The foregoing general instructions apply equally to chargers and bandoliers issued with ball ammunition. Charges will be written off charge by numbers at the same time as the expended ammunition, and brought on charge by weight by certificate-receipt voucher with the fired cases; the weight to be brought to account in respect of each 1,000 chargers will be 25 lb.

Bandoliers will not be written off charge when ammunition is expended.

Vocabulary rates will be employed in calculating charges for deficiencies.

Cardboard boxes employed for charger-packed ammunition will be disposed of locally.

Bandoliers, cotton, 50 rounds, may be permanently retained by each unit of Mounted Rifles and Infantry for the purpose of practising the supply of small-arm ammunition in the field.

62. As at out-stations a consignment of cases, &c., from a single unit might be insufficient to obtain the lower rate of freight, C.O.s will arrange, if necessary, for all empty packages, smaller packed in larger, to be sent in one consignment to the Ordnance depot concerned. Each package will have clearly marked upon it the name of the unit returning.

E. Annual Inspections.

63. The D. of E. & O.S., the C.R.E., and D. of A. will, at least once a year, or whenever necessary, make a joint inspection of magazine stores, workshops, &c., of all their departments, in order that each officer may have an opportunity of calling special attention to his requirements on the spot. When circumstances make it appear advisable, the officer or officers in local command or charge may be delegated to carry out this inspection. Advantage should be taken of this inspection to consider and discuss on the spot the requirements and the manner in which they should be met.

F. Boards of Survey and Courts of Inquiry.

64. Before a Board of Survey is convened on equipment and Ordnance stores a list showing reasons why they are to be brought before a Board must be forwarded to the D. of E. & O.S. •

65. Condemnation of stores must be supported by Proceedings of Boards of Inquiry or Survey, where Boards are requisite.

66. Articles of equipment which may become unserviceable before the expiration of the period fixed for their duration are not to be written off charge, nor is the loss to be borne by the public, unless the reason for the articles having become unserviceable is fully set forth.

67. When stores or equipment of any kind are lost, damaged, or injured, and it is a matter for consideration (owing to responsibility not being clear, or the charge being demurred to by the person held responsible, or for other reasons) on whom the expense of replacing or repairing them should fall, the course laid down in the King’s Regulations will be followed.

68. All reports of loss, destruction, &c., of Ordnance stores will be sent to the D. of E. & O.S. accompanied by form G 117 in duplicate, completed in strict accordance with instructions contained thereon. (See Appendix 35.)

69. After a decision has been given the D. of E. & O.S. will forward a copy of same to the O.C. District concerned, to serve as authority to write off the stores, and to indent for new ones to replace. The registry number and date of decision will be quoted on indents.

70. In cases where a Court of Inquiry is ordered by the G.O.C., an officer of the Ordnance Department will, if available, be detailed to serve as a member of the Court. The Proceedings of such Court will be transmitted in duplicate by the President direct to the D. of E. & O.S.

71. When a damaged arm or barrel is sent to Ordnance Department, Wellington, for special report, a label stating the circumstances, and giving the reference to number of Headquarters Orders or Proceedings of Courts of Inquiry, will be attached to the arm or barrel for identification.

72. If the loss or damage has occurred when the R.N.Z.A. or N.Z.E. have been employed in moving heavy stores, the officer in charge of the operation will, in giving evidence, produce a statement showing distinctly the materials used, their actual dimensions, the strain calculated to be borne by them, the actual weight lifted, the distance through which the stores were to be lifted, vertically or horizontally, and in the case of shears the angle of inclination.

73. When stores forming the subject of inquiry are of a special or technical nature, or peculiar to Artillery or Engineers, or any particular service, the D. of E. & O.S. will, when necessary, call for the written opinion of the local head of the Department concerned, before finally dealing with the matter.

74. Such opinion will form part of the Proceedings forwarded to G.O.C. in cases where this is necessary in accordance with instructions laid down in the King’s Regulations dealing with these subjects.

G. Equipment Accounts and Claims against Corps.

75. Every officer receiving equipment, ammunition, or money for the purchase of equipment will keep and render accurate accounts thereof, and until these accounts have been examined and allowed he will not cease to be responsible. He will obtain receipts in the proper forms for all articles leaving his charge. The accounts will be closed and balanced every half-year, on the 31st May and 30th November.

76. Accountants will record in Equipment Ledgers all transactions connected with ammunition and stores, except as provided for in paragraph 77, Detailed instructions for keeping these ledgers are given in Appendix 2.

77. Materials for repair (see para. 218—Book G. 77) and other consumable articles (except explosives and ammunition) drawn upon regulated scale will not be taken on charge in the Equipment Ledgers, but any quantity remaining unused at the end of the year will be shown as in possession in the indent for the next year’s supply.