June 14.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2383

208. Except when otherwise specified in these regulations, the repair and painting of all stores that can be performed by the regimental artificers will be executed by them as part of their training. The necessary tools and materials will be supplied by the public.

209. The following parts of vehicles will be kept free from paint and rust:— Gun-carriages, ammunition-wagons, and limbers: Bearing surfaces, working parts, metal hand-wheels, and the brass parts of gun-carriages which are frequently handled.

Other articles: Frictional surfaces and working parts of gears, end of poles and of axles, drag-washers, brake-wheels, and all brasswork.

In cleaning brass parts care is to be taken to avoid the use of coarse grinding materials such as sand, emery, Bath brick, files, &c., which wear the surface.

210. Straps and other leatherwork on vehicles will be periodically dressed with dubbing.

211. The services of the regimental artificers will, when the duties of their own unit permit, and at the discretion of the G.O.C., be made generally available for performing any work which they may be called upon to execute within the limits of their trades and during ordinary hours, for other units or detachments unprovided with artificers, or requiring the assistance of additional artificers in exceptional circumstances.

212. Repairs which cannot be executed by the regimental artificers will be performed under the direction of the Ordnance Department.

213. When repairs to stores, including armament and artillery material other than those mentioned in para. 214, but exclusive of small-arms, cannot be carried out by unit, the C.O. will apply to the Ordnance Officer of the district stating what repairs are necessary, what procedure is recommended to effect the repairs, whether repairs are urgent, and date when completion is desirable.

214. Whenever any service in connection with the mountings, machinery, engines, or gear used exclusively by the R.A., R.E., and A.O.D. is beyond the resource of the corps or department named, application will be made to the G.O.C. for assistance.

215. Whenever repairs, painting, or other services involving the expenditure of working-pay, or payments to contractors, are required in connection with the equipment of a unit, an indent will be made by the C.O. on the Ordnance Office, stating the nature of the work required and the cost at which it could be carried out by military tradesmen receiving the authorized rates of working-pay or by local contract.

216. The officer making the indent will then be informed of the manner in which the service will be performed; and if it be decided to employ military tradesmen he will, on the completion of the service, certify on the original indent that the work has been efficiently carried out. The indent so certified will then be attached to the pay-list as a voucher in support of payment.

217. Materials supplied for the repair and preservation of equipment will not be sold, or exchanged, or used for any equipments but those for which they were demanded; nor will any purchase of materials by C.O.s be sanctioned by the G.O.C.

218. In order to regulate the expenditure of material for repair, books G. 77 will be carefully kept by the units concerned, the ledgers being balanced on the 31st May.

Stock will be taken every six months by an officer deputed by the C.O., and compared with the quantity received and the amount expended. The result will be reported to the C.O., who, if satisfied, will sign the store and shop books. Any deficiencies will be charged against the individuals responsible, and recovered on M. 19.

Book G. 77 will be examined once in two years by the D. of E. & O.S., or by officers deputed by him to act on his behalf, not with a view of detailed audit being made, but with a view of determining whether the regulations have been properly carried out.

The unit Quartermaster will examine book G. 77 weekly, and satisfy himself that the materials have been expended in work on the public service.

219. Materials supplied for repairing equipment will not, except under special authority, be used for the manufacture of new articles. Materials supplied for repairs will be struck off charge by conversion voucher. (See Appendix 25.)

220. In making indents for materials for repairing equipment, C.O.s will certify on the indents that credit has been given therein for any material remaining on hand, and that the quantities demanded, together with these, do not exceed the authorized proportion.

B. Arms, Accoutrements, Musical Instruments, Harness and Saddlery.

221. Armourers (W.O.s and N.C.O.s) of the Armourer Section O.C. are posted to the districts for duty at Ordnance depots or for employment as circuit armourers. These armourers are under the immediate orders of the Ordnance Officer of the district in which they are stationed.

222. The stripping or removal of any part of an arm, except by an armourer, is strictly forbidden. Testing weapons of any kind in charge of troops is strictly forbidden. This does not apply to local firing tests for accuracy, authorized by the Musketry Regulations.

223. Should a C.O. doubt whether arms of any description under his charge are serviceable he will report the matter, stating the reasons for his opinion. The question will be dealt with by the D. of E. & O.S.

224. Oil and material for the preservation and cleaning of arms are supplied to all units in possession of arms, as laid down in Appendix 16.

225. When a unit requires components in excess of the authorized allowance the O.C. will furnish an explanation of the cause. The matter will be dealt with by the O.C. District under para. 6, who, in submitting the case, will take into account whether the annual allowance has been drawn periodically in full. If the components are required in connection with a viewer’s inspection the Ordnance Officer of the district will enumerate the excess components on his inspection report to the D. of E. & O.S., and will also state, when necessary, if there appears to be reason for charging the unit with the cost of such components.