1588 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 32

(f.) A limited number of free railway warrants to attend the command rifle meeting may be issued on the authority of the O.C. Command to the most efficient shots in each unit of the Territorial Force and Senior Cadets in the command.

(2.) Free railway warrants, second class return (first class in the case of presidents and deputy presidents), may be issued to members of Rifle Clubs (other than honorary members), and to members of the Non-effective List of the Territorial Force attached, for the following purposes :—

(a.) To attend the nearest rifle range to carry out practice or drill :

(b.) To attend the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, and the Army rifle meeting :

(c.) To attend approved rifle meetings up to a distance of 100 miles.

Warrants for the purpose of attending rifle meetings or the ranges of other clubs for competition other than as above will not be issued without special authority of General Headquarters.

719. Railway warrants issued to members of Rifle Clubs will normally be completed in all respects prior to issue. The president or secretary of a Rifle Club, when applying for the issue of a warrant, will forward to the Area Officer a list of the names of the members for whom the warrant is required, and will state the purpose for which required.

When through any cause it is impossible to forward with the application the names of the men for whom the warrant is required the Area Officer will issue the warrant to a member of the club to be named by the president or secretary, who will be responsible that the warrant is completed by the insertion of the number travelling and the names of the men concerned, and that these particulars are forwarded to the Area Officer within three days of the date of issue of warrants.

Travelling-warrant Forms.

720. Only the following travelling-warrant forms, consecutively numbered (duplicates and triplicates being numbered accordingly), shall be used, and the use of forms not bearing printed consecutive numbers is strictly prohibited :—

(a.) Railway warrants : Form N.Z. 143.

(b.) Steamer and coach warrants : Form N.Z. 144.

Inspection of Books.

721. When requisition is made for new books, warrant-books should be returned to command headquarters or other issuing authority for inspection. They may be recalled periodically for similar purposes. If required for local reference purposes, completed books, on endorsement, may be returned to issuing officers. Command headquarters or other staff inspecting officers should periodically examine current and closed warrant-books on issue to subordinate officers.

Custody of Warrant-books and Trip Tickets.

722. Officers in possession of warrants and trip tickets will be held personally responsible for the same, and will be liable to be surcharged with the cost involved should any warrants from their books or trip tickets be illegally or improperly used.

723. Warrant-books and trip tickets are to be kept in a secure place under lock and key. Where it is necessary for authorized officers to delegate distribution to others (instructors, area non-commissioned officers, &c.), steps should be taken by the officer concerned to ensure their legitimate use only, by examining duplicates, &c., and trip tickets, and ensuring that service, &c., is correctly stated, and tickets used for authorized purposes only.

724. Cancelled warrants, on which the signature must be cancelled and “Cancelled” written across the forms, will be placed with counterfoils or duplicates.

Completion and Issue of Travelling-warrants.

725. Warrants must be properly completed in every particular required, and counterfoils filled in, or duplicates and triplicates completed by carbon process. Ink or indelible pencil must be used. Stamped or facsimile signatures are not permitted.

726. The designation of issuing officers must be shown, and warrants must be stamped showing office of origin.

727. Where travelling in mufti is authorized, railway warrants must be suitably endorsed. The omission of such endorsement will render the issuing officer liable to be surcharged with any additional cost incurred.

728. The rank, name, and unit of the person travelling must be stated. In the case of large parties, the name of the officer or non-commissioned officer in charge, and particulars of the party (units and numbers), or schedule of names, &c., if available, will be affixed to the warrant. The issue of individual warrants to members of squads, &c., making the same journey must not be made unless specially authorized.

729. Warrants must not be issued “open” as to routes or transport services. Alterations must be initialed by the officer who made them, and the correctness of warrants for squads or parties must be attested by the signature of the officer or non-commissioned officer in charge being endorsed on the warrant.

730. The particular duty or service on which the person or persons are travelling must be clearly and succinctly stated. The terms “duty,” “military duty,” “public service,” &c., are insufficient, and are prohibited. In any exceptional case the special authority for the issue must be endorsed.

731. Where a married member of the Permanent Forces is transferred, and rail and steamer travelling is involved, the rail warrant for his family (if any) should be endorsed “Civilian.” The ages of the children over three years and under twelve years should be clearly stated.

Issue of Block Return Rail Warrants.

732. Block rail warrants will be issued whenever possible, the issue of individual warrants being kept to a minimum. (NOTE: Where the number travelling on one warrant exceeds five and twenty-four respectively, the Railway Department allows the Defence Department the same concession as is obtainable by the use of twelve-trip and fifty-trip tickets. No concession over ordinary civilian rates is obtainable otherwise, except in the case of holiday excursion rail tickets: vide para. 741.)

733. Where trainees living within reach of certain railway-stations are required to assemble for the purpose of proceeding to camp, or course of instruction, &c., and no responsible member of the Permanent Staff is available to obtain the relative rail tickets, a block rail warrant completed in all respects will be forwarded to the Stationmaster concerned (or tablet porter where no Stationmaster exists) under cover of an explanatory memorandum, requesting the issue of the relative tickets on request to any or all of the details endorsed on the back of the warrant, the name of any failing to report to be deleted and the actual number travelling endorsed on the face of the warrant. The trainees concerned will be instructed to obtain tickets accordingly from the Stationmaster, or tablet porter, as the case may be. This procedure will preclude booking fees being demanded by the Railway Department through trainees boarding trains without tickets.

734. In the event of members of squads or parties who are covered by block return rail tickets returning either before or after the squad or party, a certificate as per pro forma hereunder must be issued by the Adjutant or other officer responsible. This certificate, together with respective block return rail tickets, will be presented to the local Stationmaster (or, when there is no local Railway official, to the guard of the train before it departs), who will endorse the ticket and certificate to the requirements of his Department (e.g., ticket will be endorsed reducing number for return thereon, and certificate will be signed to this effect for the information of the guard). The certificate is then available for use as a ticket by those members not travelling with the squad or party, the reduced numbers of which are covered by the endorsed block return rail ticket. The issue of a warrant or warrants to individuals who are already provided for in a block return rail ticket is prohibited.

(PRO-FORMA.)

CERTIFIED that [Rank and name of individual] is included in block rail ticket No. . . . . . . . . . issued for [Number] second-class return journeys from . . . . . . . to . . . . . . . in lieu of Defence rail warrant No. . . . . . . . , and is returning home independently on [Date].

. . . . . . . . . . . , Adjutant, . . . . . . . Camp.

Date . . . . . . . . . .

TO THE GUARD OF THE RELATIVE TRAIN.

Block rail ticket No. . . . . . . . has been produced, and number for return thereon reduced accordingly.

. . . . . . . . . . . , Stationmaster, . . . . . . . Station

Date . . . . . . . . . .

[or Guard of Train].

First- and Second-class Warrants.

735. All officers, warrant officers, sergeants-major, staff sergeants, and presidents of Rifle Clubs travelling on duty in the Dominion shall be entitled to first-class warrants both by rail and steamer. All other ranks will travel second class by rail and steamer. (See also Financial Instructions and Allowance Regulations.)

Deck Berths and Sleeping-berths.

736. The use of deck berths on steamers and sleeping-berths on trains is defined by Financial Instructions and Allowance Regulations. Officers endorsing warrants for deck berths, or railway warrants for sleeping-berths, where not so authorized, thus necessitating action for recovery of amounts that are not proper charges against the Public Account, will be liable to be surcharged with the cost of the ticket as well.

Direct Route.

737. Officers authorized to sign and issue travelling-warrants must ensure that warrants are made out only for the most direct route. Issuing officers will be liable to be surcharged with any additional expenditure incurred by the contravention of this regulation.