1594
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 32

make of documents or information which he becomes possessed of in his official capacity is for the furtherance of the public service in the performance of his duties. Publishing official documents or information, or using them for personal controversy or for any private purpose, without due authority will be treated as a breach of official trust under the Defence Act.

838. 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 shall be marked “Secret” or “Confidential,” and the outer one inscribed with the address only. A confidential plan or other document is to be similarly treated. In the case of confidential reports on officers, or examination results of officers of the Permanent or Territorial Forces, the inner envelope should be marked so as to indicate its contents. In addition to these precautions, secret and confidential correspondence transmitted through the post will be registered if the sender considers such a course necessary, and in every case will be acknowledged at once. The formal acknowledgment of the receipt of a secret communication, the contents of which are not revealed in such acknowledgment, should not be marked “Secret.” This will apply also to papers which are not in themselves secret though connected with secret papers.

839. An envelope marked “Secret” will be opened by the following officers:—
     (a.) If addressed to General Headquarters, by the Chief of the General Staff:
     (b.) If addressed to command headquarters, by the G.S.O. (1):
     (c.) If addressed to a particular appointment, by the officer holding that appointment:
     (d.) In the absence of any of the officers mentioned above, by the next senior officer of the Headquarters or branch concerned.

840. Secret and confidential books, documents, and maps issued by General Headquarters for the public service will be sent to Os.C. Commands, who will be responsible for their safe custody and distribution to those concerned. The individual receipt will be retained by him for reference, and a list will be furnished to General Headquarters showing how the documents, &c., have been distributed. When a document becomes obsolete and has to be destroyed he will obtain a certificate of destruction, and will inform General Headquarters of the serial numbers of the copies destroyed. Should any such book, document, or map be lent by the officer responsible for its safe custody to an officer authorized by paras. 834 and 835 to be made acquainted with its contents, a receipt will be obtained from the officer to whom it is lent, which will be retained until the book, document, or map is returned. The O.C. Command will forward to General Headquarters twice annually on the 1st June and 1st December a list of the “secret” books, documents, and maps for which he is responsible, with the certificates thereon duly completed.

841. A list of all secret and confidential documents will be maintained by the officers responsible for their custody. When any such officer is relieved of his appointment, he will submit his list to command headquarters for verification, and will hand over such verified list and the documents referred to therein to his successor, and will obtain a receipt from him.

842. When any deficiency in secret or confidential documents is discovered, a report will immediately be made, through the usual channels, to General Headquarters. In such cases the O.C. Command will institute inquiries, and take such disciplinary steps as the case may demand.

843. Confidential documents, books, and maps will be preserved and dealt with as public property. Publications of this nature may be deposited in the reference libraries mentioned in para. 417.

844. Books, documents, and maps, including those marked “For official use only,” issued from General Headquarters for the public service will be dealt with, as regards custody and handing-over, in a similar manner to that laid down in para. 843 for confidential books. Whenever any deficiency is discovered, a requisition for another copy—on payment—will be forwarded through the O.C. Command. Publications marked “For official use only” may be deposited in officers’ libraries when issued for that purpose.

845. Copies of all correspondence despatched, and the original of all correspondence received, will be filed on the central registry system.

846. No document will be removed from a file except—
     (a.) For destruction as provided in para. 847.
     (b.) By the officer or clerk in charge of the filing system, for the purpose of transfer to some other file.

847. A Board will be assembled annually in every office for the purpose of recommending for destruction such documents or classes of documents as are considered of no further value. The Board, will, if possible, be composed of the senior and two other officers of the office concerned. The recommendations of this Board will be submitted to the O.C. Command, or at General Headquarters to the Adjutant-General, who will issue orders as to the disposal of the documents concerned, and will take such steps as he considers necessary to ensure that no document which is likely to be of further use or interest is destroyed.

848. The system of recording the services of officers and other ranks laid down in King’s Regulations will be taken as a guide in recording the services of officers and other ranks of the N.Z. Permanent Forces.

849. A personal file will be maintained for every officer and soldier in the Forces, in the unit with which he is serving. Personal files will be built up in the following sequence:—
     Officers:—
     (i.) File-cover.
     (ii.) Attestation.
     (iii.) Correspondence, Gazette notices, &c., in order of date, the latest being on top.
     (iv.) Back sheet.
     Other ranks of the Permanent Forces:—
     (i.) File-cover.
     (ii.) Attestation.
     (iii.) Regimental and company conduct-sheets.
     (iv.) Correspondence, &c., in order of date, the latest being on top.
     Other ranks of the Territorial Force, and Cadets—
     (i.) File-cover (N.Z. 16).
     (ii.) Correspondence, including transfer forms (N.Z. 20), in order of date, the latest being on top.
     (iii.) Conduct-sheet (vide para. 449).
     (iv.) Medical examination (N.Z. 23), for Territorial Force only.
     (v.) Enrolment form (N.Z. 24).
     (vi.) Application for registration (N.Z. 2).
     (vii.) Record of clothing, arms, and equipment on charge (N.Z. 26).
     (viii.) Back sheet, with receipt and issue dockets for clothing, arms, and accoutrements (N.Z. 148) attached.

850. Personal files of trainees transferred from one unit to another will be forwarded through the post in cardboard tubes, and not in envelopes.

851. When an officer of the Permanent Forces is transferred from one military command to another his personal file will be forwarded to General Headquarters for transmission to the headquarters of the military command to which he is transferred. The files of other officers will be posted direct to the command concerned.

852. Files of Territorials transferred to the Reserve will be forwarded to the Staff Officer i/c Regimental District. The Staff Officer i/c Regimental District will remove form N.Z. 16 and file the Reservists’ files alphabetically and separately by years. Forms N.Z. 16 will be similarly filed by years. Personal files will be retained by the Staff Officer i/c Regimental District for all Reservists until they attain the age of twenty-five years, and will then be destroyed, the forms N.Z. 16 being retained until the trainees reach the age of forty-five years, when the forms will be destroyed.

Files containing documents or correspondence of special value or interest, which it is considered should be retained for reference, should be clearly “tagged” by the unit when forwarding them to the Staff Officer i/c Regimental District.

Such files should not be filed with the other Reservists’ files, but should be kept with the ordinary office records, the N.Z. 16 being endorsed “See File No. . . . . . . . .”

FORMS, BOOKS, AND STATIONERY.

853. The numbers and designations of the forms and books which are in ordinary use and of which a free issue is made are shown in the List of N.Z. Forms and Books, a copy of which is issued periodically to all concerned.

854. Units will be in possession of the latest editions of the undermentioned books. These books are supplied, on requisition, unless otherwise notified, at the public expense; new editions, when published, being issued in their place.

N.Z. Regulations.
N.Z. Army List.
Financial Instructions and Allowance Regulations.
List of N.Z. Forms and Books.
King’s Regulations.
Manual of Military Law.
Handbook of Military Law (N.Z.).
Mobilization Instructions (N.Z.).
Regulations for the Administration and Equipment of Camps and Barracks (N.Z.).
Instructions for Supply and Transport Service (N.Z.).
Priced Vocabulary of Stores, Parts I and II, with N.Z. Addenda.
Instructions relating to Accounting for Stores (N.Z.).
Instructions for Cost Accounting (N.Z.).
Instructions re Movements and Travelling.
Peace Equipment Table (N.Z.) (for arm of service).
War Equipment Table (for arm of service).
Field Service Manual (for arm of service).
*Establishments, N.Z. Military Forces (Peace).
Establishments (War).
Training and Manoeuvre Regulations.

• Issued on the scale of one per battery, squadron, or company, for the use of all officers and other ranks.