Dec. 6.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

CHAPTER IX.—GRATUITIES AND GRANTS FOR MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES.

190. Long-service and Good-conduct Medal and Gratuity.—The regulations governing the award of the Long-service and Good-conduct Medal shall be as laid down in the King’s Regulations and Admiralty Instructions.

191. A gratuity of £20 shall be payable from New Zealand funds to ratings of the New Zealand Division, including ratings transferred from the Imperial or a Dominion Navy, who are awarded the Long-service and Good-conduct Medal under the conditions laid down in the King’s Regulations and Admiralty Instructions.

192. An allowance of £1 per annum from New Zealand funds is payable, in addition to the gratuity, for each completed year of service for which character is assessed as “Very good” subsequent to the award of the medal. Payment shall be charged to the pay vote, and made in arrear at the end of each engagement or upon discharge. No payment shall be made in respect of uncompleted years, or for more than a period of seven years in any instance, inclusive of service prior to joining the New Zealand Division.

193. Ratings lent from the Royal Navy will remain eligible for the Royal Naval medal and gratuity, and will not be entitled to any further award under these regulations.

194. National Health Insurance and Widows’ Contributory Pensions.—Royal Naval ratings lent for service with the New Zealand Division continue to be in the same position as regards these two insurances as if serving in the Royal Navy, the contributions on their behalf usually paid by the Admiralty being met by the New Zealand Government.

195. Discharge by Purchase: Rates and Regulations.—Chief and other petty officers and ratings may, subject to the approval of the Naval Board, be permitted to purchase their discharge on the terms and under the regulations applicable in the Royal Navy, but with the addition that discharge may be purchased up to, but not exceeding, six months’ service from date of first entry for the sum of £10.

196. Service must be actual service in receipt of wages as recorded in the service certificate.

197. In special circumstances the Naval Board may approve of the discharge of a rating without payment of purchase-money, or may reduce the amount required by the scale.

198. Ratings (except boys) discharged by purchase from the New Zealand Division who are allowed to re-engage within a period of two years from the date of discharge may, on approval by the Naval Board, be refunded one-half of the purchase-money paid, provided that on re-entry a fresh engagement is entered into for twelve years, or for five years if the unexpired portion of the original engagement be less than this latter period.

This regulation shall apply to ratings who have purchased their discharge when boys and re-enter within six months to complete their training, or re-enter within the same period in a man’s rating.

5. Should re-entry of a person who has purchased his discharge take place within five years of such discharge, previous service shall count in every respect as if no break in the original engagement had occurred.

6. Rewards for Apprehensions of Deserters and Absentees.—Exceptional zeal or intelligence in affecting the arrest of a deserter or absentee, or in causing him to surrender, may be recognized by the payment of a reward of which the amount is to be determined by the energy and intelligence which has been shown, and is not to exceed £1 for the arrest of a man who has overstayed his leave, or £2 for the arrest within two years of a deserter or of a man who has—

(a) Broken out of his ship;

(b) When on service or away from his ship, quitted his place of duty and continued to be absent after the time at which he should have returned to the ship; or

(c) When his ship was under sailing-orders, continued to be absent without leave after the ship has sailed, provided that the fact of the ship being under sailing-orders was generally known.

A reward should not be offered beforehand, except in rare cases where the recovery of the deserter or absentee is of special importance for other reasons.

2. No reward is to be paid for the apprehension of any officer, or to any Naval rating, or to any member of a Police Force employed at a Naval establishment.