NEW VOLUNTEER REGULATIONS.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7214, 27 November 1888, Page 5

NEW VOLUNTEER REGULATIONS.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION TSLSGEAM.] WELLINGTON, November 26. The new Volunteer regulations have received the sanction of his Excellency the Governor, and will come into operation at the beginning of the new year They entirely remodel the language of the existing regulations, and contain some material alterations in the system. The maximum Volunteer strength in four centres of population is increased to the following:—Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, one mounted corps of 80 men, three naval artillery corps, 300; one garrison artillery corps, 80; one field artillery corps, B'J;* six rifle corps, 600;' total, 12 corps, numbering 1140 men of all arms. Christchurch —which includes Lyttelton —is to have one mounted corps of 80 men, one naval artillery corps of 100, one garrison artillery corps of 80, one field artillery corps of 80, and six rifle corps of 600, or a total of ten corps with 940 men. A district adjutant is to be brigade major, and except under special circumstances must possess a certificate from a recognised School of Musketry. No officer is to be eligible for promotion to field rank' until he shall have eerved seven years as a commissioned officer. An officer's commission will date from the day he passes his examination, and he will be al owed six months from the date of his election in which to qualify, excepting in the case of officers of Naval Artillery. Mounted Infantry, Artillery, and Engineers, who are to have nine months for qualifying. The ages at which candidates tor commissions will be eligible for election are fixed at—For Naval Artillery lieutenant 21, sub-lieutenant 18; Naval Cadets, 14; in other branches, captain 21, lieutenant 18. Three men in each corps are ta be thoroughly instructed by tlie medical officers in stretcher drill and field dressing, and when qualified will wear the Geneva badge. Instructors will rank as sergeant-maj r senior to ail Volunteers ' non-commissioned officers. Bandsmen to the number of five for each corps will be entitled to capitation after six months' service, garrison bands are to be allowed .£25 per annum towards their expenses. Bands are not to be allowed to play in the vicinity of places of worship during the hours of Divine service. With reference to recrniting, it is provided that men who have already undergone military training may, on the approval of the officer commanding the district or officers of permanent «taS, enrol in a corps prior to the 30th September without undergoing ordinary recruit drill. They will not, however, be entitled to capitation for the year, unless they have attended every Government parade from the date of enrolment and gone through target practice. There is to be a Central Board of Examination, who arc-to prepare suitable text books and a syllabus of the course of study for each rank and arm of the service.