OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 6

OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS. APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS. The new general regulations for the tho New Zealand Defence Forces, tho drafting of winch lins occupied tho General Staff at headquarters for. some considerable- time past, are now in tho hands of tho Government Printer, and will bo issued shortly as a- special supplement to tho New Zealand Gazette. Tho regulations, exchisivo of tho appendices, occupy something like 27 pages of closely printed matter, and it is impossible, for obvious reasons, to give more than a flying survey of tho main points which have not yes seen the light of day.

Appointment of Officers. Of tho nrst.importar.ee are the rules for the appointment, examination, and promotion of officers. Commissions will bo of three kinds :— (1) Commissions in tho New Zealand Staff Corps and Now Zealand Permanent Force. (2) Commissions in the Territorial Force. (3) Direco commissions in the reserve of officers (in tho rank of lieutenant only) for specially qualified junior cadet officers. All appointments to corcmissiens m tho Now Zealand Staff Corps and Permanent Force will eventually bo made from cadets- who have passed through a course of training at -the Australian Military College, and will be niado jn tho rank of lieutenant. Recommendations for appointments to commissions in tho Territorial Force willbe considered by a district selection board, or which tho O.C. district; will bo president. Tho board will consist of tho General Staff Officer of tho district and of two Territorial officers not below tho rank of'.lieutenant-colonel. In special cases a district' selection board may recommend first appointment to a higher

Appointments to tho higher posts or, the staff will bo mado from a selected list of officers of the New Zealand Staff Corps and Permanent Force considered qualified for such employment, termed the "Staff List." This list will be prepared and revised eacii year by tho Commandant, but will not bo published. The guiding principle in the selection of officers for this list will be the possession of thoso qualifications which render them fitted for the- pcrformanco of the'duties of the' Staff; but as a general rule an officer will not be eligible ■ for employment on! tho General Staff, or for exchange- with Imperial General Staff Officers in other parts of tho Empire, unless he holds a Staff College certificate or has been noted as qualified for Staff employment in consequence of proved ability on the Staff in the field. Officers of the Territorial Force may be seconded for servico ■on tho Staff. , No officer .will hold a Staff appointment longer than four .years without being reappomted. ■ Every officer is expected, after two years' service as an officer, to bo capablo- of commanding and oxercising ,i company, etc., in every situation, and to bo perfectly acquainted with its interior management, economy, and discipline ; and, after two years' service as a company, etc., commander, to bo competent in every respect to undertake tho duties of a field officer.

Provision is_ mado for confidential reports on efficiency, for the information of those responsible for the promotion of officers.

Staff College Courses. Officers of the New Zealand ..StallCorps and Permanent Forco may- ho sent to the United Kingdom or to India for courses of instruction or for attachment to regular troops. No officer will bo eligible for selection under this paragraph until he has passed the prescribed examination for promotion to the nest higher rank.

On a Staff College vacancy or nomination at Cainberley or Quetta being placed at the disposal of the New Zealand Military Force 3 by the Army Council or Government of India, the officers' whoso names are' recorded on tho "selected list" may compete at the entrance examination under the "Regulations for Admission to the Staff College." -No, officer will bo allowed to compete unless ho is fully, qualified under the King's Regulations, and no officer will be allowed to attend the Staff College course unless he lias duly qualified at the entrance examination. Promotions. Asregards promotions, no officer will be eligible for promotion until bo shall havo passed tho prescribed examination. Officers who hold a Staff College certificate-will be exempt from all examinations for promotion except the practical examination in tactical fitness for the rank of lieutenant-colonel. An officer whoso turn for promotion occurs whilst ho is on active service, or whilst ho is medically unfit by reason of wounds or disease contracted on active service, will bo promoted without examination.

Promotions in the Territorial Forco up to and including tho rank of major will be mado on the recommendation of the District Selection Board, and above that rank on the recommendation of tho Commandant.

Appointments to the command of units will bo made in terms 'of four years. In exceptional cases officers may, on the recommendation of the Commandant, bo granted an extension of not more than two years. If on the completion of their term of command they are considered eligible for further military employment, they will be transferred to tho unattached list." Retirements. Candidates for commissions in the ■New Zealand Staff Corps and New Zealand Permanent Force before beim* adrmttecMo the Australian Military" College will be required to sign an a«reomeni giving an undertaking that "they will serve for a period of twelve years irom tho date ot such admission, tinless their services are dispensed with by higher authority before that time Subject to this proviso, officers of tho New Zealand Staff Corps and Permanent I'orce may resign their commissions at any.time.

Officers of the Now Zealand Staff Corps qnd Permanent Force sent out of the Dominion for training at the expense of the Government will siVn an agreoment giving nn undertaking that they will not resign their commissions for a period of fivp years after their return to New Zealand. Officers of the Military Forces shall be eompulsorily retired at the- a<*o set forth in the following table, but in special cases may bo granted extensions ,F a . Period -not exceeding two years. (Territorial officers' ago limit in parenthoses) :—

Colonel, 55 (60); Lieutenant-Colonel, 5o (oo); Major, 55 (50); Captain, 55 (4o),; Lieutenant, 55 MO) , ; Quartermaster and Bandmaster holding commissions, 55 (60). Outfits and Maintenance. Officers gazetted to the Territorial Force (including the Unattached List), who havo not previously hold commissions in tho Volunteers, will bo allowed onjirst appointment an outfit grant of £15 for the provision and upkeep of uniform. The issue of this grant is subject to the following conditions:—

(1) The officer must pass the examination for promotion to tho rank next above that in which ho was appointed within two years of his appointment. (2) The officer must servo for five years as an officer from the date of his appointment.

Should he fail to comply with (1) at the end of two years ho will forfeit half of tho total amount. Should ho fail to comply with (2) ho will he liable to refund £3 in respect of each complete year in which he has not so served.

. Outfit grant will not be issued to officers whoso services aro only available oh mobilisation until they are called up on mobilisation being ordered. Such officers will then receive- the grant, and will not bo required to qualify for it. To meet the general expenses of administration a maintenance grant will bo made to each unit of tho Territorial Force, and each Senior Cadet Company at the following annual rates: — For each mounted unit in which men supply their own horses, a sum equal to £1 per man. For each dismounted unit and mounted' units in which tho man does not bring his own horse, 10s. per man. For each company of Senior Cadets, 2s. 6d. per cadet. This grant will bo credited as a lumpsum to the commanding officer, and will bo used at his discretion for purposes which aro calculated to increase the efficiency of his unit, and for which grants are not otherwise provided. The grant must not bo sent on providing full dress uniforms, extra rations, entertainments, or in prizes for any competitions (military or otherwise), or for training purposes, except for the provision of extra appliances. The only obligatory uniform for officers of the Territorial Force is servico dress as authorised in the "N.Z. Dress Regulations." An authorised pattern of full dress for officers is laid down for each unit, but its provision is optional. Territorial units may adopt a mess dress on tho design being approved by tho commandant. Tho provision of this dress is optional to the individual offi-.

Judge-Advocate General. The. Judge-Advocate General is appointed by the Minister for Defence. Ho superintends the administration of military law in the Dominion, gives advice on matters leading up to the convening of courts-martial, and reviews tho proceedings with a view to seeing whether they have been regular and legal. In the event of it being necessary to quash the proceedings he makes recommendations to tho Minister for Defence with this object. Ho is tho custodian of tho confirmed proceedings of all general and district courts-martial. He assists the Minister for Defence in tho formulation of any advico it may be necessary to give tho Governor regarding the proceedings of general courts-martial or other such matters.