DEFENCE FORCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13485, 11 May 1907, Page 7

DEFENCE FORCES.

NEW REGULATIONS.

SOME IMPORTANT PROVISIONS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] '■ : " , : :■'. : : '■' ' ; - V Wellington, Friday. The new Defence regulations, among other things, provide that reserve • corps may be formed on the approval of His Excellency the Governor and the Council of Defence. Infantry or mounted rifle corps at present serving as volunteer corps, which find they cannot maintain their strength, and are so far off the lines of communication as to be unable to rapidly mobilise, may apply, and it the reasons stated in support of the application are found satisfactory, may be formed into reserve corps. Volunteer corps already existing and changing to a reserve corps may retain their arms, bayonets, waistbelts, and pouches. Their haversacks, ■ waterbottles and other Government equipment are to be returned to the mobilisation store. They. will bo allowed to retain and : wear out their present uniform, replacing the" same with one of the cheapest description, as' laid down for service dress in the general regulations. - ■ MUSKETRY COURSE. Each member of a reserve corps must fire the annual course of musketry, as laid down from time to time by tho Council of Defence, and each " efficient'' shall be allowed 100 rounds of ball ammunition free annually, and 100 rounds of ball ammunition per member per annum may be ; purchased at such reduced price as may be fixed by the Council of Defence. 'Members of a reserve corps must attend four drills during the volunteer year. Officers of the reserve corps ■ shall have the- privilege of belonging to officers' clubs, and attending , classes ot instruction, etc. Reserve corps will, in order to test the mobilisation scheme for the district, be liable to be called out at suitable times. The age of re- j tirement from the reserve corps is fixed I at 60 years. " ,' , ''■■''[■■ i i Men who served in South Africa, and J who are not already serving hi an active . I volunteer corps, are 'to be encouraged to ! join the reserve corps.. These corps may ' compete at rifle association meetings, and also against .the active volunteers at com- j petitions for money prizes and prize medals i ! payable out of moneys appropriated by i , Parliament, . and also at' military tourna- | ments and elsewhere. Free railway passes may also be issued under the same conditions as laid down for other branches of the Defence Forces. :- ;■'/.. EXCHANGE OF OFFICERS. • ' In each: alternate year, four officers of the New Zealand Defence Forces may be selected, two from the mounted rifles and two from the infantry, : one of each arm from each island, where practicable, to proceed to England or to, India, for practical instruction with Imperial troops for one year from the date of arrival there. Certain qualifying tests, '~ the details of which will be published later on, will govern the selection. Such officers will be required, on selection, to sign an agreement that on the expiration of their period of training either in England or in India' they will return to New Zealand, and continue to serve. on the instructional staff with the Defence Forces, on; partial pay, or take up permanent service should there be vacancies. The -units composing a regiment or battalion will, in future, be brought directly under the control of the officer commanding the:regiment or battalion in all matters connected with capitation, equipment, and allowance ■of ammunition. Horse hire, not exceeding 10s per horse per diem, willbe ;, allowed to :.officers Xof infantry battalions, engineer 'companies," 'and otherunits, whose special duties require them to bo mounted on -parade during . field days and camps, and for staff rides, forage allowance not exceeding Is 6d per diem will also be allowed for each horse. Horse hire will not be allowed to officers : of :fte mounted rifles, but an allowance of Is 6d per day shall be made for grooming mounted officers' horses -while in camp. In all cases where volunteers , while in training camp become sick or are injured while performing some military duty they are to be shown on the parade states as "sick." Capitation in such cases will be allowed.' The new regulations provide for many additional alterations,. all more or less important. It is laid down that* each volunteer .in/the infantry, cycle, and signalling sections to qualify. for capitation must attend at least 18 parades during the year, three of these being daylight parades, lwo-thirds of the strength must be present on at least four . parades during the year, and each man must have completed the musketry course laid down in "target practice." , V'.° .\.'■ ;„ : ALLOWANCES. 1 :; ;• ■ - Payment for attendance: at daylight mrades shall ■be made at the following rates for, each such parade: —Officers 46, sergeants 3s 6d, corporals 3s, privates 2s 6d. No payment shall be made for parades.held at or during camps of instruction. Ammunition in the following annual proportions, to be reckoned from the commencement/ .the volunteer year, shall be allowed to the several arms without payment, on the condition that it is expended within the year, under. ', supervision Heavy ordnance ammunition for garrison artillery volunteers, such allowance as may be from time to'time authorised ; field gun ammunition for field; gun's, such allowance as may. be from, time to time authorised; Permanent Force (R.N. Z.A. and' N. Z. E.),■;: field artillery vol un.; teers, garrison artillery volunteers, submarine mining engineer volunteers, and Held engineer volunteers, for every enrolled member 100 rounds ball; mounted rifle volunteers and infantry volunteers, for every enrolled member, 180 rounds ball;' defence cadet volunteers, for every enrolled member, 100 rounds ball; defence rifle clubs, for every enrolled member .who fires the annual musketry course, . 120 rounds ball. In addition, all volunteers will foe allowed to purchase extra ammunition at reduced charges. . .