11

H.—l9

detention will be exceptional. In such cases provision has been made for the detention of offenders in military custody in some of the permanent barracks or forts. The following places have been appointed as places where detention will be carried out : Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch (Lyttelton), Dunedin (Taiaroa Heads). Up to the 30th April thirteen persons have been committed to military detenion, and all have served their sentences to the full. Appendix F shows the Regulations in reference to offenders committed to military custody. 32. Courts-martial. Two courts-martial have been held during the past year. I am glad to say that it is now more generally recognized that breaches of the Defence Act are breaches of the civil law, and, as such, should be dealt with by the civil authorities. Courts-martial are, in my opinion, unsuited, as a rule, for dealing with offences committed by members of a Citizen Army, except in the rarest and gravest cases of offences of a purely military nature. Further, in a Citizen Army, the personnel and facilities for holding courts-martial are not available as in the case of a Regular Army. 33. The Area System. The area system is working satisfactorily. In order to assist the Area Group officers in the discharge of their clerical duties, and with the care of the Senior Cadet equipment, a redistribution of the Permanent Staff was effected, with the result that each Area Group officer now has the assistance of a Group Orderly-room and Quartermaster-sergeant. A Board of Officers was assembled to consider proposals with a view to minimizing the wastage due to the difficulty in tracing persons liable to training who may transfer from one place to another. As a result of their recommendations it is hoped that the procedure on transfer will be simplified, and that it will be possible to deal more effectively in the future with the shifting population of military age. A large proportion of the men have again changed their places of residence since the last registration. Means have been concerted whereby it is hoped that the numbers of men of whom trace has been lost may be reduced. Much will depend on the amount of assistance which the police may be able to afford, and I would like, in this connection, to express our gratitude for the willing assistance they have given us in promoting the success of the scheme. The problem, however, of tracing those members of the shifting population who are liable to service is not an easy one, and requires serious attention, for on its successful solution to a large extent depends the efficient working of the scheme. As a result of further experience gained in the working of the scheme, it has been found advisable that the responsible duties of Area Group officers should be discharged by more senior officers of the N.Z.S.C. The necessary redistribution of officers has accordingly taken place. 34. Appointments to the Permanent Staff. The only additions to the Permanent Staff beyond those necessary to replace the promoted warrant and N.C.O.s are one Field Artillery Instructor, whose appointment has been made extra to the district establishments on removal to Headquarters, and four non-commissioned officers of the Army Service Corps, who have been lent from Home to assist in the formation and instruction of trie necessary companies of the Dominion Army Service Corps which is about to be commenced. Pending its formation, the services of these four non-commissioned officers have been utilized in connection with the supplies and transport for the recent annual training-camps. In order to assist in the care and supervision of Senior Cadet equipment, and in the clerical work of the Area Group officers, it has been necessary to provide eighteen Group Orderly-room and Quartermaster, Sergeants. It was possible to supply nine of these through the return of N.C.O.s on loan to the Education Department; the remainder had to be found by a reduction of the Instructional Staff. The following is now the establishment: — Area Sergeants-major .. 56 i Signal Company Instructors .. 4 Regimental Seigeants-major .. 29 Field Ambulance Instructors .. 4 Regimental Q.M.S. .. .. 29 Army Service Corps Instructor-? .. 4 Brigade Sergeants-major • . . 8 Sergeant-instructors .. .. 48 . Field Artillery Instructor .. 1 Group Orderly-room and Q.M.S. .. 18 Engineer Instructors .. . . 4 , - — 8 Total .. .. 205

35. Registration. The registration of all youths available for training up to the 30th April, 1913, has resulted as follows :—

District. Territorials. Senior Cadets. Totals. Luckland .. Janterbury Hago Wellington 9,060 6,176 6,174 8,150 8,990 10,760 7,405 12,985 18,050 16,936 13,579 21,135 Totals 29,560 40,140 69,700