CITIZEN OFFICERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1239, 22 September 1911, Page 5

CITIZEN OFFICERS.

IN THE TERRITORIAL ARMY. SYSTEM OF PROMOTION. With a popular system of army organisation now being carried out, a good deal has been heard of lato on tlio subject of appointments and promotions of citizen officers. A circular memorandum, dated September 15, and addressed from District Headquarters to all officers commanding regiments and units, explains tho system of promotion which is now in force in the citizens' army. Tho memorandum states: —

"The system of promotion which, is now in force is based on tho automatic filling up of vacancies in the establishment of units. Promotion is made additional :

"(1) On the officer to be promoted having passed the necessary qualifying examinatioa for tho rank to which ho is promoted, and, ''(2) On tho officer not having exceeded tho age limit laid down in regulations for tho rank to which He is promoted. "The fact of an officer having passed for promotion on a given dato onlv qualifies him for promotion, and such promotions will bo given effect to as vacancies occur. The date on which an officer passes the tjualifyiug examination (loos not debar him from being antedated to the dato on which the vacancy occurred, even though such date may bo previous to that on which he passed tho examination. Again, tho date oa which an officer passes does not in any, way entitlo him to promotion on that date. In other words, once an officer has passed the* examination qualifying liim for promotion, his promotion may take effect as before, on or before the actual date on which ho' passed.

"Vacancies will in no case- bo kept open for officers who have not passed for tho ncit highest rank. Tho senior who has passed will, on a vacancy occnrriug, be promoted over the heads of those who have not.

"If the promotion of an officer is undesirable from a territorial point of view, e.g., if liis promotion would result in two majors or captains being allotted to the company, etc., liis promotion may, subject to tho succeeding paragraph, bo held in abeyance till a suitable vacancy occurs. Tho establishment, however, must l>o made complete by the promotion of au officer who is territorially suitable, oven though tho officer territorially unsuitable Mill thereby-bo superseded. "On the other hand, when the command of a company, etc., falls vacant, tho chance of promotion to fill the vacancy must be offered to tho next senior officer in tho unit, who may, if his pltico of residence, or business, etc., makes it impossible (or, in other words, makes him territorially unsuitable), refuse, promotion. He will then be superseded by tho next senior officer who may bo eligible and available to fill the vacancy. "It must bo clearly understood Hint those rules ore only laid <iown for fjilidnnoo in fho future, and do not apply to tho promotion of officers who lielil actingnppointnicnts prior to March 17, 1911. . . . Any officer commandng a unit, should recommend any snitable candidates for commissions, irrespective of whether lio has a vacancy in his own unit or not."