NATIONAL RESERVE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2716, 10 March 1916, Page 7

NATIONAL RESERVE.

ORGANISATION AND TRAINING

NEW REGULATIONS

• New regulations have been idrawn up and approved for tho organisation, training, discipline, ..and control of the National Reserve. ( Composition and Organisation. 1. The National Reserve shall consist of all voluntary military units throughout the Dominion, organised for training as provided in Section 3, /Defence Amendment Act, 1915, including all voluntary naval reserves when specially approved by the .Governor. • 2. Only British subjects are qualified to serve in tho Reserve:—(a) Ex-offi-cers of any miliisary forces and of tho •Naval Reserve, lioyal Naval Volunteer •Reserve, and kindred colonial forces; (b) (1) ex-naval ratings and marine i ranks, (2) naval and marine pensioners over 55 years, Royal Naval- Reservo .pensioners enrolled prior to 1906 at (jo years, (3) Royal Fleet Reserve, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Volunteer Reserve; and kindred colonial forces; (c) ex-soldiers and-speoial reserve; (d) exmilitiamen; (e) ex-Yeomanry, es-volun-teers, and ex-meinhers of colonial forces ; (f) ex-Territorials, if not disqualified under Section 3, Defenco Amendment Act, 1915; (g) individuals who have been duly granted a war ' onedal, and if not otherwise disqualified; (JO ex-members of constabulary; (i) Legion of Frontiersmen; (j) honorary members of rifio clubs; (k) honorary' Territorials; (1) members of St. John Ambulance and Red Cross Association; (m) other persons not, prohibit- , ed by Sub-section (2) of Section 3, Dofence Amendment 'Act, 1915. 3..-The general organisation shall, so far as is practical and consistent, bo in '■accordance with the conditions laid down in New/Zealand .'establishments-, the Staff establishments vary according to requirements. 4. The National Reserve districts shall be as follow:—(1) Tiro Auckland Military District; (2) Tho Wellington ■Military District; (3) The-Canterbury Military District; (4\ Tho Otago Military District. ' 1 Sub-districts shall be as follow: —(a) Marlborough, excluding the portion* south of the Clarence River, to bo a sub-district of Canterbury; (b) Nelson * and Westland to be a sub-district of . Canterbury; and (c) Southland, includ-' ing Wallace County and Stewart Island, , to be a sub-district of Otago. The governing body .shall have power to further subdivide any of the above •National Reserve districts or sub-dis-'tricts.7 The Railway and Post, and Telegi'aph Sections of the National Reserve shall be considered as separate 'divisions under its own commander; Government. \5. The government cf the Reserve shall bo vested in an Executive Council of officers as follows:—The Dominion Commandant--appmnted by the Honourable Minister of Defence; the District 1 Commandant of each district or 6\ib'district; tlie Commanders of tho.R'ailway Engineers and Post and Telegraph Sections; the Commander, Volunteer Naval Reserves, whon such reserve is approved. The command and general military administration cf the Reserve ■ shall be in the hands of the Dominion Commandant, with, headquarters at Wellington, and the 'council'shall meet at stated periods and places to be determined by tlie council under their own rules of procedure; three to form a quorum. The District and Subdistrict Commandants shall be appointed by .the Honourable Minister of Defence, on the recommendation of the Dominion Commandant. Commanders and Duties," 6. Subject to approval of the Hon. Minister of Defence, .by notification in the New Zealand Gazette, officers may be appointed as follow:— (a) The Dominion Commandant, National Reserve. (b) _The District Commandant of each district and subdistrict. (c) The Commander of the Volunteer Naval Reserve Branches. (d) The Commander of the Railway 'Engineers Section. (e)'The Commander of the Post and Telegraph Section. The commander of the Railway Section shall be appointed by the Hon. Minister of Defence on the joint recommendation of the Commandant and the' General Manager of Railways. The commander of the Post and Telegraph Section shall be appointed by_ the Hon. Minister of Defence on the joint - recommendation of the Commandant and I il& Secretary of the Postal Department. 7. The commandant of each district will recommend tho appointments (or Confirmation) of officers commanding tho groups of their several districts, who shall be designated the Officer Commanding Group. All district, group, and staff appointments shall from timo to time be notified through General Directions issued by the Dominion Convnandant. National Reserve officers will bo grant- / ed honorary commissions in the National Reserve. The Dominion Commandant will rank as . Colonel; district or subdistrict Commanders ,and' the Commanders of the Railway Engineers, and •Post and Telegraph Sections, will rank as Lieutenant-Colonels; and the Volunteer Naval Reserve Commander will rank as Commander. All other officers will rank in accordance with Army pro- .. cedure. ' National Reserve officers will take precedence next after '■ Territorial officers in their respective ranks. 8. Tho duties of the several officers appointed to the National Reservo shall •be as laid down from time to time by the Commandant, such duties to conform to the Regulations for the Mili- . tary Forces of Now Zealand. 9- Tlie Council hurt-by constituted is Appointed a "Selection Board," with power to confirm existing appointment* in the Reserve, to frame a syllabus of subjects for the examination for such acting Reservo officers as may be refji'ired to pass before, their lank-. are confirmed. Tlie Council will a.'so lay 'down any necessary rules for the future appointments to honorary commissions throughout the Reserve, to be duly notified in General Directions. Obligations of Servico, 10. All members of the National Reserve already enrolled sliall be deemed to have made a declaration of service, submitting during the continuance of membership to tho conditions of the •King's Regulations. All members who, may enrol in the future shall make a military declaration of service as above. 11. The arming t and uniforming of the 'National Reserve' shall be , specially dealt with by the National Reserve Council. _ 12. The general military organisations, training, and administration ■ of the National Reserve shall bo strictly 5n conformity with the Regulations of the Military Forces of the Dominion, which the Roscrve is formed ib support ind- assist in all such directions. as their services may bo Teqnired, and Shall, as a voluntary reserve, co-oper-ate with'the General Officer commanding the Forces, Defence officers commanding districts, Defence officers commanding coast defence, aifd Territorial 'officers. •