DEFENCE STAFF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 257, 25 July 1919, Page 8

DEFENCE STAFF

SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES

REARRANGEMENT OF DUTIES

HIGH EFFICIENCY TO BE DEMANDED '■

Some important changes in the establishments of the New Zealand Staff Corps and the fioyal New Zealand Artillery, and the annulment of certain appointments on the General Headquarters Staff and the District Staffs are announced in this week's Gazette, issued yesterday. Tho orders take Qfl'ect from tho end of tho present month. A memorandum issued by Defence Tleadciuurters explains tlie changes. "The-so reductions nre being carried out as part of the general plan of reconstruction to reduce the Staff to a peace tooting," it states. "Host of the appointments thai, have been cancelled arc those of directors mid deputy-directors of mumi> r-l iu ■■ 'i M;if(. ■ ">i>. '.'"io'>. lij'vp been brought into existence during the war to deal with matters incidental to the formation and maintenance of (h& Zealand Expeditionary Porco ■ Overseas- Tho matters dealt with were of considerable magnitude, and thes\ branches, of necessity, rapidly grew in importance, but the need for their eiistence has now passed.

"TV llmvrt'.-'.r- l'f A-'i|.!n-,'.(1"-io. ■•: and Quartermaster-General" are to be remodellcd. aiwl. toiiotln. , ) , with .-Hu'V -d niinisf-viitive i]""t™'. : ' '

tlis direct control of the General Office) in charge of Administration. Hitherto there have been thr?? slafK viz.. General staTt, Adjutant-General's staff, and Quartermaster-General's staff, and a nunib°r nf Hi"'' , ' , t,,p """■' orfjnnisation there will be no AdjutantGpnoral and no Quartermaster-General, .Selected officers of Hie General Staff will bo iillotied in sections of.tho Staff to perfonn the duties which have liitlierto ))een carried out by the Adjutant-General and Oin.rtermastsr-General's departments, viz.:

(<i) One section deal in? with training Op-rations n-"l i,.^"^,..,,.» (b) One section dealing with personnel.

(c) One.section dealing-with the supply and maintenance of tho Defence Forces.

"Members of the New -Zealand Staff employed in these sections, either at or District Headquarters, will be designated 'Staff' officers. , AH Staff officers may bo called \ipon to perform duties witsido their own sections, and whether emnloyorl on administrative or training duties, will he expected in future to work among troops as much as possible, and to assist regimental officers of the' Territorial Forces in the training and administration of their commands. They will tliwofove renuire to maintain a.high state of efficiency. "A larje number of (he New Zealand Staff Corps officers have had considerable experience in the war, and many hn.vi! rendered distinguished service, but there are insufficient qualified officers to fill existing vacancies caused by the nunibsr of Staff Corps officers who have been killed and rendered unfit by wounds and sVknoss during the war, and reiirementsj thpiefore about forty or fifty officers of l.iie Territorial forces who have served in the Mew Zealand Expeditionary Force wi'l shnrtlv bo selected for admission to the Staff Corps.

"In order to piisuro continued efficiency of officers of the Staff Corps, a course of instruction will be held annually, when each officer will be required to undergo training in the various branches both as regards drill, tactics, and administrative and Staff duties, and only those w'ni maintain a high standard will be eligible for nromnlion. The objects aimed at in those changes are economy and i.'fh'eiency." i

Appointments Abolished. The appointments at General Headquarlers abolished as from August 1 are as follow-Chief of .the General Staff, ])e----pui.y Officer in Charge of Administration and Deputy Quartermaster-Gene,ral, Director of Military Operations, Inspector of Coast Defences and Assistant Ouartermasler-Geiieval, Assistant Adjut-ant-General. Director of Base' Records, Director of Organisation, Inspector of Rcwuitine Services, Deputy Director of Reuniting, Assistant Director of Becruilitii:. Deputy Director of Base Records, rtpsisiant Director of Base Records Provost Marshal, Director of Military Hospitals. Director of Movements and QuarIfrinc and Assistant Qnartoniiaster-Gen-onil. Director of Supplies and Transport. The appointments of Adjutant-General

fc!iil Quartermaster-General were cancellee! recently.

Somo coiTcspoiiciiii!,' annulments of apnoinlments are to be made in the military districts, 'i'ho following offices are abolished in each of the four districts:— Gpneral Staff Officer, Assistant AdjutantGeneral, Assislim Quartermaster-Gen-eral, Assistant Director of Supplies mid Transport, Assistant Provost-Marshal.

Conditions of Promotion, The promotion of ofiicers in the A'ew Zealand Stnfi' Corps and Royal Hew Zealand Artillery up to and including the rank of major is to be governed by length of .service, subject to the following conditions'. (1) Lieutenants-will l>2 promoted to the rank of major after eignt years' commissioned service.

(2) Captains will bo promoted to the rank of major after eight years service in the rank of captain. (3) To be eligible for promotion, officers of the New Zealand Staff Corps and Royal New Zealand Artillery will require ■ to puss the necessary qualifying , examinations as laid down in King's Regulations for officers of the regular forces.

(!) Officers will require to be reported upon us iu all respects efficient and qualified for promotion, and to be passed as medically lit for service in the field. (5) Officers suffering from physical or medical disability contracted on aotive service in the field may, on the recommendation of the general officer commanding, be promoted notwithstanding such disability. Promotion' to the rank of lieut.-colonel and upwards will Ire governed by establishment, and will be by selection of the general officer commanding, subject to the conditions in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) above. Officers specially recommended for accelerated promotion way, on the recommendation of the general officer commanding, be promoted to complete establishment, at any time, to any rank.

Proomtions and Reversions. The following promotion? and relinnuishment of temporary rank of officers of tho N.Z. Staff Corps, Royal New Zealand Artillery, and Permanent Statf havo been approved, daled August 1, 1919:— N.Z. Staff Corps. The ii.ndermenticned to be lieutonanlcolonels:— , Major (temp; Lieutenant-Colonel) Robert Oswald Chesney. MajoV (temp. Lieutenant-Colonel) John Evelyn Duigan, i).S.O. The undermentioned lo be major.*:— Captain (temp. Major) William Charles I'innis. Captain (temp. Major) Iraiios Henry iAimpen; D.S.U. Captain (temp. Lieutenant-Colonel) Fiilbort Cecil Glendininj.', D.S.O. Captain Robert Nicholas Johnston Frascr. The undermont.'.iMied to be captains:— Lieutenant (temp. Major) Henry Peacock, O.D.E. , , . , „ Lieutenant (temp. ' Captain) Henry Joseph Redmond. 0.8. E. • The undermontioiied reliiif|iiish tho temporary rank oE lieutenant-colonel:— Major (temp. Lieutenant-Colonel) Halbert Cecil Glocdiiiiiiij, D.S.O. Captain (teiini. Lieiitenant-Colunel) liimcaii Bnn'ie Ulair, D.H.O. M.C. The uiideniieiilimieij relinr|iiish the temporaly rani; o! major:— Caiitiiin (temp. Major) George liercrnm Rinks, 0.8. K.

Captain demy. Miiior) .Te£?e Alfred Wnlliiiifford, MX, Ciintain (Icnip. Major) Henry Penuock, 0.8.8. Lieutenant (temp. iUiijoi , ) Uoliert Logan. Lieutenant (temp. Major) Arthur Hugh Can'iiigion. .Lieutenant (temp. Major) George Hansbrow Hume. M.C. 'Die undermentioned are granted the temporary rank ol captain:— Lieutenant Liob&'t Logan. Lieutenant Arthur Hugh Currington.

Lieutenant George llansbiw Hume, JI.U.

Thy Uegimrnt. of ]!<>>;» 1 N.Z. Artillery

The undermentioned to bo liculeminlcolonelij:— -Miijor (Iwnn. l.k-rtenant-Colonel) Murray MiMizio.- i.inrd'nev, 8.5.0. Major (Liciiipisaiit-C'oluncl N.Z.8.F.) Trunk Syniuii, C.M.G., D.S.O. f>. Tho undermentioned to be captains:— Lieutenant (temp. Captain) William Quayle Kewisli. Lieutenant (temp. Captain) Donald JUiVUonald. Major (Ittiip.) Thomas Karr, 8.5.0.. M.C., reliniiu.ishes tho temporary rank of major, and is granted the temporary rank of captain until further notice. N./i. Vormanent; Stat?. Major (temp.) Edward Tinge.}-, M.C., relinquishes the temporary rank of major, and is granted tlu temporary rank of captain until further notice.