8

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made under the Contingent Defence for sufficient money to cover the following items: Completing armament Mounied Rifles, £10,000; equipment Mobile Force, £5,000; ordnance-ammunition. £15,000; field-guns, £3,000; drill-sheds, £8,000; miscellaneous ordnance stores, £4,000; ana £3,200 for sundry charges —making a total expenditure of £48,200: but as only part of the equipment can come to hand during the current year, it will be sufficient if £25,000 is placed on the Estimates. There is also a sum of £6,000 required for fixed harbour defence to be provided for. Pay and Allowances. The Council have devoted much time to the question of pay and allowance of the officers and men, as it is absolutely necessary, if an efficient Defence Force is to be maintained, that sufficient monetary recognition and prospects of advancement must be offered to insure the retention of good men in the service. The pay must be fixed and made adequate, and, with that object in view, the Council have submitted a classification scheme defining the pay and allowance of all connected with the Force as under :—

Note.—Previous service in equal grade to count, but dependent on efficiency and report, and if required qualifying examination before the inoremeni, is granted. No man under the rank of sergeant should be allowed to remain in the Force after twenty-one years' service. N.C.O.s of the rank of sergeant and up may be allowed to remain beyond twentyone years' servioe if certified annually by the Officer Commanding Permanent Force as capable of efficiently carrying out duties. To" meet any hardships of having to leave after such service, the Defence Department officials and Force should be taken under a classification or pension scheme, as in some other branches of the Public Service. The drill pay to Permanent Force, when acting as instructors to Volunteers, and extra-work pay to be continued as at present. Positions in the various districts, such as mobilisation storekeepers, drill instructors, clerks, &o. to be filled as vacancies oocur from suitable men serving in the Permanent Force. lay of Non-commissioned Officers and Men of Permanent Force. The present rates of pay are unsatisfactory, no provision being made for increases of pay for efficiency or length of service. To remedy this it is recommended that gunners on enlistment receive 6s per day, and that further pay be given for good conduct and proficiency. By such an arrangement a gunner, although not fitted for promotion to N.C.O. rank, will, provided he has n good character and is proficient, receive pay according to service. Proficiency pay classified into : — Ist class proficiency pay, Is. (one shilling) per day. 2nd class proficiency pay, 6d. (sixpence) per day. To qualify for this a man will require to pass a gunnery and specialist examination every six months. Should he fail twice in succession a special report will be made as to whether it is advisable to retain his services. Cood-conduct pay to be awarded as follows: — After 5 years' service, 3d. (threepence) per day. ~10 ~ 6d. (sixpence) per day. " 15 ~ 9d. (ninepence) per day. " 20 ~ Iβ- (one shilling) per day.

Pay. Pay, inoluding Increments. Rank. House Allowance. After One Year's Service as such. After Three , After Five Years' Service Years' Servioe as such. as such. Minimum. Maximum. Officers. £ 350 300 225 175 £ 375 325 275 190 £ 400 350 290 215 O.C. District Major Captain Lieutenant... £ 325 300 225 175 £ 400 350 290 215 £ 50 50 25 25 Staff Sergeant-majors 150 War •rant Officer: I i. 180 | 150 I 170 I 180 Store I 3 Departmen ,t. Director of Stores Storekeepers Saddler Storeman ... Fireman Arms-cleaner Labourers ... 300 150 150 150 150 106 350 180 160* 170* 190* 156-* 8s. per diem 300 150 325 170 350 180 * Increasi is of £5 per ai mum.