A.—4a

48

The duties of the General 'Staff in Districts correspond as far as possible to those of the two Directors at Headquarters. -The proposed establishment is given in 11. (2-.) Only specially qualified officers, including those of the Citizen Forces, to be appointed to the Commonwealth Section Imperial General Staff in Districts. (3.) No appointments to Imperial General Staff to be made other than provisionally, except— Chief of Commonwealth Section Imperial General Staff, 2 Directors. (4.) When provisional appointments are confirmed, General Staff officers to be sent to England for further experience, either for attachment or in exchange for p.s.c. officers. (5.) A specially qualified officer always to be employed on, or attached to, Central Staff in London. (6.) Appointments to Commonwealth Section Imperial General Staff to be for i years. (7.) To be three grades of General Staff officers, paid as at present in the War Office in England, viz. : — £ Ist Grade ... ... ••• •■• ■■• ■■■ 800 per annum. 2nd ~ ... ... ... ... ••-■ •■• 650 „ 3rd „ ... ... ... ••• ■■■ ... 500 ~ (8.) A Conference to be held at the War Office after the Scheme has been under trial a reasonable time, and, subsequently, once in every 3 years under the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. (9.) To establish a Permanent School of Military Instruction, with a staff of highly qualified officers, under the supervision of the Chief of the Commonwealth Section of the Imperial General Staff, its object being to train officers for the Imperial General Staff, and to hold Courses of Instruction periodically for the education of officers of the Permanent and Citizen Forces in the accepted principles of modern training. The detailed proposals for this school are contained in 111. Suggested Establishment for the Commonwealth Section Imperial General Staff.

I. — Department of the Chief of Commonwealth Section Headquarters.

* For subsequent consideration

II. — In Military Districts.

HI. — Proposals for Institution of a School of Military Instruction. 1. Objects in view— (a.) To prepare candidates for the Staff College : to fill temporary General Staff appointments at Headquarters and in Districts, until Staff College graduates are available; to enable officers to qualify for higher appointments on the Administrative and Instructional Staff. (6.) To give officers, upon first appointment to all branches of the Permanent Forces, a uniform grounding in the rudiments of their profession. (c.) To provide courses of instruction at the School and in Districts for officers of the Permanent and Citizen Forces, in order to disseminate throughout the forces of the Commonwealth approved principles as regards organization and training, and the best method of applying these principles to local conditions.

Objects

Branch. 1st Grade. 2nd Grade.* 3rd Grade.* •irector of Defence Organization. . •irector of Military Training Total at Headquarters 1 1 2

District. 2nd Grade. 3rd Grade. Remarks. few South Wales Victoria Queensland South Australia Vest Australia Tasmania 2 Imperial General Staff officers in each, of these districts, one should be a member of the Citizen Forces. 2 Imperial General Staff officers, their grades to be determined later. -■ Total in Military Districts 12