A—l

8

No. 8. New Zealand, No. 52. My Lord, — Government House, Wellington, 14th March, 1919. I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that my Ministers would be obliged if you would kindly obtain the opinion of the Army Council as to whether service performed in a Volunteer Rifles Cadet Corps should be admitted as qualifying service towards the award of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long-service Medal. 2. Awards of this decoration and medal to members of the New Zealand Forces are not made unless the applicants have served for the required period in the Auxiliary Forces, the word "Auxiliary," as far as New Zealand is concerned, being interpreted to mean the Volunteer Foroe, now known as the Territorial Force. Service in Cadet Corps, either as an officer or in the ranks, is disallowed. 3. The decoration and medal were instituted and created by Royal Warrant dated 18th May, 1899, and the regulations governing their issue to members of the New Zealand Forces were published in the New Zealand Gazette of the Ist May, 1902, approval of the same having been previously obtained from the Army Council. 4. The term " Auxiliary Forces " is not specifically defined by New Zealand regulations, but the interpretation given in the Imperial Army Act means the Territorial Force, the Militia, the Yeomanry, and the Volunteers. 5. A number of applications have been declined in cases where the applicants claimed service in Volunteer Cadet Corps which had been formed under the same authority as adult Volunteer Corps —namely, the New Zealand Volunteer Act of 1865. 6. It has been represented that as these Cadet units were really a part of the Volunteer Force, service therein should be reckoned as qualifying service for the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long-service Medal. Whilst this is admitted, it may be stated that these Volunteer Cadet units consisted chiefly of lads from fourteen to eighteen years of age. 7. My Ministers therefore desire to have an expression of opinion from the Army Council as to whether it would be within the spirit of the Royal Warrant referred to above to count commissioned service in a Cadet Corps as full-time qualifying service, and service in the ranks of Cadet Corps as half-time, for the purpose of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration and the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long-service Medal. 8. In the case of the New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal and the New Zealand Territorial Service Medal, which are awarded after sixteen years' continuous efficient service and twelve years' continuous efficient service respectively, efficient Cadet service is allowed to count as half time in the ranks and full time as officers. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Viscount Milner, P.C., G.C.8., &c, ' Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 9. New Zealand, No. 60. My Lord— Government House, Wellington, 2nd April, 1919. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch Dominions No. 68, of the 31st January, intimating that the Government of Ceylon has increased the rate of postage on letters from the colony to British possessions. . ■ . 2. The necessary instructions will be given by my Ministers in accordance with the suggestion made in the closing paragraph of the despatch. I have, &c, LIVERPOOL, Governor-General. The Right Hon. Viscount Milner, P.C., G.C.8., &c , Secretary of State for the Colonies.

A.-2, 1919, No. 11.