69501-1920-Supplementary-Bills-read-a-first-time--University-Amendment-Volunteer-Amendment — Page 10

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(2.) Recominendations for the appointment and promotion of all non-commissioned officers of companies will be submitted by the commanding officers of such companies to the Administrative Com- mandant.

(3.) Promotion will be subject to the passing of such an examination as may be prescribed or approved by the General Officer Commanding the Troops.

Objects and Reasons.

1. The object of this Bill is to amend the Volunteer Ordinance, 1920, in accordance with certain suggestions made by the Army Council to whom the Ordinance was referred by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The suggestions were based on a comparison with the Ceylon Volunteer Ordinance.

2. Clause 2 is consequential on clause 4.

3. Clauses 3.-The power of assembling courts of inquiry is vested in the General Officer Commanding the Troops instead of in the Governor, but such power is still subject to the approval of the Governor. Such courts are in future to be constituted of officers only and are not to be assembled by the Administrative Commandant.

4. Clause 4.--The power of making regulations for the government of the Volunteer. Force is vested in the General Officer Commanding the Troops instead of in the Governor in Council, but such power is subject to the approval of the Governor, who is required to consult the Administrative Commandant.

5. Clause 5 is formal.

6. Clause 6.-This is a formal amendment with the .object of bringing section 12 (1) of the Ordinance into

fine with the new section 12 (2).

7. Clause 7 places under the command of the General Officer Commanding the Troops, instead of under that of the Governor, such volunteers as may be called out by the Governor in cases of emergency.

In practice, this would obviously be so.

8. Clause 8.-It has been thought advisable to except the offence of murder from the general modifications of section 17, and generally to provide that those modifica- tions shall not apply when members of the Volunteer Force are on active service beyond the limits of the Colony. It will be noticed that under section 12 (5) no officer or volunteer is liable to serve beyond the limits ́of the Colony without his consent.

9. Clauses 9 and 10.-These clauses amend the regulations dealing with the appointment and promotion of officers and non-commissioned officers; a return is to be made to the old system of filling vacancies in each

case.

3rd November, 1920.

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J. H. KEMP,

Attorney General.