Page:The organisation of the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers explained.djvu/36

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course to be taken by the convening authority in dealing with those facts.

When facts connected with the conduct of an individual are submitted to the investigation of a Court of Inquiry, it is necessary that the instructions for the guidance of the Court should be sufficiently specific, as regards matter, names, dates, and places, to convey clearly to the Court the nature of the subject into which it is appointed to inquire, and also to enable the person whose conduct is called in question to know what he has to answer.

It rests with the authority who orders the assembly of the Court of Inquiry to decide whether it shall be open or close.

All evidence taken by a Court of Inquiry is to be recorded as nearly as possible in the words of the witness and in the order in which it is received.

The proceedings when closed are to be signed by the President and Members, after which they are to be forwarded by the President to the convening authority.

May be reassembled47. A Court of Inquiry may be re-assembled as often as the superior authority may deem necessary, and on every occasion of its meeting it is competent to receive and record new evidence.

Power of Commanding Officer to assemble.The Commanding Officer of a Brigade is authorised to assemble a Court of Inquiry, to investigate any matter with which he himself has the power of dealing.


DISCIPLINE.

48. The course to be adopted as to the Discipline of the Volunteers will be found in Part III of the Naval Artillery Volunteers Act.

Meetings not be held on Actions of Superiors.49. Meetings are not to be held in the Corps for the purpose of expressing an opinion upon the acts of a Commanding Officer, or of recommending him to take a particular course of action; nor are memorials to be drawn up to the same effect; and no meetings except those called together by or under the authority of the Commanding Officer of a Brigade or Corps, who will be responsible for doing so, will be recognised.

If any Volunteer has cause to think himself aggrieved, he will represent his case to the Commanding Officer of his Battery. Any appeal against the decision of the Commanding Officer of the Battery will be made through him to the Commander of the Brigade, and any further appeal will be made through both these officers to the Admiralty.