THE CORPS OF COMMISSIONAIRES. 
251 
In addition to these payments, a minimum deposit in the Corps 
Savings Bank of one shilling weekly is required from each com¬ 
missionaire. Reservists are required to pay the same entrance fees 
and monthly subscriptions to the funds, but having only a terminable 
pension from the State they are called on to pay increased deposits 
into the corps savings bank, so that they may find themselves in the 
same pecuniary position as pensioners when they are too old to work. 
Other soldiers who have completed limited engagements, or whose 
temporary pensions have expired, are required to deposit £20 in the 
savings bank before admission to the corps. Sir Edward Walter 
writes as follows regarding the selection of candidates: — “The 
admission of men is subject in all cases to my approval, and any 
blame or responsibility therefore in this, as well as in all other matters 
relating to the discipline and administration of the corps, rests 
entirely on myself. It is in reality the employers themselves who 
have fixed the standard I have adopted, and it would be of no use for 
me to offer them an article which they do not want, and practically to 
tell them what sort of man they ought to take, quite irrespective of 
their own fancies or requirements. If an employer asks for a man of 
reasonable physique which, according to our standard, means 5 ft. 7in. 
and upwards, it would be useless for me to offer him something quite 
different. He would simply take his business elsewhere.” The 
necessity for the utmost care in selecting candidates is required by the 
guarantee as to character, which is given to an employer when he 
engages a commissionaire, and which carries with it a money security 
on the part of the corps, ranging from £25 to £100, according to the 
rank of the man and the responsibility of the position occupied. In 
addition to giving this money guarantee, the corps undertakes to find 
a substitute in case of sickness without expense to the employer. 
Since every commissionaire on admission is required to subscribe to 
the Sick Fund and Savings Bank, thus ensuring for himself and 
family an ample provision during illness and in old age, the employer 
is relieved of any hesitation he might otherwise have in discharging 
a man who might fall sick or grow too old for his work. The mutual 
advantages conferred by this system on both employer and com¬ 
missionaire are very great and have largely contributed to the success 
of the organization. 
What Sir Edward Walter asks for from candidates seeking admission 
into his corps is not so much skilled labour, which can always find 
employment, as reliable character, industrious habits and self-respect 
—qualities which can be specially brought out and developed by 
military service. Gfiven these conditions on the part of the men he 
can find almost unlimited employment for them as night and day 
watchmen, clerks, time and gate keepers, messengers, gymnastic and 
drill instructors, boatmen, and porters for every description of light 
and heavy work. An authorized scale of wages has been drawn up 
both for permanent and temporary employment, but this does not pre- 
