I really think you're reading a bit much into it.
The CAO probably harks back to the days when a night VFR rating was a class of instrument rating (Class IV?), and hence the Appendix V stuff was bundled in with IFR.
Clearly, lighting is required, and it seems most most unlikely the CAO would have been written with the intent of allowing NVFR to launch with no more equipment than that required for day. Having accepted that, I think we are safe to assume the appendix V stuff is meant to apply to VFR flights at night, notwithstanding quibbles about whether VMC or VFR is mentioned.