1320
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 87

to become illegible, or has been seriously injured by wear or tear, is presented to a Superintendent of Mercantile Marine in the course of duty, the same should at once be transmitted by the Superintendent to the Secretary of the Marine Department, together with the usual form of application for renewal of Certificate duly filled up, in order that a renewed Certificate may be issued. This will be done free of charge in those cases where it is satisfactorily shown to the Marine Department that due care has been taken of the original. This power will have to be exercised with great discretion by the Superintendents of Mercantile Marine, so as not to interfere with any engagement for sea service which the possessor of the injured Certificate may have entered into.

COLOUR TESTS.

43. The Marine Department has made the following arrangements for the Examination of persons as to their ability to distinguish Colours:—

44. Examinations in Colour are open to any person serving, or about to serve, in the Mercantile Marine.

45. Any person, including the holders of Certificates of Competency, or persons about to apply for Certificates of Competency, if desirous of being examined in Colours only must make application to a Superintendent of a Mercantile Marine Office on Form Exn. 2ª, and pay a fee of Two Shillings and Sixpence.

46. He must on the appointed day attend for examination at the Examiner’s Office; and, if he passes, he will receive a Certificate to that effect.

47. If he fails it will be open for him to be examined again in Colours as often as he pleases on payment of the fee of Two Shillings and Sixpence at each fresh attempt.

48. The application of a Candidate who is presenting himself for Examination for a Master’s or Mate’s Certificate must be made on Form Exn. 2. Such examination will commence with the Colour test; and if the Candidate does not at the time of making application hold a Certificate of Competency of any grade, and should fail to pass the Colour test he will not be allowed to proceed with the examination in Navigation and Seamanship.

49. The fee he has paid for Examination for a Certificate of Competency will include the fee for the Colour test, and, with the exception of Two Shillings and Sixpence, will in such event be returned to him.

50. A Candidate for Examination for a Certificate of Competency who at the time of making application does not possess a Certificate, and who fails to pass the Colour test, may not be re-examined until after the lapse of three months from the date of his first failure. If he fails a second time he will be allowed a third trial at the expiration of another three months from the date of his second failure. A fresh fee must be paid at each succeeding examination.

51. It is therefore obviously to the advantage of Candidates for Certificates of Competency to apply in the first instance to be examined in Colours only on Form Exn. 2a.

52. A Candidate who holds a Certificate of Competency, and who on presenting himself for examination for a Certificate of a higher grade, is unable to pass the Colour test, will notwithstanding be permitted to proceed with the Examination in Navigation and Seamanship for the Certificate of the higher grade.

53. Should he pass this Examination, the following statement will be written on the face of the higher Certificate which may be granted to him, viz: “This Officer has failed to pass the ‘Examination in Colours.’”

54. Should he ultimately fail to pass the Examination in Navigation and Seamanship a like statement, relating to his being Colour blind, will be made by the Marine Department on his existing Certificate before it is returned to him.

55. Holders of Certificates which bear the statement of their having failed to pass in Colours, and who may desire to have the statement removed from their Certificates, must obtain the special permission of the Marine Department.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY FOR A “FOREIGN-GOING SHIP.”

56. Examination in Colours.—All Candidates for Certificates of Competency must first be examined in colours.

57. A Second Mate must be not less than seventeen years of age, and must have been four years at sea. He must also prove that he has served at least one year in a square-rigged sailing vessel within the last five years. See also par. 13.

58. In Navigation, &c.—He must write a legible hand, and will be required to give in writing definitions of various astronomical and other terms used in navigation. He must have a competent knowledge of the first five rules of arithmetic, and the use of logarithms. He must be able to work a day’s work complete, correcting the courses for deviation, leeway, and variation. He will be required to find the latitude by meridian altitude of the sun, and the difference of longitude from a given departure by parallel sailing; also to find the course and distance from one position to another by Mercator’s method. He will be required to find the time of high water at a given port, to observe and calculate the amplitude of the sun, and to find the error of the ship’s compass therefrom, and also the deviation, the variation being given. He must be able to find the daily rate of the chronometer from error observed, and to find the longitude from altitude of the sun by the usual methods. He must understand the use of the sextant, with its adjustments, and be able to observe with it, find the index error by the horizon, and read off and on the arc. He must also pass a satisfactory examination in the International Code of Signals.

59. In Seamanship, &c.—He must give satisfactory answers as to the standing and running rigging of ships, as to bending, unbending, setting, reefing, taking in and furling sail; as to sending masts and yards up and down, &c., &c.; as to seeing everything in readiness and clear for getting under way and (in steamers) as to the precautions to be observed with regard to engines, propeller, &c.; as to the management of both a steamer and a sailing ship when under canvas; of a ship’s boat in heavy weather; and as to dunnaging and stowing cargo, &c. He must have a thorough knowledge of the rule of the road as regards both steamers and sailing vessels, their regulation lights, and fog and sound signals, and be able to describe the signals of distress, and the signals to be made by ships wanting a pilot, and the liabilities and penalties incurred by the misuse of these signals. He must be able to mark and use the lead and log lines. He must also understand the construction, use, and action of the sluices and of the water-ballast tanks, engine-room telegraph, &c. He must also understand the use and management of the rocket apparatus in the event of his vessel being stranded, and other questions of a like nature, appertaining to the duties of the Second Mate of a ship, which the Examiner may think necessary to put to him.