Nov. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1325

sextant; the chart; cyclones or revolving storms; and for the correction of all errors and oversights; but the problems on Forms Exn. 4, Exn. 5, and Exn. 6 must be completed within six hours, and without the Candidates leaving the premises during that period.

112. Candidates for Certificates as Masters’ Ordinary must complete the whole of their Examination in Navigation in fifteen hours, including the time allowed for the papers on the sextant; the chart; compass deviations; cyclones or revolving storms; and for the correction of all errors and oversights; but the problems on Forms Exn. 4, Exn. 5, and Exn. 6 must be completed within six hours, and without the Candidates leaving the premises during that period.

113. Candidates, after finishing the problems required of the respective grades on the first day of Examination, should proceed, until the end of that day, with such subjects as the definitions, sextant, chart, and Question 19 of Form Exn. 7.

114. The Sumner problem (Exn. 6a) must on no account be given out to any of the grades on the first day of the Examination, but should be the commencement of the Candidates’ work on the second day, and on completion of this problem the Candidates for Masters’ Certificates should proceed with the problems on paper Exn. 7.

115. Candidates for Home Trade Mates’ Certificates must complete the whole of their arithmetical, chart, and other papers within eight hours, and Candidates for Home Trade Masters’ Certificates within ten hours.

116. Extra Masters’ Certificates.—The time allowed Candidates for examination for Extra Masters’ Certificates of Competency to complete the whole of the problems and writings (including the Compass Syallabus and the correction of all errors and oversights) must not exceed twenty-six hours.

117. Deviation of the Compass.—A period not exceeding eleven hours will be allowed to Candidates for the completion of the whole of the examination in the Syllabus, including the correction of all errors and oversights in both the problems and writings.

118. Punctually at the expiration of the prescribed time all the papers should be called up, whether completed or not, and, if not completed, the Candidate will be declared to have failed, unless the Examiners see fit to lengthen the period in any special case. If, however, the period is lengthened in any case, the special circumstances of that case, and the reasons for lengthening the period, together with the time allowed, must be reported to the Marine Department by the Examiners, in the column for “remarks” on the Form Exn. 14. It should be noted that the periods prescribed in the foregoing paragraphs are not intended to include the time occupied by the vivâ voce part of the examination.

119. It is anticipated that but few of the Candidates for Certificates of Competency for any of the foregoing grades will require the whole of the time herein allowed for completing their Examination in Navigation; and ample time has been prescribed, so that the Candidates may perform their work in a careful, clear, and legible manner, and to the entire satisfaction of the Examiners.

Degree of Precision required in the Solution of the Problems.

120. In order to prevent any misapprehension as to the degree of precision required by the Marine Department Regulations in working out the various problems in the Examinations for Masters’ and Mates’ Certificates, the attention of Examiners and Candidates is particularly directed to the following Instructions:—

(a.) Candidates are expected to work out their answers to all problems within or not to exceed a margin of one mile of position from a correct result (e.g., in problems where the answer required is a latitude, longitude, or distance), excepting in finding the ship’s position by “Sumner’s” method, where a margin of 2½ miles will be allowed.

(b.) In such problems as the “Amplitude” and “Alt-Azimuth,” where the bearings, deviations, &c., only are required, a margin of 2′, or 3′, from a correct result will be sufficiently accurate.

(c.) In no problem is the Candidate for an “ordinary” Certificate required by the Regulations to correct for second differences in taking out the quantities from the Nautical Almanac.

(d.) In solving the “Time Azimuth” problem an answer, not exceeding half a degree from the exact result will be sufficiently near. But in all cases the actual latitude, declination, and time used, together with the exact bearing (from the North or South) as given in the tables, must be clearly shown by the Candidate on his papers.

(e.) In interpolating for the correct deviation to be applied in solving the Chart questions, Papers Exn. 9 C and Exn. 9 D it will usually be sufficiently near if the Candidate works throughout with the nearest degree of deviation taken from the “Deviation Card,” and even in cases where the deviations may vary but little the nearest half degree used throughout will be sufficiently precise, and will at the same time prove whether the Candidate understands the method of arriving at the amount of, and applying, deviations. It is not necessary that the Candidate should waste his time in solving the course to odd minutes as is sometimes done.

(f.) In calculating the correction to apply to the Soundings, Question 5 of Paper Exn. 9 D, the Candidate is not required to work out to the exact inch, as is sometimes done. It will be sufficiently near if he brings his answer within half a foot or so of a precise result.

It must be clearly understood in reading the foregoing Instructions that it is always provided the work of the Candidate is correct in principle.

Supplementary vivâ voce Examination on written Papers.

121. An intimation has been made to the Marine Department that an impression prevails, in regard to the examination of Masters and Mates, that so long as a Candidate can commit to paper correct answers to the various questions requiring written answers (e.g., Forms Exn. 4a, Exn. 7, Exn. 9a, Exn. 9c, Exn. 32, &c.), no matter how indicative the answers may be of their having been learnt off by rote only, the duty and responsibility of the Examiners are at an end, and that they have no power or authority to reject a Candidate should his written answers be correct.

122. Lest, therefore, such an impression should prevail, the Marine Department wish to point out