592
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 24

pleting the examination as the candidates for ordinary masters’ certificates.

156. 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.

157. The time allowed for candidates for extra certificates to complete the whole of the problems and writings, including the compass syllabus, must not exceed twenty-six hours.

158. A period not exceeding eleven hours will be allowed to candidates for the completion of the whole of the examination in the compass syllabus, including the correction of all errors and oversights in both the problems and writings.

159. Punctually at the expiration of the prescribed time all papers will be collected, whether completed or not. If the papers are not completed, the candidate will be declared to have failed, unless the Examiner sees fit to lengthen the period in any special case. Where such an extension of time is granted, the case must be fully reported to the Principal Examiner on the Form Exn. 14.

160. The periods prescribed in the foregoing paragraphs are not intended to include the time occupied by the vivâ voce part of the examination.

161. In the vivâ voce examination a reasonable time should be allowed for the candidate to give his answers. No assistance should be given or leading question put.

162. It is anticipated that few candidates will require the whole of the time allowed for completing the examination in navigation, but ample time has been given, so that the work may be done carefully and be clear and legible.

163. Candidates, after finishing the problems required in the various grades on the first day of examination, should proceed, until the end of that day, with such subjects as the definitions, chart, questions relating to cyclones, and compass-deviation.

164. The Sumner problem must on no account be given out to any of the candidates on the first day of the examination, but should form the commencement of the candidates’ work on the second day. On completion of this problem the candidates for masters’ certificates should proceed with the problems (a) (b) (c) of the syllabus for that grade.

165. Degree of precision required in the solution of the problems :—

(a.) Candidates are expected to work out their answers to all problems where the answer required is a latitude, longitude, or distance within 1½′ of position from a correct result; in finding the ship’s position by Sumner’s method a margin of 2½′ will be allowed.

(b.) In such problems as the “amplitude” and “altitude-azimuth,” where the bearing, deviations, &c., only are required, a margin of 3′ or 4′ 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 problems 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 computing the time at which a given star will be on the observer’s meridian, and the name of the stars near the meridian (sections b and e of par. 33), an approximation only is required, and it will be sufficiently precise if the candidate works throughout with the nearest minute of time. In computing the approximate meridian altitude of a star (section g), working throughout with the nearest minute of arc will also be sufficiently close.

(f.) In interpolating for the correct deviation to be applied in solving the chart questions, it will usually be sufficient 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. It is not necessary that the candidate should waste his time in solving the course to odd minutes, as is sometimes done.

(g.) In calculating the correction to apply to soundings the candidate is not required to work to the exact inch, as is sometimes done. It will be sufficient if he brings his answer within half a foot or so of a precise result.

(h.) In the lunar problem a difference of 3′ in the longitude from the correct answer as deduced by a rigorous method by spherical trigonometry will be allowed.

It must be clearly understood in reading the foregoing instructions as to the precision required, that they only apply when the work of the candidate is correct in principle.

166. A candidate will not be allowed to undergo examination twice in the same week, unless, under very special and urgent circumstances, the Marine Department sees fit to relax this rule. In that case a different set of problems should be given to the candidate.

APPENDIX A.—THE SIGHT-TESTS.

1.—FORM-VISION TEST.

(1.) The test for form-vision is the first test which the candidate is required to undergo, and until he has passed this test he cannot be allowed to proceed further with the examination. (See par. 11.)

(2.) The tests to be used are Snellen’s letter test for candidates who can read, and the “dot” tests for those who cannot read.

The sets of tests which have been supplied to the examiners consist respectively of eight sheets of Snellen’s letters and two sheets of dots.

(3.) The chief object of the tests for form-vision is to show whether the candidate possesses eyesight of sufficient strength and range, or, in other words, they are means of discovering whether the candidate has good or bad sight.

They also afford a means of detecting whether a candidate is suffering from that form of colour-blindness which is caused by the excessive use of tobacco, and by illness or similar affections. All candidates who are suffering from colour-blindness arising from causes of that nature will be found to be incapable of passing the tests for form-vision.

(4.) Candidates may use both eyes or either eye when being tested, but they must not be allowed to use spectacles or glasses of any kind.

The set of tests is to be hung on the wall, in a good light, at a height of about 5 ft. or 6 ft. from the ground.

(5.) If the candidate can read, he should be placed at a distance of 16 ft. from the letter-test sheets, and exactly opposite them. The distance should be carefully measured, and the candidate should not be allowed to approach within 16 ft. of the test-sheets.

One of the eight sheets of letters should then be exposed, and the candidate should be asked to read the letters, beginning at the top and going downwards. If he can read correctly three of the five letters in the fifth line from the top (third from the bottom), or four of the letters in either of the two lines below he may be considered to have passed the test. If he cannot do so he should be treated as having failed. Candidates should be tested with at least two of the sheets of letters, and the same two sheets should not be used for all candidates.

(6.) The number printed over each row of letters shows the distance in feet at which a person possessing ordinary sight should be able to read the letters in the row.

(7.) If the candidate cannot read he must be tested with the sheets of dots. For this test he is to be placed at a distance of precisely 8 ft. from the test-sheets, and exactly opposite them. One of the sheets of dots is then to be exposed, and the candidate should be asked to name the number of dots in one or two of the lines or groups. Lines and groups of dots can be formed by holding a piece of white paper over part of the sheet, but care must be taken that when this is being done the candidate’s view is not obstructed, or the light on the test-sheet in any way obscured. The Examiner must make sure that the candidate understands what he is required to do.

If the candidate answers the questions put to him by the Examiner with complete or very nearly complete accuracy, he should be treated as having passed. If he does not answer with very nearly complete accuracy, he should be treated as having failed.

(8.) The Examiner must take care, by varying the tests in form-vision, and by every other means, to guard against the possibility of any deception on the part of the candidates.

(9.) Every candidate who fails to pass the form-vision test is to be examined with the pellet test, as follows: The pellets should be placed on a white plate, and the first test-pellet (which is of the same colour as the first wool-test skein) should then be placed a little distance from the box on another white plate. The candidate should be required to pick out and lay by the side of the test-pellet all pellets of the same colour. The same should be done with the second and third test-pellets, and the examination should proceed in the same way as the wool test.

(10.) Should the candidate pass the pellet test, the Form Exn. 17B, together with the remarks of the Examiner, is to be forwarded to the Marine Department for instructions as to whether the candidate is or is not to be regarded as having failed in form-vision.

(11.) Should, however, the candidate fail in the pellet test, thus indicating that the defective form-sense is due to disease, &c., it will not be necessary to submit the case to Wel-