2948
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 69

Marine Department may in their discretion postpone the application of such requirements until the date fixed in that certificate for the expiry of that certificate.

(2.) Any boat which forms part of the equipment of a ship that was launched before the 1st October, 1914, and which has been inspected and approved by the Marine Department before the date on which these rules come into operation, may be accepted as equivalent to a lifeboat until the 1st March, 1915, so long as it remains in good condition.

(3.) Boats and rafts which were ordered before the 1st May, 1914, in order to complete the equipment of a ship, but which were not delivered in sufficient time to be inspected by the Marine Department before the date on which these rules come into operation, and rafts which were so ordered and which have been inspected, may be accepted, the boats as equivalent to lifeboats until the 1st October, 1916, and the rafts as equivalent to lifeboats until the 1st July, 1916, so long as they respectively remain in good condition: Provided that the boats and rafts shall not be so accepted unless (a) they have been inspected, where this has not already been done; (b) they would have complied with the requirements of the rules for which these rules are substituted.

16. EXEMPTIONS.

(1.) If it shall appear to the Marine Department, on the application of the owner of any ship, that it is not practicable or reasonable to fit or place in that ship the number of sets of davits required by these rules, the Marine Department may direct that one or more sets of davits may be dispensed with in that ship, subject to such conditions, if any, as the Department may impose. The Marine Department may in their discretion impose as such a condition, in respect of a ship in Class I, Home Trade, launched before the 1st October, 1914, that the boats carried shall be of a required capacity greater than the minimum capacity prescribed in General Rule 4.

(2.) If it shall appear to the Marine Department, on the application of the owner of any passenger-steam er in the home trade launched before the 1st October, 1914, that it is not practicable or reasonable to provide in that ship the boats, approved life-rafts, approved buoyant deck-seats, or other approved buoyant apparatus required, the Marine Department may direct that the requirements of these rules may be modified as regards that ship, subject to such conditions as they may impose: Provided always that—

(a.) In the case of a ship in Class I or Class V the total number of persons which can be accommodated in the boats, approved life-rafts, approved buoyant deck-seats, or other approved buoyant apparatus shall not be less than 70 per cent. of the total number allowed to be carried by the ordinary passenger certificate:

(b.) In the case of a ship in Class VI, Class VII, or Class VIII, the total number of persons which can be accommodated in the boats, approved life-rafts, approved buoyant deck-seats, or other approved buoyant apparatus shall not be a lower percentage of the total number of persons which the ship is certified to carry than is required in subsection (3) of this rule for these classes of ships respectively.

(3.) Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, a passenger-steam er in Class VI, Class VII, or Class VIII, Home Trade, launched before the 1st March, 1913, shall not, until the 1st January, 1916, be required to be provided with boats, approved life-rafts, approved buoyant deck-seats, or other approved buoyant apparatus more than sufficient to accommodate the following percentage of the total number of persons which the ship is certified to carry: In Class VI, 50 per cent.; in Class VII, 40 per cent.; in Class VIII, 25 per cent. In every case, subject to the discretionary power given to the Marine Department by Class VIII, Rule D, approved lifebelts shall be carried sufficient for all persons on board.

(4.) If a small ship is unable to carry more than one boat the Marine Department may in its discretion exempt that ship from carrying more than one, but whenever one boat only is carried there must be proper provision to enable it to be placed readily in the water on either side of the ship.

If it is impracticable in any case for a ship to carry a boat of the minimum capacity prescribed by General Rule 4, the Marine Department may in their discretion allow a boat of smaller capacity to be carried by that ship.

17. REFERENCES TO GENERAL RULES.

Where in a rule in any class reference is made to a General Rule, that reference shall not be deemed in any way to limit or to derogate from the general force and application of the rule to which reference is made.

APPENDIX A.

TABLE SHOWING THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF SETS OF DAVITS AND OF OPEN BOATS REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED IN A STEAMSHIP IN CLASS I, FOREIGN-GOING, OR IN CLASS I, HOME TRADE, OR IN CLASS V, HOME TRADE (EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CASES).

In the case of a steamship of over 1,040 ft. the number of sets of davits to be provided shall be prescribed by the Marine Department.

APPENDIX B.

TABLE SHOWING THE MINIMUM AGGREGATE CUBIC CAPACITY OF LIFEBOATS TO BE CARRIED IN A SHIP IN CLASS I, HOME TRADE, LAUNCHED ON OR AFTER THE 1ST OCTOBER, 1914, OR IN CLASS V, HOME TRADE, LAUNCHED AFTER THAT DATE (EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CASES).

In the case of a vessel of under 100 ft. or over 450 ft. the cubic capacity of the lifeboats to be carried shall be prescribed by the Marine Department.

APPENDIX C.

TABLE I, SHOWING THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF SETS OF DAVITS REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED IN A STEAMSHIP IN CLASS V, HOME TRADE, IN CERTAIN CASES.

In the case of a steamship of under 100 ft. and over 360 ft. the number of sets of davits to be provided shall be prescribed by the Marine Department.