JULY 19.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2935

Minister's Decisions under Customs Duties Act.

Customs Department, Wellington, 18th July, 1917.

IT is hereby notified for public information that the Hon. the Minister of Customs has decided to interpret the Customs Duties Act in relation to the undermentioned articles as follows:—

NOTE.—“Not otherwise enumerated” appears as n.o.e.; “other kinds” as o.k.; “articles and materials suited only for, and to be used solely in, the fabrication of goods in the Dominion” as a. & m.s. Articles marked thus † are revised decisions.

Short hose connections, with valves and unions attached,—
If imported with and forming part of drill | As rock-drills (parts of) (415) | Free. | |
| | If imported separately—
Hose connections | As rock-drills (parts of) (415) | Free. | |
| | Valves and unions | As manufactured articles of metal n.o.e. (183) | 20 per cent. | 10 per cent. |
| 20/59/3 | Sacks, jute, unprinted, fitted with rope handles (“coke sacks”) | As jute sacks (442) | Free. | |
| | Surgical appliances, &c., liable to duty, viz.:—
“Nicholas Suitcase Table” (used in chiropractic) | As furniture n.o.e. (111) | 25 per cent. | 12½ per cent. |

The following decisions are cancelled:—
Calico, with designs of cats, dogs, &c., printed thereon, to be cut out and made into toys, as drapery n.o.e. (see page 95, 1914 edition).
Pulveriser mill (hammer-bar type), suitable for grinding manures, bark, chalk, shells, &c., as machinery n.o.e. (see Minister’s Order D. 12 of 6th October, 1915).

W. B. MONTGOMERY,
Comptroller of Customs.

Minister’s Order D. 28.]

Notice to Mariners.—No. 40 of 1917.

EXAMINATION OF MASTERS AND MATES.—NOTICE TO CANDIDATES.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 11th July, 1917.

IT has been decided to introduce certain changes into the examination of candidates for certificates of competency as master or mate. References are to the current 1910 edition of the Regulations relating to the Examination of Masters and Mates (Exn. I).

I. The following changes will take effect on 1st September, 1917:—

1. Signalling.—Candidates for all foreign-going and home-trade certificates will be required to attain a minimum speed of eight words a minute in semaphore and five words a minute in Morse flashing and flag-waving.

2. Chart-work.—Candidates for all foreign-going and home-trade certificates will be required to work satisfactorily all the chart problems indicated in Appendix G of Regulations for Examination of Masters and Mates.

3. Definitions.—The separate paper on definitions (Appendix C) will be discontinued; and instead, candidates will be required to give a figure and explanation for each problem worked.

II. The following changes will take effect on 1st January, 1918:—

4. Navigation.—The whole of the examination in navigation will be brought under the marks system. A specified time will be allotted for each paper (see paragraph 11 of this notice), and papers will not be returned to candidates for correction. Candidates will be required to obtain 85 per cent. of the total marks in order to pass.

5. Second Mate.—Candidates for certificates as second mate will be required to answer questions on plane trigonometry and elementary viva voce questions on the main parts of a ship’s construction; and, in place of the present dictation paper, to write a short essay on some simple subject.

6. First Mate.—Candidates for certificates as first or only mate will be required, in addition to the work for the second mate’s certificate, to answer questions on right-angled spherical trigonometry and more advanced questions on the main parts of a ship’s construction and their general use.

Law of Storms (paragraph 37 (m), Appendix H).—The paper on the law of storms in the examination for certificates as first mate or master will be replaced by a paper on meteorology.

7. Master.—Candidates for certificates as master (foreign-going) will be required, in addition to the work for the first mate’s certificate, to answer questions on ship construction and naval architecture, and a few elementary questions on stability (for standard text-book see Appendix Q, to which might be added “Know Your Own Ship,” by Thomas Walton, published by Charles Griffin and Company, Exeter Street, Strand, London), and to write a short essay on some suitable subject. The questions on the deviation of the compass (Appendix I) will be remodelled.

8. Extra Master.—Candidates for certificates as extra master will be required, in addition to the work for the master’s