SEPT. 26.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3395

166. Service in the Army. — The Marine Department are anxious that, so far as it is reasonably possible, seamen or apprentices who are at the present time serving in the Army should not be hindered in their ordinary profession; but the Department cannot, in the absence of any indication of the probable duration of the war, give a definite undertaking with regard to the extent to which such service could be accepted as part of the service required to qualify for certificates of competency in the mercantile marine. The Department must have regard to the essential condition that their certificates must testify to actual competency, but they will be prepared in due course to consider sympathetically any application to be examined by a candidate who has been prevented from complying fully with the regulations owing to his service in the Army.

167. Service under an Auxiliary First Mate.—With reference to para. 37 (c) of the regulations, the Board will accept service as second mate while holding a first mate’s foreign-going certificate and performed during the war under an additional or auxiliary first mate as qualifying-service for a master’s certificate, provided that a third mate is also carried, and the requirement that there shall be a fourth mate will, for the time being, not be insisted upon.

168. Officers and Seamen interned abroad.—Time spent by officers and seamen interned abroad in attending organized lectures or classes of instruction will be accepted, subject to the following conditions, in lieu of a portion of the qualifying sea service required to qualify them for examination for a certificate of competency:—

(a.) If nine hours a week are spent in attending lectures or classes, five weeks spent in this way will be accepted in lieu of one week’s sea service. If eleven hours a week are spent in this way, four weeks will be accepted as one week’s sea service. In no circumstances can a remission of more than three months’ sea service be made.

(b.) The lectures must form part of a definite course of study bearing on the candidate’s profession.

(c.) The candidate must produce a certificate, signed by the lecturer or by some other recognized officer of the camp, that he has attended regularly and has profited by the instruction given. If possible the candidate should also produce his note-books. It is suggested that the extent to which a student has profited should be ascertained by periodical examinations.

The subjects of study which are likely to be of value may be inferred from the syllabus for each grade of certificate given in the Board’s regulations. The course of study need not, however, be confined to the actual subjects or questions specified in the syllabus, and should embrace work more advanced and thorough than that necessary to meet the bare requirements of the examinations.

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APPENDICES.

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APPENDIX A.

EXAMINATION-DAYS.

MASTERS’ AND MATES’ CERTIFICATES.

For Foreign-going Candidates.

Auckland .. .. First Monday in every month.
Wellington .. .. First Monday in every month.
Lyttelton .. .. Second Tuesday in every month.
Dunedin .. .. Third Monday or Tuesday in every month.

For all other Grades.

Auckland .. .. Second and fourth Mondays in every month.
Wellington .. .. Second and fourth Mondays in every month.
Lyttelton .. .. First and third Mondays in every month.
Dunedin .. .. Second and fourth Mondays in every month.

Intending candidates at Dunedin must make application to be examined not later than the second Friday in every month, and ascertain from the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine the day on which the examination will commence.

G