3786
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 87

8. Application: Particulars of Sea Service.—(1) A candidate’s eligibility for examination will depend (amongst other things) upon the amount of sea service which he has performed and upon the ranks which he has held on board the various vessels in which he has been employed. It is therefore most important that the particulars which the candidate inserts in Division G of the application form (Exn. 2) should be accurately stated. Candidates who represent themselves as having served in a higher capacity than that actually held in the ship render themselves liable to prosecution under section 32 of the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908. (See para. 9).

(2) Candidates for certificates, for which service as watch-keeping officer is required, must also produce certificates of watch-keeping service signed by the masters of the vessels on which they have served. Specimen forms of these certificates are shown in Appendix J.

(3) All candidates for certificates of competency and for the voluntary examinations must submit all existing certificates held by them, whether of master, mate, or engineer, issued under the various Shipping and Seamen and Navigation Acts, as such certificates are required by the Marine Department either for endorsement or cancellation purposes. All such certificates must be described by the candidate in section (b) of his application form (Exn. 2).

(4) It must be clearly understood that the amount of service laid down in the regulations for each grade of certificate of competency is the absolute minimum that can be accepted, and unless a candidate can show the full amount he must in no case be allowed up for examination.

9. Fraud and Misrepresentation.—It is provided by section 32 of the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908, that any person who makes, assists in making, or procures to be made, any false representation for the purpose of procuring either for himself or for any other person a certificate of competency or service, or the grant of any such certificate shall, in respect of each offence, be guilty of a crime the punishment for which is imprisonment for any period not exceeding two years, or a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

10. Testimonials required.—In addition to the necessary certificates of discharge submitted for proof of sea service, a certificate of character must be produced in respect of any lengthy intervals or gap embraced by or subsequent to the period of qualifying service; and every candidate will be required to produce testimonials (to be submitted in duplicate) as to character, including sobriety, and to experience and ability on board ship for at least the twelve months of sea service immediately preceding the date of application to be examined, and without producing these no person will be examined. The duplicates of such testimonials will be retained by the Marine Department.

11. Penalty for Misconduct.—Candidates who have neglected to join their vessels after having signed articles, or who have deserted their vessels after having joined, or who have been found guilty of gross misconduct on board, will be required to produce satisfactory proofs of two years’ subsequent service and good conduct at sea, unless the Marine Department, after having investigated the matter, should see fit to reduce the time.

12. Deafness and other Physical or Mental Disabilities.—If during the progress of the examination the Examiner finds that a candidate is afflicted with deafness, with an impediment in his speech, or with some other physical or mental infirmity, and he is satisfied upon further investigation that the degree of deafness or of the impediment or other infirmity is such as to render the candidate incompetent to fully discharge the ordinary duties of a mate or master at sea, he should not allow the candidate to complete his examination, and the candidate shall have his examination fee returned to him; but every case in which this action is taken must be reported to the Marine Department.

If the candidate subsequently produces a medical certificate to the effect that his hearing, speech, or physical or mental condition has improved or is normal, the Marine Department will take into consideration the question of allowing the candidate to sit again for examination.

13. Naturalized British Subjects must know English.—Naturalized British subjects must prove to the satisfaction of the Examiners that they can speak and write the English language sufficiently well to perform the duties required of them on board a British vessel. If a candidate fails for ignorance of the English language he will not be re-examined until after a lapse of six months.