3816
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 87

123. Apprentices.—The whole of the time claimed under indentures of apprenticeship will be accepted as actual sea service to qualify under para. 34 for a second mate’s certificate provided (a) that the indentures have not been cancelled through some fault of the candidate, but are endorsed by the owner or master to whom he was bound to the effect that he has performed his service faithfully during the time he remained as apprentice; and (b) that the candidate has served at sea four-fifths of the time claimed—that is to say, has not spent more than one-fifth of the time in home ports.

124. In cases where an apprentice is qualified for examination before the expiration of his indentures—e.g., where he has had training-ship or other sea service prior to being bound, which, together with his actual time as apprentice, makes up the required four years, or where his indentures are for a period of more than four years, a letter from the owner or master will be accepted in place of the endorsement referred to above.

125. In the event of the candidate being short of the required four-fifths of the time claimed as apprentice out of the United Kingdom, he will be required to show sufficient additional sea service, either as seaman or junior officer, to make up the four-fifths of the time claimed.

126. The above-stated general concession to apprentices cannot, however, be taken to cover a case in which, during a large proportion of the period of apprenticeship, the vessel on which the apprentice is serving has been laid up in a foreign port. The proportion of the period of apprenticeship which can be accepted as qualifying service in such a case is dependent on the actual circumstances, and each case will be considered on its merits. The Marine Department are prepared to make as generous an allowance for such service as they properly can, but they are unable to forego the essential condition that candidates for certificates of competency must have sufficient experience of actual sea service.

127. In the case of cable ships the time may be counted in full if two-thirds of this period of four-fifths—that is, eight-fifteenths of the whole time under indentures—has been spent in service on board the ship out of the United Kingdom and away from the ship’s base port (para. 136.) (106.)

128. Midshipmen and Cadets.—The whole of the time served as midshipman or cadet under indentures will also be accepted subject to the same conditions as those laid down for apprentices; and the same will be the case even when not bound by indentures, provided that the service as midshipman or cadet has been continuous, that on the date of the termination of the period of service claimed in this capacity the candidate was on Articles of Agreement, and that he is able to comply with the requirements laid down in the matter of serving or making up the four-fifths period at sea during the time claimed. (107.)

129. Training-ships.—Time served after the age of fourteen on board the training-ships “Worcester,” “Conway,” and “Amokura,” will be allowed to count as equivalent to one-half the same time spent in service at sea, up to a limit of two years (i.e., no length of service will be allowed to count as more than one year at sea), provided that the candidate can produce a certificate from the Committee or Captain Superintendent that he has conducted himself creditably and passed a good examination in seamanship so far as it is practised in the training-ship, as well as in other matters down to the time of his leaving the ship. Training-ship service will not be regarded as equivalent to service in square-rigged vessels.

A similar concession is allowed in the case of time spent at the Nautical College, Pangbourne. (108.)

126. Shore Schools for Nautical Training.—Time spent after the age of fourteen at a school for nautical training conducted on premises ashore may be allowed to count in some proportion, not exceeding one-half, as service at sea, provided that—

(a) The school is recognized under the appropriate Regulations, by the Board of Education, or by the Scottish Education Department, as the case may be;

(b) After an inspection by one of their Officers the Board of Trade are satisfied that the school gives a training that justifies time spent there being reckoned as part of the necessary qualifying-time for a certificate of competency; and

(c) The candidate produces a satisfactory certificate as regards conduct and proficiency from the authorities of the school on leaving it.