Dec. 15.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3843

“Normal vision” is defined, for the purpose of these Regulations, as ability to read correctly nine of the twelve letters in the sixth line and eight of the fifteen letters in the seventh line of a test sheet placed in a good light at a distance of 16 ft. from the eye.

The candidate will have the option of using either eye separately or both eyes together.

5. Method of Testing.—The test-sheets should be hung on the wall, in a good light, but not in direct sunlight, at a height of 5 ft. or 6 ft. from the ground. The candidate should be placed at a distance of exactly 16 ft. from the sheets, and exactly opposite them. This distance should be carefully measured, and should never in any circumstances be varied.

One of the sheets should then be exposed, and the candidate should be asked to read the letters on each sheet, beginning at the top and going downwards. Any mistakes which he makes should be carefully noted. If then it is found that he has read correctly at least nine letters in the sixth line and eight letters in the seventh line of a sheet the candidate may be considered to have normal vision, and should be marked “passed” in the appropriate column of the form of application (Exn. 2 or Exn. 2B, as the case may be).

6. Passing or Failure.—If at the conclusion of the test the candidate is found to reach the required standard, he may be considered to have passed, and the Examiner should proceed with the lantern test. If the candidate fails to reach the standard required for the certificate entered for, he should be tested with at least four sheets, and the Examiner should fill in a form Exn. 17B, and should forward it with any remarks he may wish to make, to the Principal Examiner for his instructions as to whether the candidate is to be regarded as passing or as failing in the letter test.

Failure to pass the letter test is due to some defect in form vision, and the Board are advised that such defects are sometimes curable. Whenever, therefore, a candidate fails to pass this test the Examiner should advise him to consult an ophthalmic surgeon with a view to ascertaining what is the nature of the defect in his form vision, and whether it is curable.

7. Lower Standard required in certain Cases.—Candidates who are in possession of certificates obtained before 1st January, 1914, may be regarded as passing the letter test if they can read correctly with both eyes at least five of the eight letters in the fifth line of a test-sheet.

8. Tests to be varied.—The Examiner should take care, by varying the order of the test-sheets and by every other means in his power, to guard against the possibility of any deception on the part of the candidate.

9. Result of Examination to be reported.—The result of every examination in the letter test should be reported, in the case of a candidate for a certificate of competency, to the Principal Examiner on forms Exn. 2 and Exn. 14; and, in the case of a candidate for the sight tests only, on form Exn. 2B.

II. Lantern Test.

10. Apparatus.—A special lantern and a mirror have been provided for this test. The lantern should be placed directly in front of the mirror, so that the front part of the lantern is exactly 10 ft. from the mirror. Care should be taken that the lantern is properly placed, that is to say, the lights reflected in the mirror must show clearly when viewed from the position of the candidate on the left of the lantern. The Examiner should always satisfy himself that these conditions are fulfilled before commencing the examination.

11. Darkness Adaptation.—It is essential that a candidate should be kept in a room which is either completely or partially darkened for at least a quarter of an hour before he is required to undergo this test.

Before the examination commences the Examiner must satisfy himself that the room in which it is conducted is so darkened as to exclude all daylight.

12. Method of Testing.—The lantern supplied for the examination is so constructed as to allow one large or two small lights to be visible, and is fitted with twelve glasses of three colours—red, white, and green. At the commencement of the examination the Examiner should show to the candidate a series of lights through the large aperture, and should require him to name the colours as they appear to him. Care should be taken in showing the white light to emphasize the fact that this light is not a pure white. If a candidate makes a mistake of calling this light “red,” a proper red light should be shown immediately after and the candidate’s attention directed to the difference between the two.