H.—ls

6

The proportion of passes to the total number of examinations held during the past ten years were : 50 per cent, in 1920-21, 50 per cent, in 1921-22, 4.3 per cent, in 1922-23, 51 per cent, in 1923-24, 46 per cent, in 1924-25, 34 per cent, in 1925-26, 38| per cent, in 1926-27, 19| per cent, in 1927-28, 56A per cent, in 1928-29, and 55J per cent, in 1929-30. Twenty-two candidates were successful in passing their examination on first attempt, this number for last year being twenty-one. The Board of Trade in Great Britain intends to make considerable alterations in the syllabus of examinations, to come into force on the Ist January, 1931, and this change, to be made here simultaneously, will no doubt decrease the percentages of passes in our examinations during the first year of the new syllabus. The Board also allows a candidate to attend the signalling portion of an examination within a period of six months before or after the examination proper, and a pass is allowed in the written or the oral portion of the examination and the candidate may obtain his certificate provided he completes the whole examination within six months. These changes are in favour of the candidate, as he will then be able to complete one portion of the examination at a time and will have more time to devote to those subjects in which he has shown weakness. The sea service required for certificates has also been increased, and this may have a detrimental effect on the number of candidates. Examination in Form and Colour Vision. A total of sixty examinations in the sight tests were held at the four main ports. Of this total 48 per cent, were held at Auckland, 30 per cent, at Wellington, 15 per cent, at Lyttelton, and 7 per cent, at Dunedin. One candidate was failed in the lantern test by the local examiner, but later exercised his right in appealing for a special examination, which was subsequently carried out, the result being that the candidate succeeded in passing. Publication of " New Zealand Nautical Almanac and Tide-tabi.es." The " New Zealand Nautical Almanac and Tide-tables " for the year 1930 (twenty-eighth edition) was issued in November last, so as to enable its contents to be available in ample time before the end of 1929 to ships proceeding beyond New Zealand. Training-ship. During the year representations have been made to the Government urging the re-establishment of a training-ship for youths desirous of following a seafaring life, and offers were made by Messrs. G. H. Scales and Co. of the barque " Rewa " and the Union Steamship Company of the steamer " Corinna," for the purpose. During the years 1909 to 1922 the Department maintained the " Amokura " as a training-ship. This vessel was equipped for both steam and sail and spent something over a third of her time at sea. The total number of lads who joined the vessel was about five hundred, and of these about four hundred joined other vessels. The average cost to the Department per fully qualified trainee per year varied from £205 to £373. In 1922 the ship was put out of commission as an economy measure. As to re-establishing a training-ship, the question first arises as to what sort of training should be given. Unquestionably, the sea-going training-ship and preferably a sailing-ship, with proper general educational and technical schooling, gives the best training and is in every way best for the boys ; but it is the most expensive form of training. There are still in existence many harbour training-ships, but these are going out of favour, and giving place to shore institutions. The objective of practically all the home establishments, whether sea-going or not, is the training of boys and youths to become officers. The difficulty complained of in the representations which have been made to the Government is that the opportunity of going to sea is denied to a great many New Zealand boys who desire to do so, which may be an entirely separate question to that of training officers. It is actually the case in New Zealand to-day that there is a greater supply of officers and seamen and particularly the latter, than the mercantile marine can absorb, and from this position arises the difficulty with which youths desiring to go to sea are confronted. In this respect, however, our youths who desire to go to sea are in no different position to those who desire to enter other trades or callings as apprentices, where the quota of apprentices to tradesmen is restricted. It is probable that this restriction in certain avenues of employment has resulted in an increase in the numbers of those now applying for employment at sea. It is also the case that increasing numbers of trained seamen from overseas are making their homes here. Summed up, therefore, the position appears to be that the establishment of any sort of training institution would be costly, and would result in the training of a number of youths for our mercantile marine which coirld absorb only a limited number of those trained. Survey of Ships. The following table shows the numbers of certificates of survey issued to ships during the year, the figures for the previous year being shown in parentheses. Class. Number. Seagoing steamships and auxiliary-powered vessels .. .. 202 (193) Seagoing sailing-vessels . . .. .. .. . . 13 (14) Restricted-limits steamships and auxiliary-powered vessels .. 499 (522) Total .. .. .. .. .. 714 (729)