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During 1946-47 the following grades of candidates attended tlie school: — 11 Master, Foreign-going. 7 First Mate, Foreign-going. 23 Second Mate, Foreign-going. 7 Master, Home Trade. 12 Mate, Home Trade. 1 Second Mate, Home Trade. 2 Master, 25-ton Cargo-vessel. 9 Master, River S.S. 2 Yacht Master (N.Z.) 7 Vol. Exam. Comp. Dev. 81 The Rehabilitation Department is still assisting students financially, and while this assistance may be an inducement for a small number of men to qualify for certificates, in the great majority of cases the students by their keenness have demonstrated their ambition to become officers of ships and leaders of the profession. Inquiries from Army Headquarters regarding correspondence courses for members of J Force have been received, and the school is doing everything possible for members of the Forces who have a desire to study navigation. During the year, in response to representations from shipping interests, a branch of the school was opened at Wellington, and is proving very beneficial to candidates in the Wellington Province and in the South Island. EXAMINATION OF MASTERS AND MATES The examinations have been held in Auckland and Wellington on the statutory days, and on occasions special examinations have been held where candidates from overseas ships are unable to attend on the regular days. The examinations have been conducted in a satisfactory manner, and in the case of Foreign-going Certificates in accordance with the requirements of the Imperial Ministry of Transport. The Chief Examiner of Masters and Mates, Captain Whiteford, took the oportunity whilst in the United Kingdom attending a radar conference to confer with the Principal Examiner of Masters and Mates there, and found that the examinations in the Dominion are conducted on a standard similar to those in Great Britain. The number of examinations, 134, shows a decrease of 27 on the figures for last year, and it is to be expected that there will be a gradual decrease until normal requirements are reached. The passes and failures are as follows : Foreign-going Certificates— Per Cent. Full pass .. .. .. .. .. .. 55 • 6 Partial pass .. .. .. .. ..28-4 Partial failure .. .. .. .. .. 1-2 Failure .. .. .. .. .. ..14*8 Home-trade Certificates — Full pass .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 Partial pass .. .. .. .. 5 Partial failure .. .. .. .. 5 Examinations in sight tests during the year amounted to 105, of whom 101 passed. NOTICES TO MARINERS Information relative to changes in navigational aids, dangers to navigation, and general information to mariners is published in the above form. During the year 46 notices were issued. Notices of an urgent nature are sent out in the form of a radio warning through the Post and Telegraph coast stations to vessels carrying an operator, and to other vessels through the National Broadcasting Stations.

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