l*

H—ls

The correction of charts necessitated by the establishment of additional navigational aids, the clearing of minefields, and the discovery of rocks, shoals, &c, is a neverending task, and 13,000 hand corrections were made during the year to our saleable stock. NEW CHARTS This year has been extremely profitable as regards improvements to Folios 71 and 72, which includes all the New Zealand charts. Chart No. 2553, Sheet XI, Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island, has had amendments to topography and soundings, slip plate to eastward added, and new true and Magnetic compass roses. The slip plate to the eastward has eliminated a very grave disadvantage which has always existed at Waipapa Point, that of changing from one chart to another at this vital part of the Bluff-Dunedin voyage. It is now possible to use the one chart and thus avoid the replotting of the position off Waipapa Point. Charts Nos. 3633 and 3634, North and South Islands respectively, were published by the Admiralty on 15th February, 1950, and will fill a long-felt want. The New Zealand General Chart No. 1212 is too small a scale to be of any great use other than plotting long courses and distances, and the two additions to the New Zealand folios will be greatly appreciated. NOTICES TO MARINERS Information relative to changes in navigational aids and to the discovery of obstructions, wreckage, or other dangers to navigation, and information of general interest to mariners, has been published in the form of " Notices to Mariners." During the year 59 such notices were issued. Many notices of an urgent navigational nature must be disseminated by radio, and the broadcasting and coast radio stations have been used for this purpose on many occasions during the year. EXAMINATIONS OF MASTERS AND MATES Examinations have been held in Auckland and Wellington on statutory days and on other occasions when circumstances have justified special examinations. It is the practice to grant special facilities to officers visiting New Zealand for the purpose of undertaking the examinations while their vessels are in port. The examinations have been conducted in a satisfactory manner, and in the case of foreign-going ships in accordance with the requirements of the Imperial Ministry of Transport. The number of examinations, 130, is a decrease of 32 on the figures for last year. The passes and failures are as follows : - Foreign-going Certificates — Per Cent. Full pass .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Partial pass . . . . . . . . .. .. 26 Failure . . .. .. . . .. .. 9 Home-trade Certificates — Full pass .. . . . . . . .. .. 73 Partial pass .. .. .. .. .. 27 The written part of the examinations for both foreign going and home trade, in so far as the navigation problems are concerned, will be altered considerably within the next two or three years as a result of the radical changes which are to be introduced into the " Nautical Almanac." EXAMINATIONS IN SIGHT TESTS Examinations in sight tests during the year totalled 113, an increase of 4 on last year, of whom 107 passed and 6 failed.

3