THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MARCH 11, 1910.
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monials:
5. All candidates will be required to produce, in addition to the official dis- Testi- charge certificates, testimonials as to their workshop service and as to their service shore
The testimonials as to workshop service must be signed by the employer, service. and must testify to the candidate's conduct and ability, and state what kind of work he was engaged on (e.g., fitting, erecting, etc.), and for how long.
at sea.
sea service.
6. Testimonials as to service at sea must testify to the applicant's sobriety, Testi- experience, ability, and general good conduct for at least the last twelve months' service at sea preceding the date of application to be examined. They must be signed by the Master and Chief Engineer (or in the case of testimonials to Chief Engineers, by the Master and Superintending Engineer) and must clearly state whether the applicant was on regular watch, and in regular charge of a watch on the main engines or boilers. It is desirable that testimonials of candidates should be endorsed by the Superintending Engineer. No time spent in clerical work will be allowed to count.
7. Candidates who have neglected to join their vessels after having signed Penalty for articles, or who have deserted their vessels after having joined, or who have been misconduct. found guilty of gross misconduct on board, will be required to produce satisfactory proof of two years' subsequent service and good conduct at sea unless the Harbour Master, after having investigated the matter, should see fit to reduce the time.
to testi- monials.
8. In cases where a testimonial from the Chief Engineer, or from the Master, Farther as is for any sufficient reason not obtainable, one may be submitted from the Superin- tending Engineer in place of that of the Chief Engineer, and one from the Managing Owner or Secretary or Chairman of a large Company in place of that of the Master; but in every such instance the testimonial must declare that the facts stated are in accordance with the reports made by the Chief Engineer or the Master, as the case may be, or else that the facts are within the writer's personal knowledge.
defects.
9. When a candidate is observed to be hard of hearing, or is labouring under Physical any other obvious physical defect, the signatories of his testimonial are required to mention that defect specifically, and to state whether it in any way interfered with the efficiency of the candidate as an Engineer on watch. When these modified testimonials are such as to completely satisfy the Examiner that the defect is not such as to interfere with the efficient discharge of the applicant's duties as Engineer, the examination is procceded with; otherwise the case is referred to the Harbour Master. Candidates afflicted with nervous impediment in speech may write their answers to vivâ voce questions.
foreign
10. The testimonials of service of Foreign Engineers and of British Engineers Foreign serving in foreign vessels, which cannot be verified by the Harbour Master, must Engineers; be confirmed either by the Consul of the country to which the ship in which the service. candidate served belonged, or by some other recognized official authority of the country; or by the testimony of some credible person on the spot having personal knowledge of the facts required to be established. The production, however, of such proofs will not of necessity be deemed sufficient. Each case must be decided on its own merits; and if the sufficiency of the proofs given appears to be at all doubtful, the point will be referred to the Governor.
11. Service which cannot be verified by proper entries in the articles of agree- Service must ment of the ships in which the candidates have served cannot be counted.
be verified.
must know
12. Foreign Engineers must prove to the satisfaction of the Examiners that Foreign they can speak and write the English language sufficiently well to perform the Engineers duties required of them on board a British vessel. In every case, before failing a English. candidate for insufficient knowledge of the English language the Examiner should refer the matter to the Harbour Master.
13. If the candidate passes he will receive a Certificate signed by the Issue of Governor.
Certificate.
found to be
14. If after a candidate has passed the examination it is discovered on further Service investigation that his services are insufficient to entitle him to receive a Certificate insufficient. of the grade for which he has passed, the Certificate will not be granted to him;