REGISTRY OF SHIPPING.
483
14. During the year, 14 ships were registered under the provisions of the Imperial Act, and 2 certificates were cancelled.
MARINE MAGISTRATE'S COURT.
15. Thirty-seven cases were heard in the Marine Magistrate's Court, refusal of duty on board ship and throwing ballast, &c., into the harbour were the principal offences.
EXAMINATION OF MASTERS, MATES AND ENGINEERS.
(Under Section 15 of Ordinance No. 26 of 1891.)
16. The following table will show the number of candidates examined for Certificates of Compe- tency, distinguishing those who were successful and those who failed:-
Grade.
Passed.
Failed.
Master, First Mate,
Only Mate,
Second Mate,
2321
43 44
Total,........
59
12
First Class Engineer,....
Second Class Engineer,..
24
44
20
රිය
Total,.....
68
23
MARINE COURTS.
(Under Section 13 of Ordinance No. 26 of 1891.)
17. The following Court has been held during the year :-
On the 24th December, enquiry respecting certain charges of misconduct brought by the Master against HARRY GORDON HARBORD, Mate of the British Barque " Vale of Doon," Official No. 63,211, of Hongkong. The Mate's Certificate of Competency was suspended for six months.
SUNDAY CARGO-WORKING.
(Ordinance No. 6 of 1891.)
18. During the year, 439 permits were issued under the provisions of the Ordinance. Of these, 109 were not availed of owing to its being found unnecessary for the ship to work cargo on the Sunday, and the fee paid for the permit was refunded in each case, and 48 permits were issued, free of charge,
to Mail Steamers.
The revenue collected under this heading was $44,800; this was $1,250 more than in 1900. The revenue collected each year
since the Ordinance came into force is as follows:-
1892,
1893,
1894,
1895,
1896, 1897
1898,
1899,.. 1900,. 1901
$ 4,800
7,900
13,375
11,600
7,575
11,850
25,925
21,825
43,550
44,800
The large amount collected for these Sunday permits is worthy of remark and especially so in connection with the petition of a few years ago against the increase of Light Dues, in which the Secretary of State and others were asked to believe that, so precarious is the shipping trade of this important centre, that, a charge of 24 cents (Mexican) per registered ton would "tend to deter vessels from coming to the Port."