CO129-559-18 Employment of certificated officers on vessels holding Hong Kong passenger certificates 19-11-1936 - 19-11-1936 — Page 5

Copy.

in

THE CHINA COAST OFFICERS' GUILD,

Branch Office

Bank of East Asia Building, 10, Des Voeux Road Central,

Hong Kong,

9th October, 1936.

The Hon. Colonial Secretary,

Hong Kong.

Sir,

SECTION 4, Paragraph 2(b) Merchant

Shipping Ordinance.

On the instructions of the Management Committee

of this Guild I have the honour to present the following

for attention and consideration of Government.

As an introducto ry reference and for information

I attach an extract from the shipping pages of the "South

China Morning Post" of the 8th October, 1936. It will be

noted there from that, by mutual agreement of both ship-

owners and officers representatives, two duly certificated

navigating officers in addition to the master are to be carried as from the 1st October, 1936, on all foreign-going

vessels exceeding 700 tons gross but not over 2,500 tons gross and three certificated navigating officers in addition

to the master on foreign-going vessels exceeding 2,500 tons

gross.

What is the position in the case of certain foreign-

going vessels under the British flag, registered at Hong Kong

and within the range of gross tonnages indicated by the above? In brief, that they have sailed for years out of

this Colony and continue to do so, with but one duly certificated navigating officer on board in addition to the master, the position of second mate being held by an uncertificated and there fore unqualified native who is signed on the respective vessel's Articles of Agreement as

"Gunner,"