CO129-559-18 Employment of certificated officers on vessels holding Hong Kong passenger certificates 19-11-1936 - 19-11-1936 — Page 6

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"Gunner, "Chief Boatswain" or some other title which does

not include the word "Mate. ??

I am to name as examples in this respect the vessels

under the control of Messrs. Wo at Sing, 81 Wing Lok Street

and also those of Messrs. Williamson & Company, P. & 0.

Building. As far as is known not one of these vessels carry

a duly certificated Second Kate, although, for purposes of

comparison, the S.S. "Lyemoon" and "Apoey" with a gross

tonnage of 288 and 2790 respectively, would be obliged to

carry three duly certificated navigating officers in addition

to the master under the agreement as noted by the attached

enclosure.

My Committee considers it vitally necessary, in these

days of increased speed and traffic on the China coast, to

once again endeavour to urge upon Government the absolute

risk of this permitted "one mate" practice, which not only

places upon the master of a vessel so situated an undue

strain and which practice is not only a menace to the safety

of the vessel concerned but is also a distinct hazard to

other vessels navigating the China seas and adjacent waters

which are adequately staffed.

Nominally, the master of any vessel is "on watch"

all the time. Handicapped by only having one duly certificated

navigating officer, a master in such circumstances, also take

regular "watch and watch" about with his sole certificated

officer or alternatively when he requires rest (as all shipmasters do occasionally) permits his vessel to be in

charge of an unqualified native, who has no certificate to be

dealt with in case of accident and the responsibility for

which casualty would devolve upon the master. Trom this point

of view also the one mate" practice is one that cannot

commend