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No, 11.—Eeturn of Steam-winding-engine Drivers to whom Certificates of Competency have been granted from Ist April, 1898, to 31st March, 1899. No. and Name of Person. Date of Issue. No. and Name of Person. Date of Issue 1898. 1898. 91. Alfred John Durham .. .. .. April 26 124. Lewis Griffin .. .. .. Nov. 8 92. William James Dufchie .. .. ~26 125. Edward Bell .. .. .. ~8 93. Hector William King .. .. .. ~26 126. Alfred Harry Tollard .. .. ' „ 8 94. Walter Henry Charles Langdon .. ~26 127. Gerald Langan .. .. .. ~8 95. Thomas Francis O'Sullivan .. .. ~26 128. Henry Hunter .. .. .. ~8 96. John Oscar Nilsson .. .. .. „ 26 \ 129. William George Ashby .. .. ~8 97. Thomas Mulholland .. .. .. „ 26 I 130. Robert Campbell .. .. .. ~8 98. Frank Buddie .. .. .. „ 26 | 131. Henry Nelson .. „ 8 99. William Mylroi .. .. .. ~26 132. Henry John Moffitt .. .. .. ~8 100. George Henry Sutcliffe .. .. ~26 133. Thomas Wilkinson .. .. .. ~ 8 101. John Whitehouse .. .. .. ~26 134. William Sanson .. .. .. ~8 102. Harry Graham Lever.. .. .. ~26 135. William Henderson .. .. .. ~8 103. John Edward Chamberlain .. .. ~26 136. John Dawley Wood .. .. .. ~8 104. James Craig .. .. .. ~26 137. Archibald Cox .. .. .. ~8 105. John Copeland .. ... .. ~26 138. Allan Smith Mclntosh .. .. ~8 106. Cornelius Wealey Gore .. .. ~26 139. Alexander Sinclair Gillanders .. „ 8 107. William Kidd ' .. .. .. ~26 140. George Henderson .. .. .. ~14 108. Benjamin Williams .. .. .. ~26 141. James Christmas .. .. .. ~14 109. Ralph St. John Hindmarsh ... .. „ 26 142. James John Jack .. .. .. ~14 110. Herbert Thomas Balfour .. .. 26 I 143. William Bainbridge .. .. ~14 111. Michael Moore .. .. .. 26 I 144. Andrew Hamilton Waddell .. .. ~14 112. James Newton .. .. .. ~26 145. James Lisle .. .. .. ~14 113. Robert Smith .. .. .. ~26 146. Peter Allan .. .. .. ~14 114. Horace Tomkies .. .. „ 26 147. James Edward Jefcoate .. .. ~14 115. Thomas Hallinan .. .. .. ~26 148. Herbert Henry Evans .. .. ~14 116. Thomas Thomas .. .. .. May 21 j 150. William Hughes .. .. .. Dee. 3 117. William Robert Young .. * .. 21 j 152. Hugh McQuillan .. .. .. ~3 118. William Morgan .. .. .. „ 21 j 154. Joseph Morgan .. .. .. ~3 119. George Arthur Meier .. .. .. ~21 155. Frederick Heslin .. .. .. ~3 120. Thomas Donnelly .. .. .. ~21 156. Arthur Grettan Tomkies ~ .. 3 121. William David Lindsay McLean .. ~21 1899. 122. James Dodd .. .. .. Nov. 8 157. George James Black .. .. Mar. 7 123. Joseph Ernest Kaye .. .. .. ~8 158. John Henry Shore .. .. .. ~7

No. 12.—'Return of Hydraulic-winding-engine Deivebs to whom Ceetipicates of Service have been granted from Ist April, 1898, to 31st March, 1899. No. and Name of Person. Date of Issue. 31. Edwin Bray ... ... ... ... ... 26th April, 1898.

No. 13. — Return of Hydbaulic-winding-engine Drivers to whom Certificates of Competency have been granted from Ist April, 1898, to 31st March, 1899. No. and Name of Person. Date of Issue. 149. Thomas Moyle ... ... ... ... 3rd December, 1898. 151. Thomas Richardson Watson ... ... ... „ 153. Thomas Lamberton ... ... ... ... „

The Principal Examinee of Engineers to the Secretary of the Marine Depaetment. Office of the Principal Examiner of Engineers, Queen's Chambers, Sic,— Wellington, 4th April, 1899. I beg leave to submit my annual report for the year ended 31st March, 1899. Nothing has occurred during the past year to mar the efficient and smooth working of our system of examination, with the exception of three candidates whose time qualification was not according to law, and in consequence of which their certificates were not issued. Their time had been passed by the Customs, and had also been overlooked by the Examiner, and in due course the papers were sent to me, when the mistake was discovered. A point that candidates for second-class engineers examination seem to have overlooked generally is that they must have served for one year foreign, or eighteen months coasting, in a capacity of not less than third or fourth engineer, and that during the whole of their service they must have been in possession of a third-class certificate (or exemption), as stated in paragraph 31, clause (a), of Eegulations. This is of great importance, as time served at sea prior to obtaining a third-class certificate does not qualify for second engineers examination. On the Ist January this year a change of application procedure came into force, whereby candidates for examination apply direct and forward all fees to me. This saves the candidate's time, and does not divide the responsibility of seeing that they are properly qualified to sit for examination. The Customs have now nothing to do either with the filling-in of the applicant's form, or checking the applicant's servitude, as this is all done at the office of the Principal Engineer-Sur-veyor. The change has given satisfaction generally to engineers, and appears to be a step in the right direction, saving complications. Every year the number of applicants increases, and the engineering profession seems to be much in favour with the promising young fellows in the colony. I have, &c, Eobeet Duncan, Principal Examiner of Engineers. To the Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington.