The Board of Trade have prepared a scheme for the issue of boatmen's licenses to people in charge of small passenger vessels which ply in inland or in estuarial waters, or go only short distances to sea.

The scheme, initially, will be a voluntary one, and the tests will comprise a simple sight test and an oral test of practical seamanship and local pilotage.

Candidates holding certain Board of Trade certificates of competency will be exempt from the seamanship and pilotage tests, as will local boatmen with evidence of at least 12 months' recent operational experience in charge of passenger vessels in the locality..