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Hours of Work— Hours of work for seafarers received consideration by Conferences of the Organization as early as 1920, when two recommendations were adopted in respect of fishing and inland navigation. Again,- in 1936 a convention and recommendation was adopted on hours of work at sea. The deliberations at the Seattle Conference carried these decisions further by provisions as follows : 1. The normal hours of work of an officer or rating shall not exceed — (а) In the case of near-trade ships, when the vessel is at sea, 24 hours in any period of two consecutive days. (б) In the case of distant-trade ships, when the vessel is at sea and on days of sailing and arrival, not exceeding 8 hours in any one day. (c) When a vessel is in port — (i) On the weekly day of rest, such time not exceeding two hours as is necessary for ordinary routine and sanitary duties : (ii) On other days, 8 hours, except where a collective agreement provides for less on any day. 2. The normal hours of work for persons employed in the catering department shall not exceed : (a) When the vessel is at sea and on days of sailing and arrival — (i) In the case of a passenger-ship, 10 hours in any consecutive period of fourteen hours : (ii) In the case of a vessel not a passenger-ship, 9 hours in any period of thirteen hours. (b) When the vessel is in port — (i) In the case of a passenger-ship if passengers are on board, 10 hours in any period of fourteen hours ; in other cases, on the weekly day of rest, 5 hours for persons engaged in messing duties, and such time not exceeding two hours as is necessary for ordinary routine and sanitary duties in the case of other persons ; on the day preceding the weekly day of rest, 5 hours ; on any other days, 8 hours. (ii) In the case of a vessel not a passenger-ship, on the weekly day of rest, 5 hours ; on the day preceding the weekly day of rest, 6 hours ; on any other days, 8 hours in any period of twelve hours. 3. When in the case of near-trade ships the total number of hours worked in a period of two consecutive weeks exceeds 112 in the case of near-trade ships and in the case of distant-trade ships the number of hours worked in a period of one week (excluding hours regarded as overtime) exceeds 48, the person concerned shall be compensated by time off in port or otherwise as may be determined by collective agreement between the organizations of shipowners and seafarers concerned. 4. In the case of night-watchmen, national laws or regulations or collective agreements between the organizations of shipowners and seafarers concerned may make special arrangements for the regulation of hours of work. Manning.—ln respect of manning it is provided that a vessel shall be sufficiently and efficiently manned for the purposes of—(a) Ensuring the safety of life at sea. (b) Giving effect to the provisions of the hours of work provided in the convention. (c) Preventing excessive strain upon the crew and avoiding or minimizing as far as is practicable the working of overtime. Medical Examination of Seafarers This convention provides that no person shall be employed on a vessel to which this convention applies unless he produces a certificate attesting to his fitness" for the work for which he is employed at sea signed by a medical practitioner or, in the case of a certificate solely concerning his sight, by a person authorized by the competent authority to issue such a certificate. In the case of the medical examination the certi-

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