A.—s

472

Thirteenth Day, 8 May 1907.

entered and none passed; in 1906 one entered and one passed; and this year one entered and one passed. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I understand there is a limit to the number which you are allowed to nominate in any case ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Yes; two from New Zealand in a year, and they are examined. A special examiner is appointed to examine them out there; or else they come here, and they are examined in the ordinary way. Sir JOSEPH WARD : How many do you allow from each of the other countries that are allowed to nominate in one year ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Eight for Australia, two for New Zealand, two for Cape Colony, and one for Natal; and the other Colonies two. Canada was not included in the original agreement, and those two were left for the Dominion and the other Colonies. Dr. JAMESON : When does that wholesale ploughing take place—at the original entry or at any other time ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Before they go in at all. Dr. JAMESON : Simply on general knowledge examination ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : Yes. Mr. F. R. MOOR : Are the examinations here, or in the Colonies ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : The examinations are held either in the Colony itself, or some boys come over here and go to school here, and then afterwards are examined. I ought to say that, as a rule, we have about three times as many candidates for these examinations as we can take; that is, about 200 come up, and 70 are taken. I think an idea has got about that the Colonial Cadets are entitled to come in. They are only entitled to come in provided they pass tests similar to those imposed on boys from this country. Dr. JAMESON : I think it is always acknowledged it is merely a nomination, and they have to pass. Is the South African black list as bad as you have just read ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : That idea is not prevalent in New Zealand. There is no misconception as to the conditions. Lord TWEEDMOUTH : I am glad to hear that, and that is why I mentioned it to-day. From the Cape, one entered in 1903, and one passed; in 1904, there were two entered, and they were both unsuccessful; in 1905, two went in, and two passed; and in 1906, one entered, but he appeared before the Interview Committee here and was not rated sufficiently high to be taken. Dr. JAMESON : That is physically ? Lord TWEEDMOUTH : No. In 1907, one has entered but he has not yet been interviewed.

Naval Defence. (Lord Tweedmouth. )