§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether Inspectors of Weights and Measures who present themselves for examination, with a view of obtaining their certificates of qualification from the Board of Trade, and who happen to fail in any one of the prescribed subjects, are debarred from further examination for a period of six months; and, if so, whether he is aware that this rule is the cause of great inconvenience to Local Authorities and officers concerned; and whether he can amend the regulations with a view of reducing the limit of time between one examination and another?
§ * SIR M. HICKS BEACHYes, Sir; the rule is as stated by the hon. Member, but I am not aware that its application has been a cause of inconvenience to Local Authorities, who are quite free to appoint another Inspector for the period which must elapse before a failed candidate can again present himself for examination. As the prescribed test is by no means a difficult one, and is chiefly of a practical nature, I am not prepared, as at present advised, to make any change in the regulations.
§ MR. PICTONIf a man failed in some insignificant matter is it not a hardship to put him back for six months?
§ * MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)Might it not be possible not to require re-examination on subjects in which the candidate has already passed?
§ * SIR M. HICKS BEACHI understand the hon. Member for Leicester (Mr. Picton) to desire more frequent examinations.
§ MR. PICTONThe point I wished to raise was that if a man fails in some insignificant particular, a period of six months should not elapse before he is re-examined. I understand that that is the case now.
§ * SIR M. HICKS BEACHYes, Sir.