§ COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Commissioners of Intermediate Education refuse to accept as evidence of the age of candidates, certified extracts from the parochial registries of the Church of Ireland, recording the dates of birth and baptism; and whether they are authorised thus to reject evidence which is regarded as sufficient in the Courts of Law, and in the various Departments of the Public Service?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education report that candidates are required to produce as evidence of age a certified extract from a public registry of births. As this evidence exists under statute since 1864 and is readily obtainable, the Commissioners are of opinion that it is the most advisable to adopt as a uniform standard.