§ MR. RENTOUL (Down, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to various statements in the newspapers from time to time with regard to alleged want of proper supervision at the various centres during the period of local preliminary examinations for the Army, whereby certain candidates were favoured above others, and that teachers and others interested in the success of candidates were aid to have been on the committee of supervision; and whether, in regard to the Army Sandhurst Examination to be held at local centres, he intends to take steps to exclude from the conduct of the examination all local schoolmasters or tutors whose pupils may be under examination?
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANLocal preliminary examinations for the Army are conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners, who inform me that the superintending examiners have in no case any connection, as schoolmasters or tutors, with the centres where the competitions take place. The superintendence and conduct of the examinations are exclusively vested in these examiners.
§ MR. RENTOULHas the right hon. Gentleman seen the serious statements made in the Army and Navy Gazette of June 2?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am afraid I have not seen the paper in question.
§ MR. RENTOULWill the right hon. Gentleman take any steps in the matter?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe matter is under the control of the Civil Service Examiners.