§ *MR. WATTI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that in the Regulations as to Legal Appointments of the Colonial Office 308 (No. 117, Third Edition, page 4) candidates are instructed that the maximum age for application is forty years, yet that candidates have been informed that they are too old, although only thirty-five years of age at the date of the reply; and, if so, will he in future see that the regulations issued correspond with the methods of the office.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.The limit of age for candidates for legal appointments is forty years, and for administrative appointments thirty-five years; and I have no reason to suppose that the practice followed in dealing with applications is out of harmony with the regulations issued. I understand that the case to which my hon. friend refers is that of a candidate who was not considered to be sufficiently qualified for a legal appointment. He was, however, carefully considered for an administrative appointment until he had passed the age limit for those posts.
§ *MR. WATTIs it an essential qualification under the present règime that a candidate should not be a member of the Liberal Party?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI think it very undesirable to introduce principles of that kind.