§ 69. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state out of 151 failures in the new Board of Trade eyesight tests as between the 1st April and 8th July, how many of the candidates who failed held certificates and had passed the sight tests previously; and how many of the candidates without certificates who were failed had put in the qualifying time at sea necessary for second mate's certificates?
Mr. ROBERTSONOf the 151 candidates who failed in colour vision during the period mentioned, eighteen held certificates of competency, and must therefore have passed the sight tests on some previous occasion. Thirty-nine who were candidates for certificates of competency in either the mercantile marine or the fishing service must have performed the qualifying service necessary for those certificates. I have no means of ascertaining how many of the remainder who were candidates for sight tests only may have had the qualifying time at sea necessary for a second mate's certificate.