39. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked what percentage of men have failed with the colour vision tests introduced on 1st April, and how this percentage compares with that of former years; and how many men have passed with the wool test and failed with the lantern test, and vice versa?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)The total number of men examined in colour vision from 1st April to 31st May was 1,689, and of these 105, or 6.22 per cent., failed. Of the 105 failures, fifty-five failed in both the wool test and lantern test, and fifty in the lantern test only. None failed in the wool test only. I regret that it is not possible to give corresponding figures for previous years, since the statistics available for previous years relate to examinations, and not to individuals. I may mention, however, that in 1912, out of 7,326 examinations in colour vision, 163, or 2.22 per cent., resulted in failure. The figures for the two periods are not comparable, both because of the difference of basis and because the Board of Trade have reason to believe that the number of candidates examined in the last two months includes an abnormal proportion of persons who have never been examined before, among whom, naturally, the percentage of rejections is disproportionately high.