§ 14. Mr. LYNCHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been lately drawn to the inefficiency of the sight tests used by the Board; whether these tests have been adversely commented on by a great number of authoritative members of the medical profession; whether he will take steps to secure the best type of lantern available; whether it is found that the wool test allows over 50 per cent. of dangerously colour-blind candidates to pass and produces the rejection of over 50 per cent. of normal-sighted candidates; and whether he will abolish this test altogether?
Mr. RUNCIMANI have reason to believe that the sight tests employed by the Board of Trade are efficient for their purpose and that the criticisms made on the lantern are unfounded. The lantern test was submitted about a year ago to a rigorous practical test at Shoeburyness in the presence of representatives of ship-owners, shipmasters and others who had raised objection to its use, and as a result these objections were formally withdrawn. The figures as to the operation of the wool test are not entirely accurate, but the wool test has now become quite a subordinate part of the examination and no candidate is finally passed or rejected on this test alone. The question whether the wool test can be dispensed with as superfluous is receiving consideration, but in present circumstances I should prefer to have somewhat longer experience of the new system before finally deciding the matter.
Mr. RUNCIMANI have already said that I should prefer to have some longer experience of the new system before expressing any opinion upon it.