§ 23. Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the official interpreta-Section II, paragraph 6, or Article 1338 welfare requests, Goanese or Seedies of the East Indies station are considered eligible for the grant of commissions as officers in His Majesty's Navy on that station; and, if not, why they are permitted to hold the ratings of chief and petty officers, Royal Navy, observing that whilst serving in these ratings they are, under the powers of the Naval Discipline Act, the King's Regulations, and Admiralty Instructions, Appendix XV and Article 218, classified as the superior officers of all white naval ratings of leading-seaman rank and below?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part of the question, it is desirable to provide a certain number of higher billets for native ratings in order to encourage efficiency. No difficulty ever arises in practice as native ratings are never put in charge of white ratings.