§ Captain W. G. HALLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the age limits between which special service seamen are entered; the training given them before being drafted to sea; the number entered each year since 1918; and whether any of these ratings have been promoted to the commissioned rank of mate?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe age limits are 18 to 25. The period of training is six months. The numbers entered each year are as follow:
1919 … … … … 286 1920 … … … … 153 1921 … … … … 1,689 1922 … … … … Nil. 1923 … … … … Nil. 1924 … … … … Nil. 1925 … … … … Nil. 1926 … … … … 717 1927 … … … … 313 1928 … … … … 238 1929 … … … … 84 1930 … … … … Nil. The conditions of entry before 1926 were slightly different to those now obtaining. One short service rating has been made a mate since the introduction of the present system in 1921. This was in 1930.