NAVAL COMMISSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 10

NAVAL COMMISSIONS.

NEW ZEALANDERS ELIGIBLE. SPECIAL ENTRY SYSTEM. DETAILS OF THE PROCEDURE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. Little seems to be known of the procedure through which young Now Zealanders may become officers of the Royal Navy by what is known as special entry. The senior service is not considered seriously by many parents in tho Dominion as a career for their sons. In the past there was a sound reason for this, but it no longer exists. Under the old system, which still runs side by side with the new, the entry age was 13| years and parents were required to pay £4O to £l5O per annum toward tho cost of their son's training at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Moreover, there was no certain guarantee that after receiving one of the four nominations annually allotted to New Zealand a candidate would bo appointed a cadet on his arrival in England. The special entry system which was mado applicable to New Zealand early this year offers much more acceptable conditions. Candidates must be between 17A and 18i years of ago and must have passed the New Zealand University matriculation or equivalent examination. After passing a medical test, and a qualifying examination in general educational subjects and appearing before an interviewing board the candidate must wait till his application has been submitted to the Admiralty and if accepted ho is notified bv cable and may then proceed to England. Tho period of training as cadets is 12 months, after which those who make satisfactory progress are rated midshipmen. Parents aro required to provide an outfit and £SO a year during the cadetship and to pay the passage to England. Applications must be made in February or Juno of each year. The Education Department, which has charge of the arrangements, reports that there have been many inquiries, but only ono application has been received.