DEFENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14274, 13 August 1910, Page 3

DEFENCE.

QUERIES AND ANSWERS. Air Jas. Allen asked the Minister of Defence: —(l.i Cpon what- principle is the examination adjutants or area officers, anil non-coliunisior.ed officers being conducted in various districts? ■(.'-') Idas headquarters set any standard of examination, and has that standard been communicated to various district commanders, or are the various do-! riot : commanders setting their own staml'ard? (3) is there not room for injusti ice if the standard set in one district !is lower than the standard set in . another? (-!) If tiiis exists will ho ', take steps to have one and the same 'standard for each district? i 5) lias he seen the standard set in the Commonwealth for examination ior cinitlai" : appointment ? j The Aiiiiisvor of Deftenec replied: (1) |A ' Selection Board, consisting of tho | officer commanding the district, tho ; assistant adjutant-general and a. perjinaneiit force olficer (all permanent ] officers.) has been set up in each disjtrict to. conduct the preliminary test required. (2) No definite standard has been set out by headquarters. District commanders were instructed to put applicants through a gem raj military test ;,s to their fitness fur the position. On the completion of such examination the Board were to submit the names of the most suitable for further final selection (and these have been received from all districts except Otago). Those . finally selected will be on probation for six months and will go through a refresher course before being allocated to their areas. (3, All tho officers on the Hoards arc experienced officers, and each applicant was reported on individually by officers commanding districts before being submitted to the Selection Board. (-1) It is not considered necessary to sot up a standard for each district, as the- selected candidates will be the best from each district and will be required to pass a standard examination set out by headquarters", and be favourably renorted on before the final appointment is confirmed. (5) The Commonwealth conditions for nou-com-misstcned officers are a si mule competitive educational test, after which the selected candidates go through a special school of instruction, at the end of winch they undergo a militarv examination before- their anreiinl moots are .confirmed. It is presumed their edueajtifmal iost will be as laid clown in the ' regulations and syllabus ~,[" examinations ior appointments. which would | not he so severe as our educational lost I which requires a Standard Vl. rortili- , cate or its equivalent.