Many Lodge members do not know a Candidate at the time of partitioning for the Degrees.   It is on the recommendation of the Sponsors/Recommenders the Candidate is being considered.    It is the Investigating Committee's job to verify the Partition and that of the Recommenders.

The Investigating Committee should first Interview the Partition Recommenders as to how long they have known the Candidate; why they believe the Candidate would make a good Master mason & member of the lodge; and if they know of any disqualifying attributes of the Candidate (criminal record; abusive home life; habitual drunkenness; ect)   There are some Master

Masons that will sign a Partition rather than say NO to avoid ill feelings with the Candidate or other family members (i cant really blame the Recommender but he should tell this the Committee in confidence).

Now the Committee should interview the Candidate in his home and with his wife present, if married.    Ask what he knows about Freemasonry; why or his motivations to join; If his wife is in support; ect   ...

I once interviewed a Candidate who did not know anything about Freemasonry;  he had no family members that were Freemasons;  he simple was partitioning because he had a buddy that was also partitioning for the Degrees.      In view this person had no real interest in being a Freemason and would be a future 'dropout' and a waste of our time to coach.

Another time a few years ago,   A Candidate was being Initiated and while being conducted around the Lodge I saw he had Nazi SS-Lighting Bolts tats on his upper arm which stand for everything Freemasonry is not.   This was also seen by several other veteran members... I regret not speaking up that night and stopping the EA degree.   But I did say something the DDGM (who was present) and he reported it to the GM.   That EA never advanced or returned to the Lodge.    ... This was a failure of an Investigating Committee to have given good report.

Many Members serving on the Investigating Committee do not know how to conduct an interview or what questions to ask.     As Chairman see that your Committee member receive training.  I also feel this Committee should be overseen directly by the WM and report directly to him.

At the time I wrote the above post i didn't realize this was the OES forum.    ... However the investigations should still be the same and the Committee needs training.