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SIR,

Major-General Sir C. Yorke, K.C.B., to Mr. Maitland.

Horse Guards, 4th February 1858. WITH reference to your letter of the 3rd instant, regarding the examination of Serjeant Thos. Paul, R.A., previously to his appointment as clerk to the Council of Military Education, I am directed by the General commanding in chief, to acquaint you, for the information of the Civil Service Commissioners, that this non-commissioned officer is stated to be 38 years of age.

With regard to your inquiry as to the general question of age in such cases, I have to observe, that it was proposed by the Secretary of State for War, in a letter dated 11th June 1857, (copy of which is enclosed,) that non-commissioned officers should be considered eligible as candidates for clerkships in that Department at out-stations up to 42, and His Royal Highness seeing no objection, the age has been fixed accordingly.

OFFICE OF WOODS.

Hon. James Howard to the Civil Service Commissioners.

GENTLEMEN,

Office of Woods, S.W., 4th March 1857.

I BEG leave to acquaint you, with reference to the letter addressed by you on the 20th November last, to Mr. Macaulay, on the subject of the necessity of Mr. F. passing an examination to entitle him to hold the situation of clerk to the Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest, that the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have nominated Mr. F. to the above-named situation, and he is now ready to appear before your Board to pass his examination in the subjects that Mr. Cumberbatch, the Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest, states are requisite for the duties which he will be called upon to perform; viz., Arithmetic, as far as decimal fractions.

Writing a fair hand.

Keeping account books neatly and fairly.
Writing a business letter from a short minute.
Copying a plan, and measuring with a chain.

I am, &c.

SIR,

Mr. Maitland to the Hon. James Howard.

Civil Service Commission, 6th March 1857.

In reply to your letter of the 4th instant relative to the examination of Mr. F., who has been nominated as clerk to the Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest,

I am directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to acquaint you that they will be prepared to commence the examination of the candidate in the subjects specified in your communication, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday next.

It will be desirable that he should call at this office to-morrow, or on Monday, if he can do so without inconvenience.

I have, &c.

Hon. James Howard to the Civil Service Commissioners. Office of Woods, &c., 20th May 1857.

GENTLEMEN,

at

I BEG leave to acquaint you that, the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury having authorized the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest to nominate a clerk to assist him in his correspondence and accounts, Sir James Campbell has nominated Mr. present residing in Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, who, he reports, is now ready to appear before your Board at such time as you may be pleased to appoint, to be examined in the subjects which Sir James Campbell states are requisite for the duties he will be called upon to perform; viz.-" Writing," "The first four rules of arithmetic," "Keeping accounts, books, &c.," and "Measuring with a chain."

I am,

Mr. Maitland to the Hon. James Howard.

&c.

Civil Service Commission,

22nd May 1857.

SIR, WITH reference to your letter of the 20th instant, relative to the examination of Mr. who has been nominated as clerk

to assist the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest, I am directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to observe that the subjects of examination there enumerated differ considerably from those mentioned in your letter of 4th March, which related to the examination of Mr. F., who was nominated as clerk to the Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest.

Under these circumstances, I am to suggest that if the appointments are, as they appear to be, of the same character, it might be desirable that the examination should be the same, and that a scheme should be framed applicable to other clerkships if any of the same kind. With regard to arithmetic, I am to suggest that the extent of knowledge required by your letter of 4th March can hardly be considered too great.

I am to add that if, as is presumed to be the case, correct spelling is required, it might be well to specify exercises in orthography. It may, perhaps, be more convenient to defer Mr. 's examination till Tuesday week, but the Commissioners will be prepared to examine him next Tuesday, if expedition is of importance. In that case, it will be necessary that he should be communicated with by to-morrow's post.

I have, &c.

Hon. James Howard to Mr. Maitland.

Office of Woods, &c., 23rd June 1857.

SIR,

I BEG leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd ultimo, stating that the Civil Service Commissioners are of opinion, that the examination of Mr. who has been nominated as Clerk to assist the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest, should be the same as that of Mr. F., who was nominated as clerk to the Deputy Surveyor of New Forest; and to acquaint you that Sir James Campbell, the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest, states, that Mr. will be prepared on Tuesday next, the 30th instant, to undergo a somewhat. similar examination to that passed by Mr. F., viz., in arithmetic as

far as decimal fractions (with the exception of a few rules which he will specify, and which he has not had time to go over to refresh his memory); writing a fair hand, keeping accounts, books, &c. ; orthography, copying a plan, and measuring with a chain. Sir James adds, that Mr. has had no practice in writing business letters, but that he can soon learn all that will be required of him in that respect; that being 42 years of age, he must, of necessity, find it more difficult to pass an examination than he would have done earlier in life. But, has been selected on account of his general intelligence, knowledge of forest business, and his apparent general fitness for the duties he will be called upon to perform, Sir James Campbell trusts that this will be taken into consideration by the Civil Service Commissioners.

as

In communicating with Mr.

you are requested to address him under cover to Sir James Campbell, Bart., Whitemead Park, Coleford.

I am, &c.

Mr. Maitland to the Hon. James Howard.

Civil Service Commsision,

24th June 1857.

SIR, I AM directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, relative to the case of Mr. who has been nominated as clerk to assist the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest,

And in reply I am to suggest, with reference to Sir James Campbell's observations, as to the probable failure of Mr. in certain subjects of examination, that inconvenience would arise, if the standard of proficiency were lowered to suit particular candidates; and unless it be deemed expedient to establish for the future different rules with regard to clerkships, apparently not different in character, it will be undesirable to make a special exception in favour of Mr.

With reference to the age of the candidate (42), I am to observe that in the case of Mr. F. it was assumed that the limits of age were those of the Office of Woods. If, however, it be thought that greater latitude should be allowed in the case of country appointments, the Civil Service Commissioners would nevertheless suggest, that there are objections to placing the maximum limit in the case of ordinary clerkships as high as would be necessary in order to include Mr. On this point they would be glad to be favoured with your opinion, and they will in the mean time defer communicating with the candidate. I have, &c.

Hon. James Howard to Mr. Maitland.

Office of Woods, &c., S. W., 6th January 1858.

SIR, I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, requesting to be informed whether the nomination of as Clerk to the Deputy Surveyor of Dean Forest, has been cancelled or declined, as he has not attended for examination; and I have to acquaint you, that will not attend before the Civil Service Commissioners to be examined, as another arrangement has been made, to meet the requirements of the case.

I am, &c.

SIR,

OFFICE OF WORKS.
Mr. Austin to Mr. Maitland.

Office of Works, &c., S.W., 8th August 1857.

I AM directed by the First Commissioner of Her Majesty's Works, &c., to acquaint you, for the information of the Civil Service Commissioners, that, in consequence of your letter of the 15th ultimo, with respect to the age of Mr. who is selected for a junior appointment in this office, he has been in communication with the Lords of the Treasury on the subject, and their Lordships having expressed their opinion that the maximum for the admission of surveyors' clerks into this department may be extended to 30 years, Mr. has received instructions to attend at the office of the Commissioners for examination on Tuesday next the 11th instant.

SIR,

LUNACY BOARD (SCOTLAND).

Viscount Melgund, M.P., to Mr. Maitland.

I am, &c.

Minto, Hawick, 8th October 1857.

UNDER the new Lunacy Act for Scotland, power is given to the Lunacy Board, by Section xvi., to appoint a clerk at a salary of 1501. per annum, and I should be much obliged by your informing me, as Chairman of the Board, whether the appointment is one which falls within the cognizance of the Civil Service Commissioners, and, if so, under what rules the examination of candidates for the situation will be conducted.

The first meeting of the Board will be held upon the 2nd November, but perhaps you will be good enough to furnish me with any information that may be requisite on this subject in anticipation of the meeting. I have, &c.

Mr. Maitland to Viscount Melgund, M.P.

Civil Service Commission, 14th October 1857.

MY LORD, In reply to your Lordship's letter of the 8th instant, inquiring whether the situation of clerk to the Lunacy Board for Scotland falls within the cognizance of the Civil Service Commissioners, and if so, under what rules the examination for candidates for the situation will be conducted,

I am directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to express their opinion that the appointment in question is a junior situation in the Civil Service of the Crown, and that it is consequently necessary, under Her Majesty's Order in Council of 21st May 1855 (a copy of which is enclosed), that any person who may be proposed to be appointed should be examined under their direction, and should receive from them a certificate of qualification. I am at the same time to add, that if on perusal of the Order your Lordship should be inclined to take a different view, the Commissioners will have pleasure in reconsidering the question.

Assuming that the opinion above expressed is correct, I am to ooserve that the rules applicable to each department, under each of the heads mentioned in the Order are to be settled, with the assis

tance of the Commissioners, according to the discretion of the chief authorities of the department.

With regard to the second and third of these heads it may perhaps be unnecessary that any special regulations should be framed. Satisfactory testimonials to character, and a medical certificate, are in all cases required by the Commissioners, and investigations are instituted where any doubt arises.

On the first and fourth heads the Commissioners will be glad to be favoured with the opinions of your Lordship and the Lunacy Board. The enclosed tables, which show the limits of age and standards of qualification, as at present arranged with most of the civil departments, may, perhaps, afford some assistance when the subject is under the consideration of the Board.

I am further to state that examinations are conducted in Edinburgh by means of written examination papers sent from this office to A. C. Longmore, Esq., Chief Clerk in the office of the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. Mr. Longmore presides over the examination of the candidates, and transmits their papers to this office for the consideration of the Commissioners.

In conclusion, I am to solicit your Lordship's attention to the resolution of the House of Commons, a copy of which is enclosed, adding at the same time that the system of competition among a limited number of nominees has now been introduced into a great majority of the public departments, and that the Commissioners are led by the experience which they have acquired to regard it as preferable on many grounds to that which it is superseding.

Enclosure referred to in the foregoing Letter.

I have, &c.

Cory of a Resolution moved by Lord Goderich in the House of Commons on Tuesday July 14th, 1857, and unanimously agreed to.

"That in the opinion of this House, the experience acquired since the issuing of the Order in Council of the 21st day of May 1855, is in favour of the adoption of the principle of competition as a condition of entrance to the Civil Service, and that the application of that principle ought to be extended in conformity with the resolution of the House, agreed to on the 24th day of April 1856."

SIR,

Viscount Melgund, M.P., to Mr. Maitland.

Minto, Hawick, 12th November 1857. WITH reference to your letter of the 14th October, I beg to inform you that in the event of its being thought requisite by the Civil Service Commissioners to institute an examination into the qualifications of the Clerk of the Scottish Lunacy Board for the duties of that situation, the following are the subjects upon which it appears to myself, and to the other members of the Board, with whom I have consulted, that his acquirements and proficiency may properly be tested, viz. :—

1. Writing from dictation.

2. Arithmetic (including vulgar and decimal fractions).

3. Book-keeping.

4. Correspondence.

5. Précis.

Perhaps you will be good enough to communicate with myself or with Mr. W. Forbes, the Secretary of the Lunacy Board, relative to any arrangements which the Civil Service Commissioners may propose to make in connection with this subject.

I have, &c.

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