Star. — London, England, 1810-08-08 00:00:00

1 ?EL LIKE OFF 4 FIRST REPORT. From the Select Committe appointed to consider— What Offices in the United Kingdom, and in the Foreign Dominions of his Majesty, come within *e Purview of the 2J, 3d, and 4th Resolutions of the House, on the Third Report from the Corn mittee on the Public Expenditure of the United Kingdom. The Resolutions referred to your Committee, are as follow : " S.—Resolved, that bs addition to the useful and effective measures already taken, by Parliament, for the abolition and rore laden of various si n ecure o ffi ces, and o ffi ces executed by De nt'', it is expedient, after providing other and su ffi cient rneans r enabling his Majesty duly to recompense the faithful dis charge of high and effective civil offices, to abolish all offices which have revenue without employment, and to regulate all tams which have revenue extremely disproportionate to em ploytnens ; excepting only such as are connected with the per sonal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family, regard being bad to the existing interests in any offices so to be abolished or regulated." " S.—Resolved, That it is expedient to reduce all offices, of which the effective duties are entirely or principally discharged by Deputy, to the salary and emoluments actually received lir -executing the business of such offices; regard being had to any increase which may appear necessary on account of additirnal responsibility, and sufficient security being taken for due per forhiance of the service in all cases of trust connected with pub lic money ; regard being also had to the existing interests in such " 4.—Resolved, That It is expedient, after the expiration of any existing interest in any office which is entitled to the sale of. any appoiorment in any of the courts of law, to make provision to prevent the sale of such offices, under such regulations as may be conducive to the public interest, by appropriating a part of the emoluments of such offices towards defraying the salaries of the Judges or other officers on the establishment of such Courts, or towards the benefit and dignity of the offices in which such right Of sale is new ves eil " _ _ - Your Committee have in consequence proceeded to consider what Offices it might be expedient to sup. press, or to regulate, after providing other and suffi cient means for enabling his Majesty duly to recom pense.the fai'hful discharge of high and effective Ci vil Offices. The Offices which come withiu the pur ♦iew ,)f these resolutions are, to em- 1. Offices having revenue without employment; 2. Offices having revenue extremely disproporti ployment ; and 3. Offices of which the effective duties are entirely or princi pally discharged by deputy. [Excepting always such offices as are connected with the personal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family.] 4. Offices, the appointments to which are allowed to be sold lb any of the Courts of Law. Your Committee beg leave, in the first place, to re mark, that, from the late period of the Session at which they were appointed, and from the impossibi lity of procuring the attendance of any witnesses who were not resident in town within a period so limited, they have not been able to examine the, whole of the objects referred to their consideration. They have, however, deemed it to be their duty to make a report upon so much of the matters referred to them as they have had the means of investigating. Your Committee. under these circumstances, have thought it adviseable to postpone altogether the con sideration of the saleable offices in the courts of law, mentioned in the 4th Resolution, as constituting a distinct head of inquiry. With respect to the offices referred to in the second and third Resolutions, your Committee have hitherto confined themselves to the consideration of such as are enumerated in that part of the Supplement to the Third Report from the Committee on the public ex penditure of the United Kingdom, which is added in the Appendix, with a few inconsiderable additions, which in the course of their investigation have been incidently brought under their notice. They have inquired into the several offices enumerated in the Supplementary Report, so far as the shortness of time and the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory evidence has enabled them so to do. Your Committee have to observe, that the number Of offices, which have revenue without any employ meht tither of principal or deputy, is very inconside. sable ; and that by far the greatest number of offices which are commonly described as " Sinecure Offices" fall properly under the description of " Offices exe cuted by Deputy," or " Offices having revenue dis proportionate to employment." Among the offices, the revenue of which appears disproportionate to employment, or which are per formed principally by deputy, there are some to which great pecuniary and official responsibility is attached; and some, from the holders of which }urge securities are required. It may therefore be expedient that such Offices should not at any time be filled by persons less responsible than those who at present hula them. In other cases it seems probable that the principals may, under peculiar circumstances, have provided for the discharge of their duties by deputy at a lower sa lary than that which might fairly be considered as an adequate remuneration for the services to be perform ed, and which might, indeed, be necessary to ensure the dice performance of those services," should it be found expedient to withdraw the superintendence and authority of the principal. It :appears therefore to your Committee, that in some instances it might be expedient to annex the du ties of such of the offices to be regulated, as have great responsibility, without requiring continual personal attendance, to other offices of an efficient nature; by which means a saving of the whole revenue of such regulated offices might accrue to the public, while sufficient provision would be made for the responsi bility of the person in whom they may hereafter be vested. In other instances it might be expedient, in _adopting the principle of the Third Resolution, to admit of some modification of that principle, accord .i.,g ti, the peculiar circumstances of the case. Of the first description of offices, having emolu ment without any duties or responsibility, your Com mittee have only to notice the following, as those to . which the principle of abolition might be applied without any qualification, excepting such as may arise 'out of existing interests, viz. . Chief Justice in yre, North of Trent, by whom no dia. ai•pearto have been lately performed, either is person or by de • pa e.—Law Clerk in the Secretary of State's Office. Collector and Transmitter of State Papers. Houwkeeper ip Excise. Warel,mw-keeper to tin Stamp-Ofce. ton.tab!, of the Castle of Limerick. In Scotland the office of Lord Justice General ap f-ttars to have become a perfect sineetyre. The duty :14! this officir waster presickia,the COM of Justiciary.' I °Fbr *leak - tering! this htgh-Office has been bestowed 're:rims 'wbotairner•been . brought up to the pro fessiiin of thelaw,. and the Alutiei of it have in cone. queace been suspended. • . • *.• . . . 6 -J Your Committee think it necessary , to call the attention of the House to Union, wherein it is &acted— " That the Court of Justiciary do also, after notwithstanding thereof, remain in all tine east land, as it is now constituted, sul ject nevertheless Unions for the better administration of justice as si the Parliament of Great Britain, and without prejudice of other rights of justiciary." Your Committee have next proceeded to consider those offices which . have revenue extremely dispro portionate to employment ; or the duties of which are principally performed by dputy : two classes, which are so intimately blended together that your Commit tee have judged it useless, if not impracticable, to keep them perfectly distinct. Upon this subject they think it necessary, first, to advert to those Offices the duties of which are im portant, though requiring little personal attendance ; but which, from their nature or responsibility, can only be discharged by persons of high official situa tion. With respect to these offices, your Committee suggest the expediency of annexing them to other of fices of high rank and responsibility, by which means a saving of their whole emoluments may be derived to the public. Among the most important offices of this descrip. tion are those of Auditor of the Exchequer and Clerk of the Pells. It is stated to be material that these of fices should be preserved, as essential checks on the issue of public money ; but it appears to your Com mittee, that such offices might, with great propriety, be annexed to those of President of the Council and Privy Seal for the time being, or to any other office', of high responsibility which is not connected with the i Treasury or Exchequer. The o ffi ce of Master of the Mint is found in the i list in the Supplementary Report, which your Com. ! mittee have adopted as the ground of their Report.— But your Committee conceive that neither this office nor that of one of the joint Paymasters, which is also included in the same list, comes under that descrip tion of Sinecure Offices, or offices executed by De- pity, which is intended to be referred to their consi deration. They are not offices held either by patent or by custom for life, nor given as the reward of pub-1 lic service. The question of their existence in their' present or in any other state, as well as that of the amount of their emoluments, would therefore be to be decided on other grounds and principles than those upon which your Committee have thought themselves called upon to offer any recommendation. It may, however, be right to observe, that the di-' vision of the office of Paymaster of the Forces does not appear to grow out of any thing in the coastittt tion of that office ; and that, in point of fact, the whole duty of that office, now become very considerable, may be said to be performed exclusively by one of the joint Paymasters. The office of Master of the Mint is undoubtedly an office requiring little or no attendance, though one of occasional responsibility ; but the present Master of the Mint discharges the duties of President of the Board of Trade, a situation of ao emolument, and requiring constant attendance and application. The duties of the office of Vice-President of the same board are in like manner discharged by the Treasurer of the Navy ; and, generally, the effective ' situations at this Board, and others of a similar de- ; oeription, to which no salary oremolument is attached, have been filled by persons holding other high official i situations, such as those above mentioned, the emolu ments of which would otherwise appear disproportio nate to their actual employment. This observation applies equally to the whole busi: ness of the Privy Council, which is transacted by Members, who, with the single exception of the Lord President himself, are not entitled to any salary or emolument for their attendance at that Board. For the duties still performed by the Chief Justice in Eyre, South of Trent, your Committee refer to the evidence of Mr. Hanson, now, and for a long time past, Secretary to that Chief Justice. The duties appear to your Committee to be of a merely formal nature, which, so far as the continued performance of them is essential to the preservation of any of the rights of the Crown, might, in the opinion of your Committee, without inconvenience, be transferred to some other efficient office, such as that of Surveyor of tile Woods and Forests. The Government of the Isle of Wight appears not to be of a military nature. A part of the functions of the Governor are similar to those of the Lords Lieutenants of Counties, and like them might be discharged without emolument; the other functions appear to be performed by deputy; but with respect to this office, your Committee have not yet been able to obtain sufficiently detailed information. Your. Committee have next proceeded to examine, so far as their time and means of information would permit, the more numerous class of offices, which, being performed entirely or principally by deputy, ap pear to them to,come more immediately within the purview of the third resolution. Of this description your Committee have to notice the following offices : In the Court of Exchequer—Clerk 'of the Pipe, Comptroller of the Pipe, Clerk of Exchequer Pleas, Clerk of Foreign Estreats, Comptroller of First Fruits, the Chirographers, Foreign Apposer, King's R.emem brancer, together with which is held the office of Re gister of Deeds in Middlesex, Marshal of the Exche quer, Surveyor of Green Wax. Register of the High Court of Admiralty, Register of the High Court of Appeals for Prizes, Register of High Court of Delegates. In the Alienation Office—Three Commissioners, Receiver-General, Master in Chancery, two Clerks. The duties of the four Tellers of the Exchequer are performed altogether by their deputies ; and as to their responsibility for the custody of public money, your Committee observe, that the same amount of se curity which is required from the Tellers is usually given to them by their deputies : from which your Committee are led to infer, that, both with respect to their duties, and to their responsibility, these offices might be safely reduced to the present emoluments of the deputies. The office of Clerk of the Parliaments is performed almost wholly by deputy ; and is one of those which would come within the purview of the Third Reso lution. On the subject of this office, however, your Com. mince think it necessary especially to represent, that the Clerk of Parliament, though appo inted T. by the ! Crown, is a SITIMIIV-01 the Hotos s of . 4.- In the Mint, your Committep : hnie to notice the r -Warden, Comptroller, Sur►eyor Clerk of the Irons. Office—The four principal Clerks. the Signet Office. -The Comptroller-General of Ac -General of Inland Duties, Register to Commissioners of Excise. Your Committee having adverted to the offices per formed by•deputy in the Colonies, think it necessary to observe, that their emoluments arise from fees and salaries paid within the Colonies. Your Committee have further to observe, that notwithstanding an Act passed ut the 22d year of his present Majesty's reign c. 73, the object of which was to enforce residence in the principals, many of these offices continue to be executed wholly by deputy. That Act contains a clause, empowering the Governors of Colonies to give such leave of absence as they shall see occasion to give. But that power appears to have been exercised to so great an extent as to frustrate what must no doubt have been the true intention of the Legislature. Your Committee have ascertained the following to be of that description : _ Secretary and Clerk of Inrolments in the Island of Jamaica, Register of Chancery in ditto, Receiver- General in ditto, Clerk of the Crown Courts in ditto, Naval Officer in ditto, Secretary and Clerk of the Courts in Barbadoes, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in ditto, Provost Marshal in ditto, Naval Officer of Curacoa, Secretary of Tobago, Naval Officer of Demerara. In Scotland it appears to your Committee that the following offices come within the purview of the. Third Resolution, as being wholly or principally discharged by deputy. The existence of many of these ancient offices appears to be secured to Scotland by the Act of Union ; but it is also provided in. that Act, that they shall be subject to such regulations as the Par liament of Great Britain shall hereafter make :—The Keper of the Great Seal, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Keeper of the Signet, Lord Register, Director of the Court of Chancery, Clerk to ditto, Receiver of Bishops Rents, and King's ReMembrancer in the Court of Exchequer. In Ireland, the following offices appear to your Committee to come within the purview of the same Resolution :—Chief Remembrancer of the King's Bench, Clerk of the Pipe, Clerk of Common Pleas Office, Court of Exchequer, Prothonotary of Common Pleas, Prothonotary of King's Bench, Crown Office, King's Bench, Filazer's Office, and Keeper of De clarations, King's Bench, Teller of the Exchequer, Keeper of Privy Seal, Keeper of Records; Two Joint Muster-Masters General. Your Committee have not been able to extend their enquiry to many other offices in the United Kingdom, and the Colonies, enumerated in the Supplement to the Third Report. With respect, however, to some which are included in that report, and which have not been already adverted to, they think it nece.sary to submit the following observations: The inconsiderable office of Car-taker tohis Majesty, is connected with the personal service of the Royal Family, and consevently does not fall under the cognizance of your Committee. fhe office of Keeper of Records in the receipt of the Exchequer, appears to be an efficient office of trust, and not overpaid by a salary of £4OO per an num. The places of Office Keeper in the War Office, and of Register of Seizures in the port of Lonlon, art to be suppressed after the decease or resignation of the present officers. The Auditor of Excise has been rendered an effi cient office. The office of Register to the Commis sioners of Salt Duties has been already abolished; the salary now paid is in the nature of a compensation. The Receiver of Stamps appears to be a necessary and responsible officer, and his emoluments not more than adequate. The Distributors of Stamps are effective Officers. The Distributors for Buckinghamshire and Kent are equally so with the rest ; they have been inserted in the list of offices executed by deputy in consequence of an indulgence which is confined to the present officers. It appears by the evidence that the office of -Ac countant General of the Post Office is an efficient of fice, requiring personal attendance, with responsibi ,lity ; and that the emoluments of this office will not admit of reduction. The office of the Apothecary- General has been under the consideration of the Trea sury ; and by an agreement concluded with him his patent is to be surrendered, on condition of receiving an annuity of £2500 a year for life ; an agreement which appears to your Committee to be eminently beneficial to the public. In Ireland, the allowance paid to the Keeper of the late Parliament House appears to be a compensation for an office already suppressed. The office of Joint- Solicitor of Ireland in Great Britain is also abolished, as well as that of examiner of Hearth Money ; and the offices of Clerk of the Quit Rents, Treasurer of the Post Office, and accountant General of the Post- Office, have been made efficient. The fees, which under the head of Muster Master General of Ireland, are stated to be " due, but suspended," ire in fact abolished. Your Committee will conclude their Report by bringing distinctly before the House the result of their examination into such of the offices, stated by the Committee on Public Expenditure to be sinecures, or offices wholly or chiefly executed by deputy, as they have since their appointment had timb or opportu nity to investigate, which, in their opinion, came within the purview of the 2d and Sd Resolutions re ferred to them. After Parliament shall have provided such other sufficient means for enabling his Majesty duly to re. compense the faithful discharge of high and effective civil offices, as to the wisdom of Parliament shall seem fit, your Committee are of opinion, lst.—That the following offices, " having revenue without employment," might, at the expiration of the existing interests, be abolished : Nos. In Value Appendix (A) per Annum. 1 54—Chief Justice in Eyre North of Trent - sif. 1,730 64-,-Law Clerk In Secretary of State's Othce, Home 300 Department • • 45—Collector and franunitter of State Papers, Fo- sod reign Department • - • 145—Constable of the Castle of Limerick, Ireland 753 Not reported by Committee of Public Expenditure. Principal Housekeeper is the Excise 011 Ice • 145 Warehousekeeper, rnp Oaks . ' 1100 1 ' - 4. Vita 2dly. That thefollOw lag offices might continue at the expiration 4 the existing interests to be mapaged by the deputy, as at present, without any addition his salary and emoluments; but that from the peculi, nature of the responsibility attached to them, how_r t limited the actual duties to be performed, these oft ces would, in the opinion of the Committee, be mo st conveniently filled by some of those persons who hold for the time being certain high official situations, leaving the annual amount now paid to.the princir at the disposal of Parliament : Nos. in Appendix (A) 50. Auditor of the Exchequer • .69. Clerk of the Pella . • 55. Chief Justice in Eyre South of Trent. Value per Ana. - :000 3000 1969 48009 3dly. That the following offices would admit of being left, atter the expiration of the existing interests, altogether under the management of the deputy, without any addition to his present salary and emo. luments. The emoluments now received by the prin cipal being placed at the disposal of Parliament. Annual An,ount received by Nos. in Appendix (A) The Deputy. Principil. 21 Comptroller ot tho Pipojirebsquer Xi 66 .e 14 SS Chirograplieeo Ceiri, Common Pleas Its 404 29 Clerk of the Exchequer of Pleas 4C3 • 653 37 King's Remembrancer, Exchequer *5 Registrar of the High Court of Ap- t t o -id t i h stml e of p P ri ro n. - 4 :: peals . fits payable 46 Ditto of Dqlegiates . 44 Ditto of Atlnuralty . ... cipal. ill Clerk of the Parliaments, as mall 347 4946 seven years 63 Principal Clerk, Signet Office. •• ICO )10 • 71 Comp.-GenerLl of Accounts, Exclfie 71 lnspector.General, ditto 37. a Teller of the Exchequer 53 as litnited,Z after lite of present Possessor 77 Ditto, ditto, ditto 122 Chaßemembrancer Exchequer, Ire land 128 Ckrk of the Common Pleas, Exche quer, ditto 12$ Prothonotary Common Pleas, Ireland, on an average of three years 132 Prothonotary King's Bench, Ireland, on an average of three years 133 Crown OLce, ditto, ditto 134 Filazer, dine, ditto 1211 Keeper of the Privy Seal, Ireland; Muster Master Gleneral, ditto 110 100 5048 70 10'10 1000 100 1000 507 Uncertain. HSI • 1904 9;30 'l-9.1 of To tal Fees for Self and 11901 Clerks. 130 19410 Uncertain 4004 ,teems 4thly.—That the following Offices would admit of being brought, at the expiration of the existing inter • ests, entirely under the manageme nt of the Deputy as now constituted; but that the degree of responsi. bility, or trouble attending the discharge of the ss hole duties, would entitle the Deputy to an increase of the salary to be hereafter sewed, which renders the amount of ultimate saving to the public uncertain : Vain- pi r Aeneas. Nos. is r --.—.A.--.... t Appesdhr (A) Deputy. Principal. 27 Clerk of the Pipe, Exchequer - 4100 4720 36 Foreign Apposes., ditto . - 160 39 Marshal ditto . - - 20 151 42 Surveyor of Oft= Wu, ditto le. Is the 4 MI 53a Aliened.° Once r Commissioner . . L gi 116 Ditto • . . SO ' 167 Ditto . 4. . SO 106 • Receiver-General . . 170 is[ Master in Chancery . . 10 10s. 106 Clerk . . . 10 $1 Ditto - . - SI 10s. 133 63 Warden of the Mint . . 6G 36$ Comptroller ditto - . 66 257 Surveyor Mehangs ditto . 28 102 67 Principal Clerk, Privy Scal - 200 Ditto Ditto - itoo Ditto Dftto - - 11 f 2,. Ditto Ditto - 900 71a Register to Commissioners of Excise, 210 self and Clerk - 400 33 Comptroller First Fruits - SS 96 135 Teller of the Exchequer (Ireland) ... - 2,000 124 Clerk of the Pipe (Ireland) - . - 750 Add, nut reported by Committee of Public Expenditure, Register of Deeds for County 50 of Middlesex - - Under this head may be classed the Offices wholly cr chiefly executed' by Deputy in Scotland; of these, some must be retained by the provisions of the Act of Union, although subjected by the same Act to be regulated by Parliament. What the ultimate saving would be after such regulations as may be thought expedient, is uncertain. 102 Keeper of the Great Seal 103 Keeper of the Privy Seal Srbe 4 '2,441 4,V5E 104 Keeper of the Signet - . . 9,717 105 Lord Register - - 500 2,000 107 Director of the Coin of Chancery - 6$ 1,315 Clerk to Ditto 4th of the Fees 779 110 King's Remembrancer . 550 Receiver of Bishops' Rents . 175 :‘7O Z19,9;5 , With respect to Offices in the Colonies, where the Deputy receives the whole emoluments, paying to the principal, by agreement, a fixed annual sum, and giving security for the same, as well as for the faith ful execution of the office abmad ; your Committee report, that the persons in Great Britain holdi-g those offices, enjoy perfect sinecures ; but that the in. . come of them arising altogether from tees payable in the Colonies, it does not appear to your Committee that any sums would be placed at the disposal of Par liarnent by regulating or abolishing them ; they afford to the Crown a very considerable patronage as at pre sent constituted ; but do not seem easily capable of being brought within the reach of any mcoliomical arrangements in aid of the resources of the Ernpire at home. This class of offices* is very num.-1...u5, nut your Committee have only had time or opportunity to report upon the following, viz. Nos. In Vase AOPNidiz (A.) JAMAICA. pee Amnon. 418 a. Secretary and Clerk of the lat•olments J. 8100 $4. Register in Chweeery - - - 1014 • 85a. Receiver General - - • • 5000 86. Clerk of the Crown - • • ' 8 . 00 Naval Officer . - . 15(0 BAR BADOBS. 87. Secretary and Clerk of the Courts - 816 88. Provost Marshal - - a 300 92. Naval Officer of Ceraeoa a 4100 94.. Secretary of the Island of Toby) . 400 Naval Officer of Demerara • • $ 59 AsbTRACT. •—••— HAI/ Ist Head • - - se. 1,628 $4 - . 8,969 Sd . . . 0088 r ......-• la r go 4th • • • 19.955, Ith . . . 1 1 .418 The sum of 481480, being the amount of savings 1 . illialmweinsy SINEL LIRE OFFICES. VIRST REPORT. From the Select Committe appointed to consider— What Offices in the United Kingdom, and in the Foreign Dominions of his Majesty, come within the Purview of the 2J, 3d, and 4th Resolutions of the House, on the Third Report from the Corn- t mittee on the Public Expenditure of the United Pniedom. .1- The Resolutions referred to your Committee, are as follow : " 2. —Resolved, that in addition to the useful and effective Measures already taken, by Parliament, for the abolition and re- rlation of various sinecure offices, and offices executed by De- nt'', it is expedient, after providing other and su ffi cient means o r enabling his Majesty duly to recompense ttre faithful dis- charge of high and effective civil offices, to abolish all offices which have revenue without employment, and to regulate all tams which have revenue extremely disproportionate to gm- ' ' ployment ; excepting only such as are connected with the per- sonal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family, regard being had to the existing interests in any offices so to be abolished or regulated." . " 3.—Resolved, That it is expedient to reduce all offices, of which the effective duties are entirely or principally discharged 1 by Deputy, to the salary and emoluments actually received ter i -executing the business of such offices; regard being had to any i increase which may appear necessary on account of additirnal responsibility, and sufficient security being taken for due per- fofhiance of the service in all cases of trust connected with pub- lic money ; regard being also had to the existing interests in such dice." " 4.—Resolved, That it is expedient, after the expiration of any existing interest in any office which is entitled to the sale of. any appoierment in any of the courts of law, to make provision to prevent the sale of such offices, under such regulations as may be conducive to the public interest, by appropriating a part of the emoluments Of such offices towards defraying the salaries of the Judges or other officers on the establishment of such Courts, or towards the benefit and dignity of the offices in which such right Of sale is new yes ed " - Your Committee have in consequence proceeded to consider what Offices it might be expedient to sup. press, or to regulate, after providing other and suffi- cient means for enabling his Majesty duly to recom- pense.the faithful discharge of high and effective Ci- vil Offices. The Offices which come within the pur- view of these resolutions are, 1. Offices having revenue without employment ; 2. Offices having . revenue extremely disproportionable to ern- ployment ; and 1 3. Offices of which the effective duties are entirely or princi- ) pally discharged by deputy. [Excepting always such offices as are connected with the personal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family.] 4. Offices, the appointments to which are allowed to be sold 1 En any of the Courts of Law. Your Committee beg leave, in the first place, to re- mark, that, from the late period of the Session at which they were appointed, and from the impossibi- lity/ of procuring the attendance of any witnesses who were not resident in town within a period so limited, they have nra been able to examine the, whole of the objects referred to their consideration. They have, however, deemed it to be their duty to make a report 1 upon so much of the matters referred to them as th ey have had the means of investigating. Your Committee , tinder these circumstances, have thought it adviseable to postpone altogether the con- sideration of the saleable of fi ces in the courts of law, mentioned in the 4th Resolution, as constitutin g a ' • distinct head of inquiry. - With respect to the offices referred to in the second and third Resolutions, your Committee have hitherto I confined themselves to the consideration of such as are i enumerated in that part of the Supplement to the ! ' Third Report from the Committee on the public ex- penditure of the United Kingdom, which is added in the Appendix, with a few inconsiderable additions, ) which' in the course of their investigation have been incidently brought under their notice. They have inquired into the several offices enumerated in the i Supplementary Report, so far as the shortness of time i 11 and the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory evidence has enabled them so to do. Your Committee have to observe, that the number 1 of offices, which have revenue without any employ- • , • I mein -either of principal or deputy, is very inconside- rable ; and that by far the greatest number of offices i which are commonly described as " Sinecure Offices" I fall properly under the description of " Offices exe- cuted by Deputy," or " Offices having revenue dis- : 1 proportionate to employment." Among the offices, the revenue of which appears disproportionate to employment, or which are per- formed principally by deputy, there are some to which great pecuniary and official responsibility is attached; • and some, from the holders of which }urge securities ire required. It may therefore be expedient that such i Offices should not at any time be filled by persons less responsible than those who at present hold them. In other cases it seems probable that the principals may, under peculiar circumstances, have provided for the discharge of their duties by deputy at a lower sa- lary than that which might fairly be considered as an adequate remuneration for the services to be perform- 1 ed, and which might, indeed, be necessary to ensure the dite performance of those services,' should it be found expedient to withdraw the superintendence and authority of the principal. . It appears therefore to your Committee, that in some instances it might be expedient to annex the du- ties of such of the offices to be regulated, as have great responsibility, without requiring continual personal attendance, to other offices of an efficient nature; by which means a saving of the whole revenue of such regulated offices might accrue to the public, while sufficient provision would be made for the responsi- bility of the person in whom they may hereafter be vested. In other instances it might be expedient, in :adopting the principle of the Third Resolution, to admit of some modification of that principle, accord- . i.,g to the peculiar circumstances of the case. Of the first description of offices, having emolu- , 'rent without any duties or responsibility, your Com- mittee have only to notice the following, as those to which the principle of abolition might be apclied • without any qualification, excepting such as may arise 'out of existing interests, viz. • Chief Justice in yre. North of Trent, by whom no duties 'lli'pearto have been lately performed, either is person or by de- • pa v.—Law Clerk 4n the Secretary of State's Office. Collector and Transmitter of State Papers. . Housekeeper ip Excise. Warel,oust..keeper to tba Stamp-Office. Von.tale, of the Castle of Limerick. l '• ' In Scotland the office of Lord Justice General ap- I tirers to have become a perfect sinecure. The duty ..lilt this officir waster preside- ia,the Court of Justiciary. 112 Fbr * king 'period this *Rh- office has been bestowed .. 1 051 i Oe'iralons 'wholarie-nor•been brought up to the pro- , fessiiin a thelaww . and the ;dada; of it have in come. quence been suspended. ' - • -, • - . . ~ .1, on thie - iece o ()limping offices an article of the of Mehings, and Cl In the Privy' Seal I after thebnidon, mil Four Clerks in th ensuing within Siol"! I n the Ezcise—T theless to such rega- ounts Inspector-GI .e as shall be made by C ' n to -vet US. nos; hold ions, :ipal nu. it of 'est:, putt, :no. prin. A by 7 - 1 I 4 404 653 VSI ;556 4946 ISO 2..)u