The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-29 00:00:00

ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.

In compliance with a requisition to the church.
wardens • meeting of ratepayers was held last night at the
vestry-room, St. Anne's, Westminster, for an expression of
opinion upon that system of administrative incapacity and
unbnainses-like management in every department of the
state, by which during the present war the country has
suffered such fearful and disgraceful disasters, and the
burden of taxation upon the people has been increased to an
enormous and unnecessary extent ; and likewise to petition
the legislature in favour of administrative reform, upon the
basis of thorough responsibility, promotion for merit, and
efficient management in every department and office of the
government.
Mr. C. 41 lIPPIRTS, sealer churchwarden, occupied the
chair.

-11 r: Cuaturr Gnoatin moved the first resolution, which
was an echo lathe first clause of ,the requisition as given
above. He regretted the lukewarmness displayed by the
parish of St. Anne upon the gnat question of administra-
tive reform, but had no doubt, notwithstanding occasional
instances of local apathy, that the movement recently set on
foot in the city of London would go on prosperously ; and
indeed it was highly necessary for the sake of the country
that it should do so, as all must think who had heard of the
numerous cases of mismanagement and imiaoper
rdiPtotems which had recently been brought before
üblic notice. (Hear, hear.) There were two such
ewes which had come under his own notice, and which he
would mention, as he could vouch for the accuracy of
what he was about to say. The first cue was that of a
young gentleman of 16. He was the eon of a military
officer, and was presented to a situation in the War-office at
a salary of 801. a year. He had not been there six weeks
when the gentleman who had got him the appointment
sought out his father, and asked him if he would like any-
thing better for his sou. The father, of course, said yes,
and the youth was given an appointment in the commis-
sariat, and sent to the Crimea, at a salary of 4001. a year.
(Shame, shame.) It was ridiculous to suppose that a youth
of sixteen could render adequate services for such a salary
and yet the cue came to -him from • respectable solicitor
who knew the family well, and could vouch for the facts.
(Hear, hear.) The other cue had happened within the lest
aim weeks. Sir C. Trevelyan went to • gentleman who held
a responsible office in the Treasury, and whom he (the
speaker) would call Mr. C, and placed under him • youth
to see what he was fit for. Mr. C tried him well, and
some little time after reported to Sir C. Trevelyan that he
was' not, fit for anythicg. (Laughter.) Sir C. Trevelyan
asked why not ? when Mr. C said he could not
even write. (Laughter.) Sir Charles Trevelyan in
tura reported this to the noblemen who had recommended
the youth, who only said, "Oh, then, let C teach him
to write." (Shame, shame.) Surely it was high time to
pat an end to such a state of things as this, which could
only result disastrously to the public service. (Hear, hear.)
He agreed with what had been said in different places, that
a good deal of the evil of improper appointments arose from
the practice of electors applying to their representatives for
places for their relatives and friends ; but believed that this
was more general in small than is large constituencies. At
Great Grimsby, for instance, he knew of one gentleman
who had got three sons into the customs there, and a fourth
into the customs here; and it would be monstrous to sup•
pose that the threesome at Grimsby were the best fitted for
the plains they bid t there. (Hear, hear.) With regard
to the support rendered to the question of administrative
reform by =labial of parliament, the great body of the
metropolitan meenben, at all events, had not done their
duty in standing public meetings. So far as they were
themselves asseerned, Sir De Lacy Evans had given in his
written ailsesices to the movement; but Sir J. Shelley had
not dome mend to hie (Mr. George's) knowledge had even
interfered to endeavour to do away with • medial/ in •
neighbouring parish, or at all events to prevent it from
pressing too severely upon Lord Palmerston. :(Hear, hear.)
Tbe truth was, Sir John Shelley was a complete automaton
k She hands of Sir B. Hall, who without doubt had intro-
thud him to that constituency, and probably he hoped to
step intosomething good, as his patron Sir B. Hall had him-
self done. The on dit was that he expected to be made paid
chairman of the Central Board of Public Works, and yet of
all the men among the metropolitan members, there was no
man magnet a sham as • man of business (he said this as a
man of business himself ), as Sir J. Shelley. (Hear, hear.)
After some able remarks upon the genial question, the
speaker concluded by claiming wisest support for the Ad-
ministrative Reform movement.
Mr. Roma, in seconding the motion, passed some severe
strictures upon the conduct of Sir J.Shelley,as representative
ofWsetminstsr. Sir John had polled more votes in that parish
than had ever been giveno to • liberal candidate before. He
had, however, not seat to parliament merely to be a
whig heck, and it was with intense disgust that he (Mr.
Rogers) had seen the name of Sir J. Shelley in the division
list spied Mr. La yard's motion. (Hear, hear.) Hs had
given deep offence by that vote to the electors of Wnt-
abater, and he would find at the next election that he could
not so act with immesh, iemeose./
Mr.Du us. supported the motion, as did also Mr.J. 0 monol,
who made some very severe remarks upon the conduct of
Sir J. Shelley, and denouseed the undue weight of Ger-
man influence in the affairs of the country.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. Hamm moved the second resolution, urging the ne-
cessity of • rigid examination as to fitness for place, and of
promotion solely for merit.
Mr. Dowses seconded the motion.
Mr. Bartow having spoken in support, the motion was
tusanhnously adopted, as was also •• petition to the House of
Commons, based upon the previous resolutions, proposed by
Mr. Cox, and seconded by Mr. BAILIY, the petition to be
forwarded for presentation to Sir Ds Lacy Evans.
The proceedings clued by a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, who, in reply, expressed his regret that his position
had prevented him from answering arguments from which
he daunted, as, although he had presided in his capacity of
churchwarden, he did not agree in the objects of the
meeting.

To-night the Attorney-General will nominate the
following members as the select committee to inquire into
the question of whether Baron Rothschild haa vacated his
teat for the City of London, by having bloom one of the con-
tractors for the Government Loan, viz..—The Attomer
General, the Solicitor-General, the Lord Advocate, Mr.
Walpole, Mr. Disraeli, Lord Ronan. Mr. George Butt,
Mr. Thomas Dancombe, Lord Seymour, Mr. Napier, and
Mr. Freeldleld.

To night Kr. Henry Berkeley proposes to nominate
the following members ea the select committee to inquire into
the operation of the Sunday Sale of Beer Aet,.tia. :—Mr.
Henry Berkeley, Mr. Cobbett, Mr. Her Sipper, Bir John
Pskington, Mr. Sebolefield, Lord Harry Vane, Mr. Greg-
son, Mr. Patrick O'Brien, Mr. Wallin, Mr. Massey, Sir
Ws. Clay, Mr. Brand, Major Baring, Sir Wm. Jolliffe, and
Mr. Cheetham.

M. Lamartine is about to 'mite "L'Hiatoire de
Cesar," for the Pub Presse. George Sand's autobiography
written for the same journal, already extends over 17 vols.,'
and thus are yet three to appear.
_ _

The reply of the Jets;nal do St. Potersbourg to
Count W dunk' • circular is attributed to the pa of M. de
Brunow.