The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR
APPOINTMENTS ON THE CIVIL SERVICE.

An ex-official, writing to the Civil Semite Goss&
ta this important subject, says:—" The necessity es at
least the advantage, of tech a teat is ovieea.
For the clerk, once admitted, and having mitered em
his duties, rises in due time, and almost se a matter
of van, to be the head of a ' &Alma: err department
widd• the 'See to which he beings, fie the sundaes of
with* at he thencelbrth became releasable to
his So placed, an iasseapetent mae may, by
the thew lase of his incompetgr7, embarrass the course
of pubis bmisess in no ordinary . It is to him that
the Seatelsey of State, or Under Beentary, refer for dear
male ltseideg en a case which they want to investigate.
This desements are often (Meld generally), scattered
ever velment of correspondence, hard to find, and when
bead, regeklag selection and consideration. A pewit
has then ea be made ; and it is the clerk who is required
to draw It sp. If he be notoriously unequal to his duty,
sad the Webbr aware of the fact, the latter will not run
the risk of deciding the question at ilNlie on a wenn or
iscorrect statement of facts, but is compelled, at great
triable to himself, to discharge in person the duty which
wortieuz KAM to devolve on his subordinate. In a the head
den of a division, or department, ought to be y
leader of his business, familiar with every imp -
meat in the room over which he presides, ready to famish
say information that may be required; of straw awry,
dear judgment, and if net hoe tienjpntpikas.. ag Wm
aspable of correcting them. Mesh • meemememieraWNes
is rare ; and still more so whim to them mist he the
farther sad quite indispensable requisites of swot bodily
Itsalt►k sad unwearied industry.
Now, what steps are taken to secure, if not the selection
of the best qualified persona SOT such a Mentions as I
describe, at least the exclusioa of those who are eseessedly
ids' Your re-den may be surprised to hearts say—
Namely any. It is certainly possible to per over a
amior clerk of inferior ability in favour of his more
active and talented junior. But supersession' of this kind
are rarely resorted to, and for a simple reason. Nothing
Is more emential to the well working of an office than that
pubes harmony and good undemanding should prevail
Mang its component members. • • The result is that
practically, so far as my experience goes, promotioes in the
Public service take !place according to age rather than
wording to merit. • • It is a matter of very enendary
Importance, comparatively speaking, what the sub-
pets of examination may be the object is not to ensure
• certain amount of knowledge being attained, i
hut to test the ability of the future eimploy:l
sad for this purpose, one kind of examination is perhaps as
red se soother. But some kind of examination we want,
and we must have. The country has a right to demand
that its offices shall be filled by men capable of doing the
work for which they are paid ; and provided that object is
effected, it matters little that a minister should be some-
what restricted in the disposal of his patronage, and leis
able than formerly, to gratify his parliamentary supporters."