The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-14 00:00:00

CIVIL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS.

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE.

The above report was issued thin morning. The
committee—of whom Lord Stanley was the chairman—
have directed their inquiries to two points : they have en-
deavoured to ascertain, first, what has been the actual
working of the system of junior appointments now in force
and its effect on the publics service ; and, secondly, what
proposals for its improvement have been suggested by those
most competent to form an opinion. It seems that up to
the present time simple nominations rather thaw competition
among even a limited number of candidates, has been the
rule acted upon in about 91 per cent of all appointments
made under the new system; but that this proportion is
considerably diminished in the last year, showing a gradually
increasing tendency to resort to the competitive method.
It should be borne in mind, however that in this enumera-
tion all classes of the civil service down to the lowest are
included, and nearly 1,900 persons deficient in the
ordinary rudiments of a good education have been
nominated in five years to the civil service, and
excluded by the examination teat. In all 103,058 per-
sons are employed in the civil service. After recapitulating
briefly the evidence given by the principal witnesses, the
committee express the opinion that sufficient time has not
been allowed for a full and fair trial of the regulations of
1855, and that the opinions expressed by individuals upon
those regulations must be grounded on theory rather than
experience ; but " no one has affineed that so far as ap-
pourtments to this class of clerks are concerned, the service
he* suffered harm by their adoption, while their tendency
to exclude men intellectually unfit is recognised without
exception by all."
W ith regard to the question, in what manner the advan-
tages of the competitive test may be most conveniently
extended, the committee sketch three projects—one by the
present commissioners, Sir K Ryan and &r J. Lefevre, and
the others by Mr. Mann, the registrar to the commission.
The committee regard it ea indispensable that no competi-
tion should be allowed to take place, except between those
who are educationally qualified to receive a certificate from
the commissioners. "On the strict maintenance of this rule
it depends whether the competitive trials conducted before
the commissioners shall be real or illusory." They agree
with the commissioners that the evidence hitherto labl before
parliament points strongly in favour of open competition
for the higher branches of the civil service in preference to
a limit to persons nominated by the government of the
day ; but for various reasons they think " much deliberation
and prudence are uecessary before proceeding to carry out to
its full extent the system recommended by the commie-
shiners of 1853."
They, think that an important step in advance will have
been taken if for thesy stern now generally prevailing, of simple
nomination, there be substituted one of limited, but of
real, competition ; and they recommend accordingly that
flora henceforth every vacancy occurring among clerks in
the civil service be competed for by not leas than three
candidates, to be nominated es at present, each of whom,
in the first instance, shall have pissed the preliminary test
examination, except in the case of a single vacancy, which
shall not be competed for by less than five. It appears
expedient, that whenever the convenience of the public
service allows, several vacancies should be competed for at
once. It is obvious that a competition between thirty can-
didates for ten vacancies is more likely to result in the
appointment of young men of talent and industry, than if
each place was competed for by three candidates seperately.
The committee think it desirable that in all cues the neces-
sary moral and medical qualifications of each sendirlate
should be ascertained, previously to hid being submitted to
the required educational test. The committee, while de-
claring their opinion that the best mode of procuring com-
petent persons to till the junior clerkships in the civil
service, would be through a system of competitive exami-
nation open to all " subjects of the Queen" who fulfil
certain definite conditions as to age, health, and character,
are nut prepared to advise the immediate adoption of a
plan for giving effect to those views. It has been alleged
that candidates whose intellect and education are more
than sufficient to qualify them for passing the required test,
are disabled by anxiety and apprehension from doiug them-
selves justice before the examiners. The committee are of
opinion that such instances rarely occur ; and if the exa-
mination he conducted exclusively or mainly by papers, and
sufficient time be allowed, u appears to be the case, they
believe that the results may be accepted as representing
with sufficient fairness, for all practical purposes, the capa-
city of those who appear before the commissioners.
The committee deem the complaint that young men are
rejected for inability to answer questions on subjects not
ordinarily forming part of a good English education, to
be unfounded. No candidate has been rejected except for
want of simple and elementary knowledge, and of there
who failed, 17 out of 18 have shown themselves deficient
in arithmetic or spelling. In conclusion the report says :
"It does not fall within your conimittee'sorderof reference
to deal with any question except that of first appointments.
But it may be permitted to them to observe that success in
obtaining qualified candidates for the civil service must de-
pend quite aa much on the prospects and opportunities of
promotion subsequently held out to the clerk in his offichd
career as on the immediate pecuniary advantages offered, or
the jucliciota selection of young men in the first instance.
With regard to the higher branches of the service, your
committee have no immediate change to recommend in the
system now in force, beyond these two:—To substitute
universally instead of occasionally, a limited competition
among at least fire for simple nomination of one ; and to
confine this competition to those who have passed the pre-
vious test of fitness. In reference to the lower grades, from
tideweitershipe downwards, your committee cannot advise
the general introduction of intellectual competition, which
they regard as unsuited for officers whose principal duties
are mechanical. They think that the health end mond
character of applicants fur such appointments should
be strictly investigated, and that they should conti-
nue, as at present, to lie suliket to a simple
educational test, which should have reference, so
so far as may be, to the future duties of the ismiliihrte for
employment. Your committee, though not preferred to
advise the immediate introduction into the whole serves of
entirely open competitions, would nevertheless recommend
that the experiment fleet tried at the India House in 18.19
be repeated from time to time in other departments. Au
opportunity will thus be provided, by which a further coo-
p:inset between the limited and unlimited systems may be
`instituted, with a view to the ultimate extensien 44 the
area of competition, to which your committee look forward
r the legitimate result of the changes now recommetided."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commisaioner Fane.)
IN HE LICILJZZBEIOY NUSTOM.IFIL

This was an adjourned examination meeting in the c,. of
Herjeebhoy Rustomjee, of 27, Bishopsgateatreet, mer•
chant. This case has been a considerable- time before the
court, and the accounts have already been published;
but the bankrupt hem now supplied an amended
balance-sheet, prepared Ly Hews. Johnson sod
Wilson, of which the following are the principal
features. It extends from June 30, 1858, to January 4, 180),
There are creditors unsecured, 8,702/. ; those holding se.
curity against goods consigned, 10,2811. • creditors holding
other securities, IOW.; liabilities, 5541. The 'meets sic
168/. only, all the property being in the hands
of creditors, and thus stated —Property held by
creditors, 4501. ; ditto in the hands of the fifer.
motile Discount Company, 3731. ; goods consigned
through creditors, 14,4881 • and goods consigned upon
which no advance had been ;nada, 783/' On the 30th June,
1858, the bankrupt bad a surplus of 4,7201. apr it
appears to have been made ; but the trade expenses were
2,085/. ; the house and personal expenses 7311. ; and the
losses 5,5081. Beyond these figures there was an itemf
8,587/.,stated to lie debts due to the bankrupt by persons in
China. . •

Mr. Hollams opposed on behalf of the assignees, and Mr.
Linklater supported the bankrupt.
The grounds of opposition were various. The princiial
complaint was that bankrupt should have incurred
so an amount of liability, and produced not
• singe farthing of meets. The bankrupt had at,
one time landed property in Singapore, but with
respect to this it was stated that his agent there,
Mr. George, having laid out upon the land more money
than it was actually worth, bad retained possession
it. This was a statement with respect to the truth
of which the assignees entertained some doubt.
Then it was alleged that the bankrupt had drawn
cheques payable to Mr. Hill, which was a fictitious name,
and upon being asked why he bad done so, replied that be
did not know.
Upon this point the bankrupt was now examined, and hn
said he had done it because the persons to whom he peal
the cheques did not like their names to be mentioned.
His Honour thought this a strange reason for such a pro.

costing.
Mr. Hollama then charged the bankrupt with having
made entries bearing date in 1858, in a book the paper .d
which showed a water mark of 1859, and sworn that he um
the entries made at the time they bore date.
The bankrupt said this was quite fable, and upon being
examined he produced another book in which he stated the
entries of 1858 were originally, and at the time they tic•
cuffed, made. He explained that they had merely beea
afterwardecopied into the book alluded to by Mr. Hollams,
which would account for the discrepancy pointed out by
that gentleman.
Mr. Linklater said there was not the slightest foundation
for the accusation that the bankrupt had at any time acorn
falsely with respect to these matters. There was a reason
why so strung a disposition to oppose was evinced by the
assignee, and that and some few details with respect to the
assignee would be stated on a future occasion.
After some further remarks of an unimportant character,
it •ppeanng that a box of papers was to arrive from China,
and that the assignees considered the papers essential to a
due examination of the accounts, the sitting was ad.
journal until a day in November next.