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

ADMINISTRATIVE _REFORM.

In compliance with a requisition to the churchwardens a
meeting of ratepayers was held last night at the vestry-
room, St. Anne's, Westminsteri for an etpression of opi-
nion upon that system of administrative incapacity and un-
business-li ke 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 had. been increased to an enormous
and unnecessary extent ; and likewise to petition the legisla-
ture in favour of administrative reform, upon the basis of
thorough responsibility, promotion for merit, and efficient
management in every department and office of the govern-
ment.

Mr. C. JEZTERYS, senior churchwarden, occupied the
chair.

Mr. C. GEORGH moved the first resolution, which was
an echo of the first clause of the requisition as given
above. He regretted the lukewarmness displayed by the
parish of St. Anne upon the great 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 coun-
try that it should do so, as all -must think who had heard
of the numerous cases of mismanagement and improper ap-
pointments which had recently been brought before the
public. There were two such cases which bad come under
his own notice, and which he would mention, as ho could
vouch for the accuracy of what he was about to say. The
first case was that of a young gentleman of 16. He was the
son 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 anything better for his son. The father, of
course, said yes, and the youth was given an appointment
in the Commissariat, and sent to the Crimea, at a salary of
4001. a-year. It was ridiculous to suppose that a youth
of 16 could render adequate services for such a salary ;
and yet the case came to him from a respectable solicitor
who knew the family well, and could vouch for the facts.
(Hear.) The other case had happened within the last six
' weeks. Sir C. Trevelyan wont to a gentleman who held a
responsible office in the Treasury, and whom he (the
speaker) would call Mr. C., and placed under him a youth
to see what ho was fit for. Mr. C. tried him/ well, and
some, little time after reported to Sir C. Trevelyatt that he
was not fit for anything. (Laughter.) Sir C. Trovalyan
asked why not? when Mr.C. said he could not even write.
(Laughter.), Sir Charles Trevelyan in turn reported this ,
to the nobleman who had recommended the youth, who
only said, " Oh, then, let C. teach him to write. (Shame,
shame.) Surely it was high time to put an end to such
a stajesif M ..441t0 0E4:4 -)sotddr:isil3o% result disas-..
tronsly 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 in 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 hero; and it would he monstrous to sup-
pose that the three sons at Grimsby were the best fitted
for the places they had got there. (Hear.) With regard
to the support rendered to the question of administrative
reform by members of Parliament, the great body of the
metropolitan members, at all events, had not done their
duty in attending public meetings. So far as they were
themselves concerned, Sir De L. Evans had given in his
written adhesion to the movement ; but Sir J. Shelley had
not done so, and to his (Mr. George's) knowledge bad even
interfered to endeavour to do away with a meeting in a
neighbouring parish, or at all events to prevent it from
pressing too severely upon Lord Palmerston. (Hear.) The
truth was, Sir John Shelley Was a complete automaton in
the hands of Sir B. Hall, who without doubt had intro-
duced him to that constituency, and probably he hoped to
step into something good,sss 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 so great a sham as a man of business (he said
this as a man of business himself) as Sir J. Shelley. (Hear,
hear.) After some able remarks upon the general ques-
tion, the speaker concluded by claiming earnest support
for the Administrative Reform movement.

Mr. ROGERS, in seconding the motion, passed some se-
vere strictures upon the conduct of Sir J. Shelley, as re-
presentative of Westminster. Sir John had polled more
votes in that parish than had ever been given to a liberal
candidate before. He had, however, not been sent to Par-
liament merely to be a Whig hack, and it was with intense
disgust that he (Mr. Rogers) had seen the name of Sir J.
Shelley in the division list against Mr. Layard's motion.
He had given deep offence by that vote to the electors of
Westminster, and he would find at the next election that
he could not so act with impunity. (Cheers.)
Mr. BULL supported the motion, as did also Mr. J.
GEORGE, who made some very severe remarks upon the
conduct of Sir J. Shelley, and denounced the undue weight
of German influence in the affairs of the country.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. HAGUE moved the second resolution, urging the
necessity of a rigid examination as to fitness for place, and
of promotion solely for merit.
Mr. DOWERS seconded the motion.
Mr. BARLOW having spoken in support, the motion was
unanimously adopted, as was also a petition to the House
of Commons, based upon the previous resolutions, pro-
posed by Mr. Cox, and seconded by Mr. BAILEY, the peti-
tion to be forwarded for presentation to Sir De Lacy Evans.
The proceedings closed by a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, who, in reply, expressed his regret that his position
had prevented hire from answering arguments from which
he dissented, as, although he had presided in his capacity
of churchwarden, he did not agree in the objects of the
meeting.