The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-21 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—At a meeting of volunteer commanding
officers of the metropolitan corps, held this day, it
was resolved unanimously that the heads of firms
in London be requested to give the volunteers in
their employment a half-holiday on Saturday, the
28th, to enable them to take part in the review
which is then to be held in Hyde-park, in celebra-

tion of the Queen's birthday. As chairman of the
meeting, I venture in the name of the commanding
officers to give publicity to this resolution through
the medium of your paper, and to express a hope
that the request therein contained may meet with
favourable consideration.—l remain, sir, yours, &c.,
ELCECO.
National Rifle Association, 11, Pall-mall East,
May 20.

The Custom-House Clerks' Petitions

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

have perused with much interest your article on
the unfortunately too well founded complaints of the civil
servants of the Crowe, as represented by the Custom-house,
and trust that, backed by such advocacy, they may obtain
theredressyour
observationswhich t h e y
areaskm
e and
ndeenstelryve.
entitled to the con-
sideration of the Government and the public, from the
even balance which you hold between the grievances of
these gentlemen and the best interests of the country. For
while it is to the true interests of the public to pay gentle-
men in their employ fair and adequate salaries, it is equally
the duty of the Government to see that they are well and
efficiently served.
It is, however, too much the fashion to regard leniently
the faults of clerks, on account of the insufficiency of their
pay; and it is but the natural rebound that the clerks
should think their " utmost little possible" more than
enough for the scanty and insignificant pittance which is
doled out to them after even twenty and thirty years service.
My opinion has always been, that if an employe is not
worth being well paid, he is not worth paying at all. " A
fair day's work for a fair day's wage" is the only true
principle upon which our Government can and ought to
act, having a due regard to the interests of the public and
the position of the civil servants of the Crown.
My object, however, in addressing you is not so much to
support your views in this respect as to endorse, by a
practical example, your statement that "in the multi-
plicity of forms, anl the habit of keeping accounts in dupli-
cate and triplicate, are to be found the banes of the civil
service." This is especially
exemplified in the office which
you have quoted—l mean the statistical department of the
customs, so worthily presided over by Mr. Messenger.
Now, this department, technically called " the office of the
inepectoe-general of imports and exports," is the statistical
office of the customs, supplying Parliament and the public
with all those valuable data—so well known to statists and
the members both of the Lords and Commons—respecting
the trade and navigation of this country. The routine for
obtaining returns from this office so thoroughly exemplifies
the circumlocution satirised by Charles Dickens that it
certainly deserves to be known. Supposing a member of
the Government required some statistics for a speech about
to bs made. In the first instance, he would apply to the
Treasury, when my Lords of the Treasury would write to
the Most Honourable the Privy Council of the Board of
Trade, who would apply to the Honourable the Commis-
sioners of Customs, who would forward the account to the
inspector-general, with orders to prepare it accordingly;
and, when prepared, it would probably reach the hands of
the member.requiring it through the same circumventory
system.
same thing done, not only in
Here, then, we have the
duplicate and triplicate, but eve adru. plic.ate. Four
letters written, and a proportionate staff. maintained, where
as the case may be, of the
one is necessary, and a delay certainly of many days in
the obtainment or publication,
information sought, by means of these unnecessary.. forms.
The remedy—the amalgamation of. the statistical offices
both of the customs and the excise with the Board of Trade
—I should like to glance at in another letter, if you deem
the subject worthy to engage the attention of your readers,
—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
May 20, 1861.

STATIST,

GOVERNOR GREY AND THE MAORI CHIEF.—
Governor Sir George Grey has addressed the
,D nay son, Hapimana. Nigapiko
following letter to ono of the New Zealand chiefs now in
this courtly :—" Government House, Auckland, New Zen.
land, March 8, 1861.
know wh.at you are doing in g-
land. ; salutations to you• Your. affectionate letter has
reached me. 0 son, your letter is a very good one. Write
often to me that I may
They will not listen to me. The
land. I have heard from iny sisters concerning your visit
to their house, and am pleased thereat. Great is the rebel-
They (the rebels)
lion of Ngatimaniapoto.
fled to the mountains. I have earnestly
peaceful pursuits.
soldiers are at the A wamutu, at Rengiawhia, at Kihikihi.
aalialdthteo corners of their evil
besought them to listen to me and be at peace, but they will
not listen. However, by and bye perhaps they will listen
tTohmene
hearts. I shall not cease urging them to return tot
good
lhaenydwi l returnl fully t o
understandedienee
and industrious pursuits.—From your loving father, G.
GREY. To Hapimana Ngapiko Mokoera."
MEYERBEER'S FORTUNE amounts to over two and
three-quarter millions of thalers, nearly £400,000, This
was not all made by crotchets, as his family are very
Wealthy,