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

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sift,--I have perused with much interest your article on
the unfortunately too well founded complaints of the civil
servants of the Crows, as represented by the Custom-house,
and trust that, backed by such advocacy, they may obtain
the redress which they ask and deserve.

Your observations are eminently entitled to the con.
sideration of the Government and the public, from the
even balanc3 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 employk 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 publio 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, and 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 departraent of the
customs, so worthily presided over by Mr. Messenger'
Now, this department, technically called " the office of the
inspector-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.
Here, then, we have the same thing done, not only in
duplicate and triplicate, but even quadruplicate. Four
letters written, and a proportionate staff maintained, where
one is necessary, and a delay certainly of many days in
the obtainment or publication, as the case may be, of the
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, 1864.

STATIST,

GOVERNOR GREY AND THE MAORI CHIEF.-
Governor Sir George Grey has addressed the
following letter to one of the New Zealand chiefs now in
this country :—" Government House, Auckland, New Zea.
land, March 8, 1864. 0 my son, Hapimana Nigapiko
Mokoera ; 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 know what you are doing in Eng-
land. I have heard from my sisters concerning your visit
to their house, and am pleased thereat. Great is the rebel-
lion of Ngatimaniapoto. They will not listen to me. The
soldiers are at the A warautu, at Rengiawhia, at Kihikibi,
They (the rebels) fled to the mountains. I have earnestl
besought them to listen to me and be at peace, but they w:
not listen. However, by and bye perhaps they will
to me, and return to obedience and to peaceful pursuits,
over two and
Then they will fully understand all the corners of their evil
hearts. I shall not cease urging them to return to good
and industrious pursuits.—From your loving father, G.
GREY. y
ETRoaE HapimanaEß,s
Fo RNTguaNpiEk oamMoo knonetrsa
three-quarter millions of thalers, nearly £400,000, This
was not all made by crotchets, as his family are very
wealthy.