The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-09 00:00:00

The Custom house Clerks' Petitions•

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN
Sin,—You have earned the gratitude of. the whole 015;
toms' service by the publication of the letter sign:be
" Custos," commenting on the state and condition of (.10,
clerks of that ill-paid and hard-worked branch of the Go,
vernment establishments. And when I supplenlea,t„v ocl
statements by fearlessly asserting that all those ernr"' t
therein court rather than avoid inquiry, that they ars' A
afraid of work, that they are not extravagant in theiro;
mands ; but seek through petitions to the Board of
'-
toms and the Legislature only " a fair day's Wage f°,ri:
fair
obtainday's work," I fell sure that the subject will not cm
a patient hearing, but also enlist the sympathieS
the public.
You were good enough last year to publish several Jetta°
of mine touching upon this important subject, apropos
eTt°
the " amalgamation of the Justoms and the Excise." Nli
twhheeononldaitsisourneofytohuisthmaotstthneruereheasroubseeanudnoreamelioration
of public servants, that their condition has sPgoencetalf:::sd,
to worse, a due regardto the efficiency of a great public estt
blishment will probably command that attention which pli
an
ed
otherwise be denied to the mere complaints of
over-worked officials, however well founded those.cueivis
plaints might be, or however meritorious the incliirld
complaining. arcs/
Perhaps at no time, since Mr. Horsfall's committee Bora°
public attention to this matter, has the necessity of veil
reform and modification of the Customs' establishraell,„ot.
more imperatively demanded than at the present nleciair
For throughout the service there is that wide-sPread pro'
content and intense dissatisfaction with the pay and the
spects, as most seriously to impair the efficiencY been
several departments. The system of repression hsaciii to
drawn to its utmost limits—so tightly, indeed, as har .0010-
bear tha strain any longer—and principals sre
elt
getically pleading to the Board the insuborination
departments as the result of the penny
has been in vogue so long. The commissioners ar'rorcl,
dated with petitions from their employees, putting the'12
in the strongest language consistent with respect, tipon
-wise oysters
adequacy of their pay, and the impossibility of Writ tbe,
the emoluments doled out to, what is with truth sta"`"ioyea
hardest-worked and the most efficient of all those OP
in the public service. iegeci'
Last year the Legislature was in like manner -135
and I doubt not there will be a repetition, during tntilniu-
sent session, of the same prayers, but to which 5
attests
Parliament can hardly be expected to pay much atturessea
The question however remains, and, stifled and ire Pi. p
as it may be for a time, will perpetually recur anutics°o6"
" like the irrepressible nigger." Is a Governiner`t,i; pitO:
in calling upon those who enter their service' t'o
severe and trying competitive examination t 0 obro twe
paltry pittance which the present rate of pay ail ge„iit
who succeed ? Is it consistent with the morals °).oyn:
Government to delude the public by offers of einPipt fr°,-
to those who attain a high standard of efficiencY ; the snsit
which, when the scale of remuneration is
ee kunwili'l
cessful turns with disgust ? These are cinesti°,:er, to
the public has answered in an unmistakeable ulaMtifto
it only remains for the Parliament and the Pr
carry out the wishes of their constituents. „ antil"-(1
Does any one say that £75 a year, rising X,' fri-rf sic eOl
to £9O is a fair reward for a clerk's services, 3—ebert
eight and ten year's service? The. great Sir It'°,l,rea t'ivt
spoke once his mind upon this subject, and a +be rsceit
no clerk after ten years' service ought to be sti'ers
of less than £2OO a year. I need hardly add t',,;tecl,
scale of remuneration would be thankfully' scce.,.;:e s 'od
in these days of exaggerated rents and high P'-ileapan
the necesaries of life, both of which liasie.,orcls 1,61 p.
at least 10 per cent. since those memorable gni dab'
at
spoken. Again, is there, asks these gentlernell'ooc',t.
stantial reason whythe Statistical and Controlling oe'tio
the Inland Revenue should be paid from 10 tnfor;logelif
more than the like officers performing similar
reason
ghot
duties in the Customs? Is there, above all, arlY,ot.
the Board of Trade should be paid 50 Per, iwporti3bioli
salaries than the Inspector-General's ofao cu. .0010 tot
Exports, for compiling and publishing the ace nposs'„d
the latter office prepares ? It has always WI an,rate o'
tb
brain work deserved, and was accorded, a higbe'roly °foe
than manual labour, but here we have the art° • toci
recla fie gla
labour of the hands being more highly OP 00-;lls3r
the products of the intellect. As long as attempt tr°
Dt
are allowed to remain, it will be useless to at:o '
_erytee•
the jealousies and heartburnings in the pub]" a orverilote
There is but one principle upon which ad to the
regarssitioo of
the
can and ought to act—having a proper
ti'
rests of the public, and the character and Pl', not °Sate"
civil servants of the Crown—viz., a liberal hill', coritO, it)
vagant remuneration. I assert, without feraor.C.lst orvoalerleo,
tion, that the true interests of the public a
~I)etittte
paying gentlemen in their employ fair and s'ae%blin °client
ahnodneisttisly oannlcyi ueffipoontenstlychseprvrinocliteis
itota,tsir
yPotirsfelo,
servant,
Bth March, 1865.

trial o
Mf
AURtkinDE
------''---.--..----..------------°.
waiTo_mHEtinhSe
Durha took place, have signed 0., eti' of tll°
oncommending then ndemned mall to the lernene4ol,
Crown, ccount of the great provocation he 7 cAS'
REDUCTION sßo.n7fEoir.etheellmOfdtehr eofjtirhi';.:clijelf:::
IN THE RATES OF iota
RIAGE.--We were informed t-
that the good coiAol3
London and North-Western tailsol,totioo 1
contemplate an immediate and substantial Oa_ ,verroo
their rates for the carriage of goods to and Reel 14.1.,, ea
and the •
interior. The public will hail the evenv
, wit.,
faction.—Live
rpool Post. alt Ogeci Pi
MALT RETURNS.—The quantity of In-- t 0 ire-
the brewing of beer for sale in the Yor 1864 ;0031
large, amounting to 40,099,857 bushels ill
[ Vra,42l in Scotland, and 2,597,095 ill lel