The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-26 00:00:00

THE POOR RATES.

Mr. W. BAKER asked the President of the Poor Law
Board if he would inform the Hou2e by how much the
poor rates had been reduced in each of the twenty-four
parishes in the Metropolis in each half year since the re-
ceipt of the contribution of the fifteen parishes to the
twenty-four receiving parishes : and what was the
value per week per head of the lunatics in each parish in
the metropolis.
Mr. GOSCHEN said he was causing a return to be pre-
pared, which would give the information required.
THE CASE OF THE PRISONER ATKINS IN
WARWICK GAOL.

Mr. NEWDEGATE asked if the Home Secretary was
aware of the fact that the prisoner had beenlberated.

Mr. BRUCE said he was not aware of the fact. The
prisoner's sentence, he knew, was commuted to one years'
imprisonment. Whether that year had expired, he did
not know.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER'S

POLITICAL VIEWS.

Mr. SOMERSET BEAUMONT asiced the Chancellor
of the Exchequer if he was accurately reported in the
Times, in being made to say that he was not in favour of
commercial treaties or of their negotiation.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER : I
might complain that the hon. gentleman has not given me
notice of the question ; at all events I have not received
it. But I may say I do not think the report is an inac-
curate representation of my views. (Laughter and
cheers.)
Mr. S. BEAUMONT : As the right hon. gentleman
has not received the question of which I gave notice, I
shall take the earliest opportunity of asking the First
Lord of the Treasury whether he approves of the policy
enunciated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (Loud
ironical cheers.)
OPEN COMPETITION IN CIVIL APPOINT-
MENTS.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Mr. FAWCETT rose to move a resolution in favour of
applyidg the principle of open competition to appoint-
ments in the civil and diplomatic services. He contended
on behalf of the principle that it was the only one that
could secure justice and-impartiality. So long as appoint-
ments in the civil service were allowed to be given away '
for services rendered at elections, all legislation against
bribery and corruption would be futile—at all events, it
would not be stamped with earnestness or sincerity. (Hear,
hear.) Political patronage tended to foster electoral cor•
ruption, to destroy, in fact, the independence of the House,
and therefore it was important that the House should
as far as possible take steps to restrict it. (Hear, hear.)
The seats of electoral corruption were the small boroughs.
Upon these boroughs Government appointments were
showered in the greatest abundance. That was because
those with whom the patronage lay knew perfectly well it
worked with more potency and effect in such places than
in towns of the size of Manchester and Liverpool. If the
Government would give him a promise that they would
introduce a measure this year or next, or even the year
after, based upon the principle of open competition,
he should be satisfied, and from that moment his advocacy
of the question would cease. He should be satisfied that
the doom of political patronage was sealed—that a system
which gave rise to so many evils would be substituted by
a system based upon the good old maxim of a fair field and
no favour. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman concluded by
moving that, in the opinion of this House, the Govern-
ment should, with the least delay possible, introduce a
measure, the effect of which would be to apply the prin-
ciple of open competition to appointments in the Civil and
Diplomatic Services.
Mr. GLADSTONE : It will not be necessary to intro-
duce any measure into the House for the purpose of giving
effect to the principle of open competition. So far as I
am aware there is nothing in the system of open competi-
tion which wilt require the application of legislative
authority. The subject, as our hon. friend himself very
clearly perceives, involves a great deal of impor-
tant administrative detail, and I should on that
account be glad if we had the assistance of every
kind of criticism and observation, in order to help us for-
ward in the task we have undertaken. But in point of
fact this is entirely a question of arrangement of offices.
It does not touch upon legislative duties. The words
" open competition," in principle, sound simple enough,
but there are important matters of detail to be consi-
dered when we are asked to do that which will
involve considerable administrative changes. It will be
necessary that the responsible officers of the Government
should reserve in a very strict and clear manner, so as to
preclude all possibility of mistake ; the power of defining
and determining from time to time those superior offices
which are to be considered as staff appointments,
to which persons may be appointed, irrespective
of any former service rendered in the Civil Department.
That is a matter of the utmost consequence, and one
on which, I have no doubt, when once open competition
is established, it is necessary the clearest understanding
should prevail. Therefore, both with respect to the limit
upwards of those offices, the first appointments to which
could not be subject to open competition ; and again,
with reference to the limit downwards, with respect
to that class of offices in which there is a test
examination, and a rate of pay governed
by what the market requires, I cannot at all complain of
the speech of my hon, friend in regard either to the gene-
ral principle-3 he has laid down as to political patronage,
or to the allowance of time he 'reposes to afford to the
Government for the consideration of those matters. I
have a great deal of faith in freedom as applied to this
matter. It will take some time before matters
find their level. Yet, upon the whole, the adjustment
of offices, and of the number of persons to compete for
them will be more satisfactorily based upon freedom.
(Cheers.) Communications have been held between t e
Treasury and other departments of the State ; but I cat:
not undertake to say at present whether it will be in our
power within a short period to establish in every