Star.
London, England, 1810-08-08 00:00:00

1

?EL LIKE OFF 4

FIRST REPORT.
From the Select Committe appointed to consider—
What Offices in the United Kingdom, and in the
Foreign Dominions of his Majesty, come within
*e Purview of the 2J, 3d, and 4th Resolutions of
the House, on the Third Report from the Corn-
mittee on the Public Expenditure of the United
Kingdom.

The Resolutions referred to your Committee, are
as follow :

" S.—Resolved, that bs addition to the useful and effective
measures already taken, by Parliament, for the abolition and
rore-
laden of various sinecure offices, and offices executed by De-
nt'', it is expedient, after providing other and sufficient rneans
r enabling his Majesty duly to recompense the faithful dis-
charge of high and effective civil offices, to abolish all offices
which have revenue without employment, and to regulate all
tams which have revenue extremely disproportionate to em-
ploytnens ; excepting only such as are connected with the per-
sonal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family, regard being
bad to the existing interests in any offices so to be abolished or
regulated."
" S.—Resolved, That it is expedient to reduce all offices, of
which the effective duties are entirely or principally discharged
by Deputy, to the salary and emoluments actually received lir
-executing the business of such offices; regard being had to any
increase which may appear necessary on account of additirnal
responsibility, and sufficient security being taken for due per-
forhiance of the service in all cases of trust connected with pub-
lic money ; regard being also had to the existing interests in such
" 4.—Resolved, That It is expedient, after the expiration of
any existing interest in any office which is entitled to the sale of.
any appoiorment in any of the courts of law, to make provision to
prevent the sale of such offices, under such regulations as may be
conducive to the public interest, by appropriating a part of the
emoluments of such offices towards defraying the salaries of the
Judges or other officers on the establishment of such Courts, or
towards the benefit and dignity of the offices in which such right
Of sale is new ves eil " _
_

- Your Committee have in consequence proceeded to
consider what Offices it might be expedient to sup.
press, or to regulate, after providing other and suffi-
cient means for enabling his Majesty duly to recom-
pense.the fai'hful discharge of high and effective Ci-
vil Offices. The Offices which come withiu the pur-
♦iew ,)f these resolutions are,

to em-

1. Offices having revenue without employment;
2. Offices having revenue extremely disproporti
ployment ; and
3. Offices of which the effective duties are entirely or princi-
pally discharged by deputy. [Excepting always such offices as are
connected with the personal service of his Majesty, or of his
Royal Family.]
4. Offices, the appointments to which are allowed to be sold
lb any of the Courts of Law.
Your Committee beg leave, in the first place, to re-
mark, that, from the late period of the Session at
which they were appointed, and from the impossibi-
lity of procuring the attendance of any witnesses who
were not resident in town within a period so limited,
they have not been able to examine the, whole of the
objects referred to their consideration. They have,
however, deemed it to be their duty to make a report
upon so much of the matters referred to them as they
have had the means of investigating.
Your Committee. under these circumstances, have
thought it adviseable to postpone altogether the con-
sideration of the saleable offices in the courts of law,
mentioned in the 4th Resolution, as constituting a
distinct head of inquiry.
With respect to the offices referred to in the second
and third Resolutions, your Committee have hitherto
confined themselves to the consideration of such as are
enumerated in that part of the Supplement to the
Third Report from the Committee on the public ex-
penditure of the United Kingdom, which is added in
the Appendix, with a few inconsiderable additions,
which in the course of their investigation have been
incidently brought under their notice. They have
inquired into the several offices enumerated in the
Supplementary Report, so far as the shortness of time
and the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory evidence
has enabled them so to do.

Your Committee have to observe, that the number
Of offices, which have revenue without any employ-
meht tither of principal or deputy, is very inconside.
sable ; and that by far the greatest number of offices
which are commonly described as " Sinecure Offices"
fall properly under the description of " Offices exe-
cuted by Deputy," or " Offices having revenue dis-
proportionate to employment."
Among the offices, the revenue of which appears
disproportionate to employment, or which are per-
formed principally by deputy, there are some to which
great pecuniary and official responsibility is attached;
and some, from the holders of which }urge securities
are required. It may therefore be expedient that such
Offices should not at any time be filled by persons less
responsible than those who at present hula them.
In other cases it seems probable that the principals
may, under peculiar circumstances, have provided for
the discharge of their duties by deputy at a lower sa-
lary than that which might fairly be considered as an
adequate remuneration for the services to be perform-
ed, and which might, indeed, be necessary to ensure
the dice performance of those services," should it be
found expedient to withdraw the superintendence and
authority of the principal.
It :appears therefore to your Committee, that in
some instances it might be expedient to annex the du-
ties of such of the offices to be regulated, as have great
responsibility, without requiring continual personal
attendance, to other offices of an efficient nature; by
which means a saving of the whole revenue of such
regulated offices might accrue to the public, while
sufficient provision would be made for the responsi-
bility of the person in whom they may hereafter be
vested. In other instances it might be expedient, in
_adopting the principle of the Third Resolution, to
admit of some modification of that principle, accord-
.i.,g ti, the peculiar circumstances of the case.
Of the first description of offices, having emolu-
ment without any duties or responsibility, your Com-
mittee have only to notice the following, as those to
.which the principle of abolition might be applied
without any qualification, excepting such as may arise
'out of existing interests, viz.
. Chief Justice in yre, North of Trent, by whom no dia.
ai•pearto have been lately performed, either is person or by de-
• pa e.—Law Clerk in the Secretary of State's Office.
Collector and Transmitter of State Papers.
Houwkeeper ip Excise.
Warel,mw-keeper to tin Stamp-Ofce.
ton.tab!, of the Castle of Limerick.
In Scotland the office of Lord Justice General ap-
f-ttars to have become a perfect sineetyre. The duty
:14! this officir waster presickia,the COM of Justiciary.'
I°Fbr *leak-tering! this htgh-Office has been bestowed
're:rims 'wbotairner•been.brought up to the pro-
fessiiin of thelaw,. and the Alutiei of it have in cone.
queace been suspended. •

. • *.• .

. .

6

-J

Your Committee think it necessary,
to call the attention of the House to
Union, wherein it is &acted—
" That the Court of Justiciary do also, after
notwithstanding thereof, remain in all tine east
land, as it is now constituted, sul ject nevertheless
Unions for the better administration of justice as si
the Parliament of Great Britain, and without prejudice of other
rights of justiciary."
Your Committee have next proceeded to consider
those offices which . have revenue extremely dispro-
portionate to employment ; or the duties of which are
principally performed by dputy : two classes, which
are so intimately blended together that your Commit-
tee have judged it useless, if not impracticable, to
keep them perfectly distinct.
Upon this subject they think it necessary, first, to
advert to those Offices the duties of which are im-
portant, though requiring little personal attendance ;
but which, from their nature or responsibility, can
only be discharged by persons of high official situa-
tion. With respect to these offices, your Committee
suggest the expediency of annexing them to other of-
fices of high rank and responsibility, by which means
a saving of their whole emoluments may be derived
to the public.
Among the most important offices of this descrip.
tion are those of Auditor of the Exchequer and Clerk
of the Pells. It is stated to be material that these of-
fices should be preserved, as essential checks on the
issue of public money ; but it appears to your Com-
mittee, that such offices might, with great propriety,
be annexed to those of President of the Council and
Privy Seal for the time being, or to any other office',
of high responsibility which is not connected with the i
Treasury or Exchequer.
The office of Master of the Mint is found in the i
list in the Supplementary Report, which your Com. !
mittee have adopted as the ground of their Report.—
But your Committee conceive that neither this office
nor that of one of the joint Paymasters, which is also
included in the same list, comes under that descrip-
tion of Sinecure Offices, or offices executed by De-
pity, which is intended to be referred to their consi-
deration. They are not offices held either by patent
or by custom for life, nor given as the reward of pub-1
lic service. The question of their existence in their'
present or in any other state, as well as that of the
amount of their emoluments, would therefore be to be
decided on other grounds and principles than those
upon which your Committee have thought themselves
called upon to offer any recommendation.
It may, however, be right to observe, that the di-'
vision of the office of Paymaster of the Forces does
not appear to grow out of any thing in the coastittt-
tion of that office ; and that, in point of fact, the whole
duty of that office, now become very considerable,
may be said to be performed exclusively by one of
the joint Paymasters.
The office of Master of the Mint is undoubtedly
an office requiring little or no attendance, though one
of occasional responsibility ; but the present Master of
the Mint discharges the duties of President of the
Board of Trade, a situation of ao emolument, and
requiring constant attendance and application.
The duties of the office of Vice-President of the
same board are in like manner discharged by the
Treasurer of the Navy ; and, generally, the effective
' situations at this Board, and others of a similar de- ;
oeription, to which no salary oremolument is attached,
have been filled by persons holding other high official i
situations, such as those above mentioned, the emolu-
ments of which would otherwise appear disproportio-
nate to their actual employment.
This observation applies equally to the whole busi:
ness of the Privy Council, which is transacted by
Members, who, with the single exception of the Lord
President himself, are not entitled to any salary or
emolument for their attendance at that Board.

For the duties still performed by the Chief Justice
in Eyre, South of Trent, your Committee refer to the
evidence of Mr. Hanson, now, and for a long time
past, Secretary to that Chief Justice. The duties
appear to your Committee to be of a merely formal
nature, which, so far as the continued performance of
them is essential to the preservation of any of the
rights of the Crown, might, in the opinion of your
Committee, without inconvenience, be transferred to
some other efficient office, such as that of Surveyor of
tile Woods and Forests.

The Government of the Isle of Wight appears not
to be of a military nature. A part of the functions
of the Governor are similar to those of the Lords
Lieutenants of Counties, and like them might be
discharged without emolument; the other functions
appear to be performed by deputy; but with respect-
to this office, your Committee have not yet been able
to obtain sufficiently detailed information.
Your. Committee have next proceeded to examine,
so far as their time and means of information would
permit, the more numerous class of offices, which,
being performed entirely or principally by deputy, ap-
pear to them to,come more immediately within the
purview of the third resolution.
Of this description your Committee have to notice
the following offices :
In the Court of Exchequer—Clerk 'of the Pipe,
Comptroller of the Pipe, Clerk of Exchequer Pleas,
Clerk of Foreign Estreats, Comptroller of First Fruits,
the Chirographers, Foreign Apposer, King's R.emem-
brancer, together with which is held the office of Re-
gister of Deeds in Middlesex, Marshal of the Exche-
quer, Surveyor of Green Wax.
Register of the High Court of Admiralty, Register
of the High Court of Appeals for Prizes, Register of
High Court of Delegates.
In the Alienation Office—Three Commissioners,
Receiver-General, Master in Chancery, two Clerks.
The duties of the four Tellers of the Exchequer
are performed altogether by their deputies ; and as to
their responsibility for the custody of public money,
your Committee observe, that the same amount of se-
curity which is required from the Tellers is usually
given to them by their deputies : from which your
Committee are led to infer, that, both with respect to
their duties, and to their responsibility, these offices
might be safely reduced to the present emoluments of
the deputies.
The office of Clerk of the Parliaments is performed
almost wholly by deputy ; and is one of those which
would come within the purview of the Third Reso-
lution.

On the subject of this office, however, your Com.
mince think it necessary especially to represent, that
the Clerk of Parliament, though appointed
T. by the
!Crown, is a SITIMIIV-01 the Hotossof. 4.-
In the Mint, your Committep:hnie to notice the

r

-Warden, Comptroller, Sur►eyor
Clerk of the Irons.
Office—The four principal Clerks.
the Signet Office.
-The Comptroller-General of Ac-
-General of Inland Duties, Register
to Commissioners of Excise.
Your Committee having adverted to the offices per-
formed by•deputy in the Colonies, think it necessary
to observe, that their emoluments arise from fees and
salaries paid within the Colonies. Your Committee
have further to observe, that notwithstanding an Act
passed ut the 22d year of his present Majesty's reign
c. 73, the object of which was to enforce residence in
the principals, many of these offices continue to be
executed wholly by deputy. That Act contains a
clause, empowering the Governors of Colonies to give
such leave of absence as they shall see occasion to
give. But that power appears to have been exercised
to so great an extent as to frustrate what must no
doubt have been the true intention of the Legislature.
Your Committee have ascertained the following to be
of that description : _

Secretary and Clerk of Inrolments in the Island of
Jamaica, Register of Chancery in ditto, Receiver-
General in ditto, Clerk of the Crown Courts in ditto,
Naval Officer in ditto, Secretary and Clerk of the
Courts in Barbadoes, Prothonotary of the Court of
Common Pleas in ditto, Provost Marshal in ditto,
Naval Officer of Curacoa, Secretary of Tobago, Naval
Officer of Demerara.
In Scotland it appears to your Committee that the
following offices come within the purview of the. Third
Resolution, as being wholly or principally discharged
by deputy. The existence of many of these ancient
offices appears to be secured to Scotland by the Act
of Union ; but it is also provided in. that Act, that
they shall be subject to such regulations as the Par-
liament of Great Britain shall hereafter make :—The
Keper of the Great Seal, the Keeper of the Privy Seal,
the Keeper of the Signet, Lord Register, Director of
the Court of Chancery, Clerk to ditto, Receiver of
Bishops Rents, and King's ReMembrancer in the
Court of Exchequer.
In Ireland, the following offices appear to your
Committee to come within the purview of the same
Resolution :—Chief Remembrancer of the King's
Bench, Clerk of the Pipe, Clerk of Common Pleas
Office, Court of Exchequer, Prothonotary of Common
Pleas, Prothonotary of King's Bench, Crown Office,
King's Bench, Filazer's Office, and Keeper of De-
clarations, King's Bench, Teller of the Exchequer,
Keeper of Privy Seal, Keeper of Records; Two Joint
Muster-Masters General.

Your Committee have not been able to extend their
enquiry to many other offices in the United Kingdom,
and the Colonies, enumerated in the Supplement to
the Third Report. With respect, however, to some
which are included in that report, and which have not
been already adverted to, they think it nece.sary to
submit the following observations:
The inconsiderable office of Car-taker tohis Majesty,
is connected with the personal service of the Royal
Family, and consevently does not fall under the
cognizance of your Committee.
fhe office of Keeper of Records in the receipt of
the Exchequer, appears to be an efficient office of
trust, and not overpaid by a salary of £4OO per an-
num.
The places of Office Keeper in the War Office,
and of Register of Seizures in the port of Lonlon, art
to be suppressed after the decease or resignation of the
present officers.
The Auditor of Excise has been rendered an effi-
cient office. The office of Register to the Commis-
sioners of Salt Duties has been already abolished; the
salary now paid is in the nature of a compensation.
The Receiver of Stamps appears to be a necessary
and responsible officer, and his emoluments not more
than adequate.
The Distributors of Stamps are effective Officers.
The Distributors for Buckinghamshire and Kent are
equally so with the rest ; they have been inserted in
the list of offices executed by deputy in consequence of
an indulgence which is confined to the present officers.
It appears by the evidence that the office of -Ac-
countant General of the Post Office is an efficient of-
fice, requiring personal attendance, with responsibi-
,lity ; and that the emoluments of this office will not
admit of reduction. The office of the Apothecary-
General has been under the consideration of the Trea-
sury ; and by an agreement concluded with him his
patent is to be surrendered, on condition of receiving
an annuity of £2500 a year for life ; an agreement
which appears to your Committee to be eminently
beneficial to the public.
In Ireland, the allowance paid to the Keeper of the
late Parliament House appears to be a compensation
for an office already suppressed. The office of Joint-
Solicitor of Ireland in Great Britain is also abolished,
as well as that of examiner of Hearth Money ; and
the offices of Clerk of the Quit Rents, Treasurer of
the Post Office, and accountant General of the Post-
Office, have been made efficient. The fees, which
under the head of Muster Master General of Ireland,
are stated to be " due, but suspended," ire in fact
abolished.
Your Committee will conclude their Report by
bringing distinctly before the House the result of their
examination into such of the offices, stated by the
Committee on Public Expenditure to be sinecures, or
offices wholly or chiefly executed by deputy, as they
have since their appointment had timb or opportu-
nity to investigate, which, in their opinion, came
within the purview of the 2d and Sd Resolutions re-
ferred to them.

After Parliament shall have provided such other
sufficient means for enabling his Majesty duly to re.
compense the faithful discharge of high and effective
civil offices, as to the wisdom of Parliament shall seem
fit, your Committee are of opinion,
lst.—That the following offices, " having revenue
without employment," might, at the expiration of the
existing interests, be abolished :
Nos. In Value
Appendix (A) per Annum.
1 54—Chief Justice in Eyre North of Trent - sif. 1,730
64-,-Law Clerk In Secretary of State's Othce, Home
300
Department • •
45—Collector and franunitter of State Papers, Fo- sod
reign Department • - •
145—Constable of the Castle of Limerick, Ireland 753
Not reported by Committee of Public Expenditure.
Principal Housekeeper is the Excise 011 Ice • 145
Warehousekeeper, rnp Oaks . ' 1100
1
' -
4. Vita
2dly. That thefollOw lag offices might continue at
the expiration 4 the existing interests to be mapaged

by the deputy, as at present, without any addition
his salary and emoluments; but that from the peculi,
nature of the responsibility attached to them, how_rt
limited the actual duties to be performed, these oft
ces would, in the opinion of the Committee, be most
conveniently filled by some of those persons who hold
for the time being certain high official situations,
leaving the annual amount now paid to.the princir
at the disposal of Parliament :
Nos. in Appendix (A)
50. Auditor of the Exchequer
• .69. Clerk of the Pella .
• 55. Chief Justice in Eyre South of Trent.

Value per Ana.
- :000
3000
1969

48009
3dly. That the following offices would admit of
being left, atter the expiration of the existing interests,
altogether under the management of the deputy,
without any addition to his present salary and emo.
luments. The emoluments now received by the prin-
cipal being placed at the disposal of Parliament.

Annual An,ount received by
Nos. in
Appendix (A) The Deputy. Principil.
21 Comptroller ot tho Pipojirebsquer Xi 66 .e 14
SS Chirograplieeo Ceiri, Common Pleas Its 404
29 Clerk of the Exchequer of Pleas 4C3 • 653
37 King's Remembrancer, Exchequer
*5 Registrar of the High Court of Ap-
tto-idtihstmleofpPriron.-
4::
peals . fits payable
46 Ditto of Dqlegiates .
44 Ditto of Atlnuralty . ... cipal.
ill Clerk of the Parliaments, as mall
347 4946
seven years
63 Principal Clerk, Signet Office. ••

ICO
)10

•

71 Comp.-GenerLl of Accounts, Exclfie
71 lnspector.General, ditto
37. a Teller of the Exchequer
53
as litnited,Z
after lite of present Possessor
77 Ditto, ditto, ditto
122 Chaßemembrancer Exchequer, Ire-
land
128 Ckrk of the Common Pleas, Exche-
quer, ditto
12$ Prothonotary Common Pleas, Ireland,
on an average of three years
132 Prothonotary King's Bench, Ireland,
on an average of three years
133 Crown OLce, ditto, ditto
134 Filazer, dine, ditto
1211 Keeper of the Privy Seal, Ireland;
Muster Master Gleneral, ditto

110

100
5048
70
10'10
1000

100
1000
507

Uncertain. HSI

• 1904 9;30
'l-9.1 of To-
tal Fees for
Self and 11901
Clerks.
130 19410
Uncertain 4004

,teems
4thly.—That the following Offices would admit of
being brought, at the expiration of the existing inter•
ests, entirely under the management of the Deputy
as now constituted; but that the degree of responsi.
bility, or trouble attending the discharge of the ss hole
duties, would entitle the Deputy to an increase of the
salary to be hereafter sewed, which renders the amount
of ultimate saving to the public uncertain :
Vain- pi r Aeneas.
Nos. is r--.—.A.--....t
Appesdhr (A) Deputy. Principal.
27 Clerk of the Pipe, Exchequer - 4100 4720
36 Foreign Apposes., ditto . - 160
39 Marshal ditto . - - 20 151
42 Surveyor of Oft= Wu, ditto le. Is the 4 MI
53a Aliened.° Once r

Commissioner . . L gi 116
Ditto • . . SO ' 167
Ditto . 4. . SO 106
•
Receiver-General . . 170 is[

Master in Chancery . . 10 10s. 106
Clerk . . . 10 $1
Ditto - . - SI 10s. 133
63 Warden of the Mint . . 6G 36$
Comptroller ditto - . 66 257
Surveyor Mehangs ditto . 28 102
67 Principal Clerk, Privy Scal - 200
Ditto Ditto - itoo
Ditto Dftto - - 11 f 2,.
Ditto Ditto - 900
71a Register to Commissioners of Excise,
210
self and Clerk - 400
33 Comptroller First Fruits - SS 96
135 Teller of the Exchequer (Ireland) ... - 2,000
124 Clerk of the Pipe (Ireland) - . - 750
Add, nut reported by Committee of Public
Expenditure, Register of Deeds for County 50
of Middlesex - -
Under this head may be classed the
Offices wholly cr chiefly executed' by
Deputy in Scotland; of these, some
must be retained by the provisions of
the Act of Union, although subjected
by the same Act to be regulated by
Parliament. What the ultimate saving
would be after such regulations as may
be thought expedient, is uncertain.
102 Keeper of the Great Seal
103 Keeper of the Privy Seal

Srbe
4
'2,441
4,V5E

104 Keeper of the Signet - . . 9,717
105 Lord Register - - 500 2,000
107 Director of the Coin of Chancery - 6$ 1,315
Clerk to Ditto 4th of the Fees 779
110 King's Remembrancer . 550
Receiver of Bishops' Rents . 175 :‘7O

Z19,9;5

,
With respect to Offices in the Colonies, where the
Deputy receives the whole emoluments, paying to
the principal, by agreement, a fixed annual sum, and
giving security for the same, as well as for the faith-
ful execution of the office abmad ; your Committee
report, that the persons in Great Britain holdi-g
those offices, enjoy perfect sinecures ; but that the in. .
come of them arising altogether from tees payable in
the Colonies, it does not appear to your Committee
that any sums would be placed at the disposal of Par-
liarnent by regulating or abolishing them ; they afford
to the Crown a very considerable patronage as at pre-
sent constituted ; but do not seem easily capable of
being brought within the reach of any mcoliomical
arrangements in aid of the resources of the Ernpire
at home. This class of offices* is very num.-1...u5, nut
your Committee have only had time or opportunity
to report upon the following, viz.
Nos. In Vase
AOPNidiz (A.) JAMAICA. pee Amnon.
418 a. Secretary and Clerk of the lat•olments J. 8100
$4. Register in Chweeery - - - 1014•
85a. Receiver General - - • • 5000
86. Clerk of the Crown - • • ' 8.00
Naval Officer . - . 15(0
BAR BADOBS.
87. Secretary and Clerk of the Courts - 816
88. Provost Marshal - - a 300
92. Naval Officer of Ceraeoa a 4100
94.. Secretary of the Island of Toby) . 400
Naval Officer of Demerara • • $59
AsbTRACT. •—••— HAI/
Ist Head • - - se. 1,628
$4 - . 8,969
Sd . . . 0088
r ......-• largo
4th • • • 19.955,
Ith . . . 11 .418
The sum of 481480, being the amount of savings

1
.
illialmweinsy
SINEL LIRE OFFICES.
VIRST REPORT.
From the Select Committe appointed to consider—
What Offices in the United Kingdom, and in the
Foreign Dominions of his Majesty, come within
the Purview of the 2J, 3d, and 4th Resolutions of
the House, on the Third Report from the Corn-
t mittee on the Public Expenditure of the United
Pniedom. .1-
The Resolutions referred to your Committee, are
as follow :
" 2. —Resolved, that in addition to the useful and effective
Measures already taken, by Parliament, for the abolition and re-
rlation of various sinecure offices, and offices executed by De-
nt'', it is expedient, after providing other and sufficient means
o r enabling his Majesty duly to recompense ttre faithful dis-
charge of high and effective civil offices, to abolish all offices
which have revenue without employment, and to regulate all
tams which have revenue extremely disproportionate to gm-
' ' ployment ; excepting only such as are connected with the per-
sonal service of his Majesty, or of his Royal Family, regard being
had to the existing interests in any offices so to be abolished or
regulated."
. " 3.—Resolved, That it is expedient to reduce all offices, of
which the effective duties are entirely or principally discharged
1 by Deputy, to the salary and emoluments actually received ter
i -executing the business of such offices; regard being had to any
i increase which may appear necessary on account of additirnal
responsibility, and sufficient security being taken for due per-
fofhiance of the service in all cases of trust connected with pub-
lic money ; regard being also had to the existing interests in such
dice."
" 4.—Resolved, That it is expedient, after the expiration of
any existing interest in any office which is entitled to the sale of.
any appoierment in any of the courts of law, to make provision to
prevent the sale of such offices, under such regulations as may be
conducive to the public interest, by appropriating a part of the
emoluments Of such offices towards defraying the salaries of the
Judges or other officers on the establishment of such Courts, or
towards the benefit and dignity of the offices in which such right
Of sale is new yes ed "
- Your Committee have in consequence proceeded to
consider what Offices it might be expedient to sup.
press, or to regulate, after providing other and suffi-
cient means for enabling his Majesty duly to recom-
pense.the faithful discharge of high and effective Ci-
vil Offices. The Offices which come within the pur-
view of these resolutions are,
1. Offices having revenue without employment ;
2. Offices having
.revenue extremely disproportionable to ern-
ployment ; and
1 3. Offices of which the effective duties are entirely or princi-
) pally discharged by deputy. [Excepting always such offices as are
connected with the personal service of his Majesty, or of his
Royal Family.]
4. Offices, the appointments to which are allowed to be sold
1 En any of the Courts of Law.
Your Committee beg leave, in the first place, to re-
mark, that, from the late period of the Session at
which they were appointed, and from the impossibi-
lity/ of procuring the attendance of any witnesses who
were not resident in town within a period so limited,
they have nra been able to examine the, whole of the
objects referred to their consideration. They have,
however, deemed it to be their duty to make a report
1 upon so much of the matters referred to them as they
have had the means of investigating.
Your Committee, tinder these circumstances, have
thought it adviseable to postpone altogether the con-
sideration of the saleable offices in the courts of law,
mentioned in the 4th Resolution, as constituting a
' • distinct head of inquiry.
- With respect to the offices referred to in the second
and third Resolutions, your Committee have hitherto
I
confined themselves to the consideration of such as are
i enumerated in that part of the Supplement to the
! ' Third Report from the Committee on the public ex-
penditure of the United Kingdom, which is added in
the Appendix, with a few inconsiderable additions,
) which' in the course of their investigation have been
incidently brought under their notice. They have
inquired into the several offices enumerated in the
i Supplementary Report, so far as the shortness of time
i
11 and the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory evidence
has enabled them so to do.
Your Committee have to observe, that the number 1
of offices, which have revenue without any employ-
• ,
• I mein -either of principal or deputy, is very inconside-
rable ; and that by far the greatest number of offices
i which are commonly described as " Sinecure Offices"
I fall properly under the description of " Offices exe-
cuted by Deputy," or " Offices having revenue dis-
:
1 proportionate to employment."
Among the offices, the revenue of which appears
disproportionate to employment, or which are per-
formed principally by deputy, there are some to which
great pecuniary and official responsibility is attached;
• and some, from the holders of which }urge securities
ire required. It may therefore be expedient that such i
Offices should not at any time be filled by persons less
responsible than those who at present hold them.
In other cases it seems probable that the principals
may, under peculiar circumstances, have provided for
the discharge of their duties by deputy at a lower sa-
lary than that which might fairly be considered as an
adequate remuneration for the services to be perform- 1
ed, and which might, indeed, be necessary to ensure
the dite performance of those services,' should it be
found expedient to withdraw the superintendence and
authority of the principal.
. It appears therefore to your Committee, that in
some instances it might be expedient to annex the du-
ties of such of the offices to be regulated, as have great
responsibility, without requiring continual personal
attendance, to other offices of an efficient nature; by
which means a saving of the whole revenue of such
regulated offices might accrue to the public, while
sufficient provision would be made for the responsi-
bility of the person in whom they may hereafter be
vested. In other instances it might be expedient, in
:adopting the principle of the Third Resolution, to
admit of some modification of that principle, accord-
.i.,g to the peculiar circumstances of the case.
Of the first description of offices, having emolu- ,
'rent without any duties or responsibility, your Com-
mittee have only to notice the following, as those to
which the principle of abolition might be apclied
•without any qualification, excepting such as may arise
'out of existing interests, viz.
• Chief Justice in yre. North of Trent, by whom no duties
'lli'pearto have been lately performed, either is person or by de-
• pa v.—Law Clerk 4n the Secretary of State's Office.
Collector and Transmitter of State Papers.
. Housekeeper ip Excise.
Warel,oust..keeper to tba Stamp-Office.
Von.tale, of the Castle of Limerick.
l'• ' In Scotland the office of Lord Justice General ap-
I tirers to have become a perfect sinecure. The duty
..lilt this officir waster preside- ia,the Court of Justiciary.
112Fbr * king 'period this *Rh- office has been bestowed
.. 1051 i Oe'iralons 'wholarie-nor•been brought up to the pro-
,
fessiiin a thelaww. and the ;dada; of it have in come.
quence been suspended. ' - •
-, • - . . ~

.1, on thie-ieceo ()limping offices
an article of the of Mehings, and Cl
In the Privy' Seal I
after thebnidon, mil Four Clerks in th
ensuing within Siol"! In the Ezcise—T
theless to such rega-
ounts Inspector-GI
.e as shall be made by C '

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