Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10
DEPARTMENT. CLERKS HERE
And In GREAT BRITAIN

:.
counting depa rtments. the ecclesiastical
commission and the royal ordinance rae
tories the limits are from eighteen to
nineteen and one-half years. For clerk
ships for the second division the limits
are from seventeen to twenty years. For
assistant clerks for the 'abstractor" class
the limits are from nineteen to twenty
one years For female typfsts In all the
departments the limits are from eighteen
to thirty years, this being one Of the
widest ranges In the subordinate service.
In some Of the special places requiring
technical or scientific or other expert
qualifications the limits are wider than
in the ordinary clerical lines From
eighteen to twentyfOur years is approx
mately the range within which the great
majority Of candidates enter the British
service. Thus 1T Is possible for the aver
age subordinate clerk to have reached
his maximum OF pay In forty years at
about the time that he attains the age OF
sixty and is eligible for retirement.
The civil service commissioners pro
claim in their general abstract of rules
ton Of the public that 1t IL not their
practice to consider beforehand the aues-
ton of physical qualifications. Cases in
which doubts exist are decided indiv1d-
ually on their merits and no prospective
decisions can be given. This warning is
to prevent young men who have doubts
themselves on this score from seeking to
secure assurances from the appointing
officers that they will he accepted II they
pass the mental examinations. The COM
missoners warn Intending candidates that
they may be rejected on physical grounds
and suggest that they submit themselves
to examination by preferably the medical
adviser of the family or any other
qualified practitioner to whom certain
points may be submitted. In the
memorandum Of warning arc noted
certain diseases and disabilities which
may bar the way to appointment.
The purpose of the commission is not
merely to exclude those who are imme-
diately unfit, but to main
PHYSICAL tain a high standard OF
Standard. p rns,n oh,ec. snaoed of
medical examination Is to secure ccntin-
uous effective service and, in the case OF
candidates for permanent appointments.
to prevent early applications for pension.
Thus again does the British government
try to organize and maintain Its civil
service upon the basis of permanency and
stability, minimizing changes by every
possible device.
The applicant for civil service appoint
tiye-born or naturalized British subject
Otherwise. and within the limits of years
and in the absence of obviously disquali-
flying physical defects, the examinations
are open to all In one important partlcu-
lar does the British civil service system
differ from the American. There is nc
geographical limitation whatever. The
service is not split up into proportional
patronage areas and Squads. as In this
country In other words, there is no ap-
Of
seeks the best men. whether they are
from Sheffield or London, from Cork OF
Brighton The residents of the capital
suffer under no such handicap as tina,
which virtually deprives the jewellers in
the District of Columbia of any present
participation in the activities of the fed
eral government.
Fees are paid to the government by al
candidates tor appointment to take the
civil service examinatio
Examination save In a few excepted
cases. The scale of fee:
OAaieeS' is changed from time tt
time. being published in the London Ga
zette which is the governments officia
organ The scale at present is as fol
lows: When the initial salary or wage
does not exceed the rate of ESQ per an
mum the fee is shilling; when the fnitia
salary does not exceed the rate Of Ell,
the fee is shillings pence: above Ell
and under 9100 fee shillings: from fiO(
to f1JO. fee rs Cd; from 915O to 8200. fes
los; from goo to ESQ. IFS Cd; from
ego to $500, lbs: from 93O0 to ESQ, fet
Ell; from f350 to s4OO. 81; from f4OO t.
f45O, fee 93;N from ESQ to f5OO. fee ga
from $500 to s6O0. fee f5; from 96OO up
ward fee E6
Candidates for temporary positions are
not required to pay more than half the
fees prescribed by the scale. provided they
are not less than shilling. Clerks seek
ing to pass from one grade to another ir
the same department must pay examina
ton fees only corresponding to the diff
ferences between the salaries of the place:
held and those sought When a clerk
tries to pass from one department to an,
other by way of an examination he must
pay the full fee prescribed by the scale.
Practically all examinations embrace
alternative or elective subjects. between
which the applicant may
Range of choose. The scope of each
examination is published in
0uOJoo'S' advance, SO that candi-
dates may prepare themselves according
to their particular special qualifications.
Quite a wide range of selections Is afforded
The total marks run into the thousands,
to be made up by components of large
denominations. The consequence is that
the competition is especially keen in
those examinations that include technical
or literary subjects. In almost every ex-
| animation for the clerical positions the
line between success cuts finely many a
man being disqualified by the narroweSt
shade. There are usually several posi-
tions to be filed as the result of each eX-
i animation, so that awards may go to
several at the top of the list.
Lists OF successful competitors are made
out in the order of merit up to the num-
Der required if SO many are found to be
qualified. From these lists the civil serv-
ice commissioners, on the application of
the departments. may assign clerks for
permanent or temporary service. assign
ment being, as a general rule, in the or
der of the names on the list. an older list
taking precedence over a more recent
list. This means that when once a candi-
date passes an examination he remains
eligible for appointment until disquali-
fed by some circumstance arising after
the examination, and does not require to
be appointed within a certain limit of
! time.
Unassigned successful competitors who
have shown special aptitude or qualifca-
tions may be assigned to any department
where such abilities are in demand.
Otherwise successful competitors are al
lowed, subject to the requirements of the
service, to select the departments in