"4th. That he possesses the requisite knowledge and ability to enter on the discharge of his official duties." IV. "The rules applicable to each department shall be settled, subject to the approval of the Treasury, by the Civil Service Commissioners and the chief authorities of the department. V. Except as hereinafter excepted, all appointments after the 31st day of August next, in schedule A. to this Order annexed, shall be made by means of competitive examinations, according to regulations framed by the Commissioners, and approved by the Treasury, open to all persons of the requisite age, health, etc., who may be desirous of attending, subject to payment of such fees as may be required, such examinations to be held at such periods, and for such situations as the Commissioners, with the approval of the Treasury, shall determine, and to have reference either to the vacancies existing, or to the number which may be estimated to occur within any period not exceeding six months after the commencement of the examination, may be deemed expedient.* VI. After the candidate has been appointed to an office, "he shall enter on a period of probation, during which his conduct and capacity in the transaction of business shall be subjected to such tests as may be determined by the chief of the department to which he is attached, and he shall not remain in the public service after six months from the date of his appointment, unless satisfactory proofs of his fitness shall have been furnished to the chief of such department, and a certificate of his qualification shall have been issued by the Civil Service Commissioners." A formal record of the particulars and of the result of such probation, signed by the chief of the department, shall be furnished to the Civil Service Commissioners, and filed in their office, and they shall thereupon issue their certificate of the candidate's qualifications for employment. "The candidate after, no less than before, the issue of such certificate shall hold his office at the pleasure of the chief of his department." VII. In case the chief of a department and the Treasury shall consider the qualifications deemed requisite for such situation are wholly or in part professional or peculiar, and the chief of the department shall propose to appoint thereto a person who has acquired such qualifications in other pursuits, or in case the said chief of the department and the Treasury shall consider The rule now is, that appointments will be made to all vacancies actually existing, when the result of an examination is announced. either for the purpose of facilitating transfers from the Redundant List or for other reasons it would be well for the public interest that examinations should be wholly or partially dispensed with, the Commissioners may dispense with examinations and grant their certificate of qualification upon evidence satisfactory to them that the said person possesses the requisite knowledge, and is duly qualified in respect of age, etc. VIII. Lastly, the situations mentioned in the Schedule marked B., hereto annexed, shall be wholly excepted from the operation of this Order, provided that the chief authorities of any department, with the concurrence of the Lords of the Treasury by notice in the London Gazette, may add situations, withdraw or restore situations which may have been withdrawn, to said schedule." EDMUND HARRISON. SCHEDULE A. "Departments to which the principle of Open Competition, provided in Class V. of this Order is to be applied :— Charity Commission. London Gazette Office. Queen's and Lord Trea surer's Remembrancer's Directors of Convict Pri- General Register Office Register of Petty Sessions (England and Ireland). Divisional Justices Offices Dublin. Inland Revenue, 2nd class (Ireland). Lunacy Commission (Eng- Convict Prisons-Clerks. Salmon Fisheries-Clerks. SCHEDULE B. Situations altogether excepted from the operation of this Order:1. All situations to which the holder is appointed directly by the Crown. 2. All situations included in any Order or Warrant made by the Commissioners of the Treasury under Section 4, of the Superannuation Act, 1859. 3. All situations which are filled in the customary course of promotion, by persons previously serving in the same department. The following, amongst others, come under this Schedule:- 1. Register of Sasines-Clerks (Scotland). 2. Inland Revenue Machine boys. 3. Lord Clerk, Register Department (Scotland). 4. Certain Officers in Registry of Deeds (Scotland). 5. Books of Council and Session (Scotland). 6. Surveyor of Ships. 7. Director of Works in Office of Works. 8. Inspectors of Education Returns. 9. Counsel and Architect in Education Department. 10. Shorthand Writers (Parliamentary Counsel Office). 11. Artificers in Mint. 12. Inspectors of Foreign Cattle (Privy Council Offices). 13. Temporary Inspector of Schools. 14. Clerks to Surveyors of Taxes. 15. Situations in which the Public exigencies require special qualifications, an exception may be made by the Treasury, and an appointment made without an examination. OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. FIRST CLASS EXAMINATION. (a). That the age of Candidates be between 18 and 24 years. (b). That their health and character be such as to satisfy the Commissioners. (c). That they have passed a preliminary examination, which will be held in London, Edinburgh, or Dublin, in the following subjects : (1). Handwriting. (2). Orthography. (3). Arithmetic* (to Vulgar and Decimal Fractions). (4). English Com position. 3. And any Candidate who fails in this test will not be allowed to present himself again until the ensuing examination. All who pass the test will be called to the next Competition which is held, but are not compelled to attend. Candidates must apply, by letter (in their own handwriting), at least a fortnight before they wish to attend for examination, *They have to work a set of "39" sums in three hours. See specimen, page 117. to the Civil Service Commissioners, Cannon Row, Westminster, and each pay a fee of £1, by a stamp on the order for Examination, when they receive such order. 5. The Competitive Examination will take place in the following branches of knowledge : English Composition and Précis History of England-including that of the Laws and ... English Language and Literature ... Language, Literature, and History of Greece Rome ... Marks. 500 Mathematics (Pure and Mixed) France ... 1250 Natural Science: that is (1) Chemistry, including Moral Science: that is, Logic, Mental and Moral Philosophy 500 Political Economy ... TOTAL, 7,250. 375 875 A fee of £5 will be required for permission to attend this examination. 5. The merit of those examined will be estimated by marks according to the above scheme. 6. No candidate will be allowed any marks in any subject unless he possesses a competent knowledge of the subject. 7. "The examination will be conducted by printed questions, and written answers, and viva voce examination, as may be deemed necessary." 8. The marks obtained by each Candidate will be added up, and the Candidates who have the greatest aggregate number will be entitled to appointments. 9. He who is first on the list will get his choice of the situations vacant, and the others in like manner, according to their position on the list. 10. Every selected Candidate will enter on six months' probation; and if satisfactory proofs of his fitness be given by the chief of the department, his certificate will be issued by the Civil Service Commissioners. The following situations come under this head, together with a few others :-(1) India Office (Accountant's Branch) and a few other departments of same office. (2) Record Office (London). (3) Civil Service Commission, a few Clerkships. (4) Lunacy Commission. (5) Record Office, Ireland. (6) General Post Office, Secretary's Department. 7. Ecclesiastical Commission. 8. Parliament Office. Indeed the posts coming under this head are "few and far between," only one Examination having been held in three years, from the passing of the order in Council. The Salaries attached are not much better than those coming under the second programme, which is as follows— OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. SECOND CLASS EXAMINATION. Test Examination Fee, 10s., consists of:-1. Handwriting; 2. Orthography; 3. Arithmetic. Age 16 to 20.* It is now impossible for a person to go in for one particular office. He must go in for the group of offices in which the vacancies actually exist at the time, and take the office falling to his place on the successful list, as above-mentioned. Almost all the Government Offices come under this scheme of examination, the salary commencing at from £90 to £100 per annum. The time of holding the examinations depends entirely on the number of vacancies occurring, and is generally once in four months and a-half for about twenty-five places on each occasion. A great amount of proficiency in each subject is absolutely necessary, as the competition is severe. TEMPORARY WRITERS FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE. Writers for copying and other mechanical work, are from time to time examined, and recommended to the various offices as vacancies arise. * See List of exceptions ante. |