(6.) A similar examination in the other language, omitting writing in the native COLONIAL character. 2nd. Government regulations and minutes; the ordinances in force in the Colony. 3rd. Forms of courts and judicial procedure. OFFICE. Examination 4th. An epitome of Roman Dutch law, digest of Kandian customs and mercantile of Ceylon law. Their progress and attainments in the other subjects of the former examinations will also be liable to be inquired into. Colonial Office, January 1, 1870. The Secretary, Civil Service Commission, to the Under Secretary of 30th December 1869. SIR, COUNTY SURVEYORS (IRELAND). The Under Secretary for Ireland, to the Secretary, Civil Service SIR, At the time of the passing of this Act there was in existence a list of persons who had been certified as qualified for the appointment under the provisions of an older act; and the Act of 1862 provided that while appointments might continue to be made from this list, all subsequent appointments should be made after examinations to be held in Dublin by the Civil Service Commissioners. The list referred to is now exhausted, and the time has accordingly come for carrying into effect the new mode of appointment prescribed by the Act of 1862. The Act allows his Excellency to select for each vacancy any one of the persons certified to him by the Civil Service Commissioners, and his Excellency would wish to exercise this choice by appointing on each occasion those persons whom the Commissioners shall report to him to be the best qualified. The post of county surveyor differs from most others for which the selection is made by competitive examination, inasmuch as a county surveyor does not enter on his duties in a subordinate capacity, but has from the first the whole responsibility of the works of his county. On this account his Excellency thinks it undesirable that candidates should be deemed eligible who are not at least 26 years of age; and I am accordingly to suggest that 26 and 40 be the limits of age. It is also essential that the Commissioners should be satisfied as to the character of candidates and their health. Each candidate should be required also to show that he has been engaged in the practice of his profession on adequate works for a sufficient time; or has had in some other way satisfactory opportunities of becoming acquainted with the practice of his profession in some one of the branches lettered below A, B, C, and D. writers. COUNTY SURVEYORS (IRELAND). Open competition (under 25 & 26 Vict. c. 106.) COUNTY SURVEYORS (IRELAND). Open competi tion (under The following is the programme of examination which I am desired to suggest :— Number of Marks. 25 & 26 Vict. c. 106.) PART I. 100 Mathematics, including geometry, trigonometry, 100 Mechanical philosophy, including statics and dyna- 100 40 Geology and mineralogy Estimated Duration of Examination. 340 PART II. 3 days. 100 Strength and other properties of materials, and the 140A Railway and canal engineering 140B Marine engineering, including harbour, dock, sea, 140c Hydraulic engineering, including water supply, 140D County works, including architecture, roads, drainage, N.B.-Each of the groups lettered A, B, C, and D As it is estimated that the examination will extend over not fewer than eight days, it appears desirable that the two parts into which it is divided should be separated from one another by about a fortnight, so that the candidates may not be worn out by the length of the examination upon the last days. I am also desired to suggest that no minimum of marks be required in any subject, in order that a deserving candidate may not be excluded because he may break down in some out of so many subjects; and, on the other hand, that all superficial answering be rejected by cancelling any marks which do not come up to a certain amount, to be fixed by the Commissioners for each paper. It is also very desirable that examinations of this class should recur at stated intervals, and accordingly I am directed by his Excellency to suggest that the examination for County Surveyorships be held annually at such time of year as may least inconvenience candidates engaged in the practice of their profession. June would probably be a good month, and as the nature of the service is such that it does not admit of delay in the filling up of vacancies, it is his Excellency's wish that the names of such a number of the foremost candidates be returned to him after each annual examination as may provide him with a list of two supernumeraries in addition to supplying whatever vacancies may COUNTY SURVEYORS (IRELAND). at the time exist. It is his intention to offer to these gentlemen appointments to the two vacancies which shall next afterwards occur. But before these annual examinations can be set on foot, it is necessary to make speedier provision for two vacancies which at present Open competi exist, and to provide a supernumerary to fill up any vacancy which may tion (under cccur between the date of the first examination and the annual exami- 25 & 26 Vict. nation in June. I am accordingly to propose that a special examination 106.) of the same kind as the suggested annual examinations be held in about seven weeks. This would enable six weeks notice of it to be advertised. If the Commissioners are prepared to accede to this suggestion, advertisements will be issued from this office, giving notice of the examination, directing candidates to signify their intention to compete to the Civil Service Commissioners before such day as you shall name, and informing them that they will thereupon receive further instructions from the Commissioners. I am, &c. The Secretary, Civil Service Commission, to the Under Secretary for SIR, 20th September 1869. I AM directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant, relative to the examinations, under the Act 25 & 26 Vict. c. 106, of candidates for the situation of County Surveyor (Ireland). And in reply, I am to acquaint you that in compliance with the wish of the Lord Lieutenant, the Commissioners will consider 26 and 40 as the prescribed limits of age for the situation in question, and will examine all candidates who may present themselves in the subjects, and under the conditions, set forth in the accompanying schedule. For the situations now vacant they will be prepared to hold a competitive examination, commencing on the 2nd of November, and they will arrange so as to give the candidates a fortnight's interval between the two parts of the examination. With regard to the proposal that a similar examination should take place annually in June, with the view of selecting candidates to be appointed to any vacancies which may occur during the year following, I am to state that the Commissioners would gladly conduct such examinations in the manner proposed; but I am to request that you will submit for the consideration of his Excellency the question whether this course is compatible with the 2nd section of the Act above referred to, which appears, if they rightly understand it, to require that the examination of persons desirous to fill any vacancy should not take place until after such vacancy has occurred. I am, &c. NATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE (IRELAND). NATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE The Secretary, Civil Service Commission, to the Secretaries National (IRELAND). Education Office. GENTLEMEN, 17th February 1870. WITH reference to your letter of the 22nd December last relative to the subjects of examination for the situation of inspector of national schools. Examination of inspectors. NATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE (IRELAND), Examination of inspectors. I am directed by the Civil Service Commissioners to suggest for the consideration of the Board of National Education that under the respective heads of English literature, and rhetoric, and criticism, the text books mentioned below might with advantage be substituted for those which have hitherto been prescribed. I am further to suggest whether it might not be desirable to give out fresh sets of subjects at intervals of two or three years. Literature. I have, &c. Chaucer's prologue and Knight's Tale. Spenser's Fairy Queen. Books I., II. Shakespear (Merchant of Venice and Richard the Second). Dryden's Absalom and Ahithophel. Locke's Essay. Book I. Rhetoric and Criticism. Campbell's Rhetoric. Burke on the Sublime and Beautiful. The Secretaries, National Education Office (Ireland), to the Secretary, Civil Service Commission. SIR, We are, &c. The Secretaries, National Education Office (Ireland), to the Secretary, 28th July 1870. SIR, The Commissioners of National Education have also added a short course of Latin to the obligatory course, and made some other changes, which a perusal of the new programme will explain. The Civil Service Commissioners will please to observe that, in "Trigonometry," the candidates are not to be examined beyond the solution of plane triangles; and in logic in the lessons on reasoning only. We have, &c. |