Government Appointments. INTRODUCTION. ALTHOUGH it may be assumed that the intending candidate for the Civil Service has fairly resolved on devoting his efforts to the task of gaining for himself a position in some approaching competitive examination, it may not be out of place to remind him that the information and hints for his guidance, referred to in the following pages, will only be of service as long as his attention and energy continue to be perseveringly applied with the view of ensuring success. Good abilities and a fair education are very influential, but the "plodder" may reckon with equal confidence on a succesful issue, provided he devotes his whole energy and attention in mastering the details of the papers referred to in former examinations, seeing that the papers which he will be required to work out at the examinations, will, in all probability, be very similar to the examples already recorded. Examinations are held whenever there are a sufficient number of vacancies in the Civil Service, and these are usually filled up by competition. The Civil Service Commissioners, for that purpose, announce by advertisement that preliminary and competitive examinations will be held to fill these vacancies, at specified times, under the official regulations, usually in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Bristol, Leeds, Cork and Belfast. Intending candidates must make application to the Secretary of the Civil Service Commission for a Form of admission to the preliminary examination, at least ten days before-hand, which is as follows: Form A. FORM TO BE FILLED UP BY CANDIDATES FOR **The Order for admission to the Preliminary Examination will be posted on the preceding the day selected for Examination to the address given on the Form of application. The Orders for admission to the Competitive Examination will be posted on the They will, in each case, contain instructions as to the manner in which the fee is to be paid. Candidates who have already passed a Preliminary Examination and desire to be admitted to the forthcoming Competitive Examinatio should fill up the following Form B. This form must be sent so as to be received by the Secretary, Civil Service Commission, not later than the Boy Clerks desiring to compete among themselves, under clause 11 of the Order in Council of 12th February, 1876, should fill up the following Form C. SIR, I request that you will send me an Order for admission to the Preliminary Examination, appointed to be held at* on the+ of 188. I beg to inform you that I wast Civil Service Commissioners in the month of § , as a Candidate for the situation of year 18 examined before the in the I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Name in full Address to which it is desired that the Order for Examination should be sent Date To the Secretary, Civil Service Commission. *State the place at which you wish to be examined, i.e., London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Bristol, Leeds, Cork, or Belfast. + Insert here the date on which you wish to be examined, which must be either or If you have never been examined, insert here the word "never." § If you have been examined, give the date, &c., of the last occasion. Form B. This Form should not be detached from the Form above. FORM TO BE FILLED UP BY CANDIDATES WHO HAVE PASSED A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION* AND WHO DESIRE TO BE ADMITTED TO THE COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION. SIR, The Order for admission to the Competitive Examination will not be issued unless this Form, filled up by the Candidate himself, is received by the Secretary of the Civil Service Commission on or before the Having been informed that I have satisfied the Commissioners in the subjects of the Preliminary Examination for Men Clerkships in the Lower Division of the Civil Service, I request that you will send me an Order for admission to the Competitive Examination appointed to commence on the If successful in the competition I shall be prepared to satisfy the Commissioners that my age on the was not under 17 nor over 20, and that I am of good health and character. I desire to be examined att Name in full I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Address to which it is desired that the Order for Examination should be FORM TO BE FILLED UP BY BOY CLERKS WHO DESIRE TO BE ADMITTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CLAUSE 11 OF THE ORDER IN COUNCIL OF THE 12TH FEBRUARY, 1876, TO COMPETE AMONG THEMSELVES FOR MEN CLERKSHIPS OF THE LOWER DIVISION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. [Candidates may compete at the same time in the Open Competition. If they wish to do so, they should fill up the Form marked B. as well as this form.] **The Order for admission will not be sent unless this Form, filled up by the Candidate himself, is received by the Secretary, Civil Service Commission, on or before the SIR, Having served as a Boy Clerk for the time required by the above Clause, I beg to be admitted to a limited competition for Men Clerkships of the Lower Division. I desire to be examined att *Certificated Boy Clerks are regarded for this purpose as being in the same position as if they had passed the Preliminary Examination for Men Clerkships. + State the place at which you wish to be examined, i.e., London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Bristol, Leeds, Cork, or Belfast. The Certificate required by the Clause has already been sent to the Civil Service Commissioners. Name in full I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, Address to which it is desired that the Order for Examination should be sent The Secretary, Civil Service Commission. Date EXTRACT from the Order in Council of the 12th February, 1876. 11. Boy Clerks shall not be retained as such in any Department after completing their 19th year; but they may, after two years (or, if admitted after 17 years of age, one year) of good service, to be certified in writing by the Head of their Department to the Civil Service Commissioners, compete under "Regulation II.," among themselves, for so many Men Clerkships of the Lower Division as shall not exceed one-fourth of the number of competitors. Separate lists shall be made out of the competitors successful in the limited competitions, and selections for appointmentsto Men Clerkships shall (subject to Clause 9 of this Order) be made alternately from these lists and from the lists of competitors successful in the open competitions (Clause 5). ORDER FOR EXAMINATION. [N.B.-This Order must not be understood as implying any decision on the part of the Civil Service Commissioners as to the eligibility of the Candidate to whom it is issued. If the Candidate does not intend to present himself, this paper should be sent back by return of post.] Civil Service Stamp or Stamps to the value of 5s. to be placed here. See Instructions below.** Mr. having passed the Preliminary Examination for Clerkships in the Lower Division of the Civil Service as prescribed by the Regulations; It is ordered that he be admitted to the Competitive Examination to be held by the Civil Service Commissioners at on Monday, and following days. By Order of the Civil Service Commissioners, Secretary. **This Order must be produced on the first day of the Examination, bearing a Civil Service Stamp or Stamps (none other will be admitted) of the value of 5s., on the space indicated. Candidates are recommended to obtain the Stamps before the first day of the Examination. GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS. By the Order in Council of 4th June, 1870, most of the clerical situations in the Government Service were thrown open to public competition. Before this the prevailing system was limited competition-i.e., the candidate required to be nominated before he was permitted to be examined by the Civil Service Commissioners; the nominations given for any one situation being limited to three or four. Limited Competition was introduced in 1855, before which year the nominee to a Civil Service appointment was required to pass only a superficial examination, and that usually before the principal of the department to which he was appointed. This system, however, gave rise to many scandals, and made the Service inefficient to such a degree as to render a literary test essential, and so far as many departments were concerned, imperative. In pursuance of the Order in Council of 1870, the clerical part of the Service was divided into two classes-a very high scheme of examination being fixed on for Class I. The scheme for Class II., however, was such as to be within the reach of any one of ordinary capacity, who had been an attentive pupil at an elementary school, but this Class was abolished by the Order in Council of 12th February, 1876, and instead of it was formed a Lower Division of the Civil Service, to which numerous appointments have already been made. The first Order in Council, in recognition of a new system of examination for the Civil Service, was issued on the 31st of May, 1855, and it affords an insight into the B |