Candidates for Writerships will be examined in

Obligatory.-1. Handwriting. 2. Orthography. 3. Copying Figures and Tabular Statements. Optional.-4. Copying Manuscript. 5. Arithmetic.

BOY WRITERS (1) Handwriting. (2) Orthography. (3) Elementary Arithmetic.

Fee for permission to attend one of these examinations, 58. and 2s. 6d. respectively.

Age-The limit of age for men writers is over 18; the age for boy writers is from 14 to 18.

Payment The payment will be either by the piece or by the hour. Candidates are now for the most part paid at the rate of 10d. an hour. In some offices many are employed at extra hours, for which they are paid at the usual rate--and the minimum is 5s. a day for men, or 1d. for every 100 words, and 12s. a-week for boys.

By referring to the tabularized list of Public Offices Candidates may form a tolerably correct idea as to the comparative value of the vacancies in the various departments when they are selecting an office after a successful examination.

Candidates resident in Scotland and Ireland are, for the most part, when it is possible, examined in Edinburgh and Dublin, by means of papers transmitted from, and returned to, London.

Competitive Examinations.

The great majority of examinations are competitive; and, though in many places, particularly in country districts, there still remains a lingering disposition to believe that the candidate who has been recommended by the most influential party has the best chance of success, we have never known an instance in which we could trace the slightest partiality to the examiners.

All Competitive Examinations under Class I., are held in London, as well as those for Woolwich, direct Commissions, Control Department, Household Brigade, Cooper's Hill College, India Forest, India Civil Service, &c., together with those examinations for most appointments under the Foreign Office. Under Class II. of the new Regulations, examinations are held simultaneously in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh, as already explained. For the Excise Department of the Inland Revenue, competitions are held twice a year, for about 100 places, in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Galway.

Superannuation.

The Superannuation Act of 1859 enables the permanent Civil Servants to retire on attaining the age of sixty; but those under this age who wish to retire, must produce medical testimony that they are, from mental or bodily infirmity, incapable of efficiently discharging their duties.

On the head of their department testifying to their good conduct, the Treasury grant a retiring pension in accordance with the following scale :

I.--An allowance of ten-sixtieths of his salary and emoluments to every person who has served ten years and under eleven years.

II. An allowance of eleven-sixtieths of his salary and emoluments to every person who has served eleven years and under twelve years.

III. And, in like proportion, until a service of forty years is completed, when forty-sixtieths, the maximum retiring allowance, is granted.

IV. The Treasury, however, from some special qualifications, or some very important public services performed, very often add years to a gentleman's service on his retirement; but in no case does the pension exceed the salary.*

Messengers, Matrons, Housekeepers, &c.

We have not considered it necessary, in some instances, to tabularize the qualifications and salaries of these officers. As a general rule, the ages extend to 40 or 45, the salaries vary very much, and the requirements are usually-writing from dictation, first four rules of arithmetic (not including the compound rules), and in a few instances, reading.

Entrance Age.

In reference to age the inquiry is very strict; and for the open competition examinations, one day under or over the age disqualifies. It is customary to allow five years additional to the prescribed age to candidates 2 years in the Public Service, who entered it within the prescribed limits.

It is now (August 1870) contemplated to enforce the following from an old Act of Parliament of 1834:-"If an officer has not been in receipt of the salary he enjoys at the time of retirement, or in the class from which he retires, for a period of at least three years immediately before the granting of" his " superannuation allowance," such allowance "shall be calculated upon the average amount of salary received by such person for three years next preceding the commencement of such allowance "

Messengers

ger £100.