§ MR. ISAACS (Newington, Walworth)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the candidates at the Examination held last April for Clerk of Works to Her Majesty's Office of Works and Buildings have complained of the too theoretical character of the examination, and if it will be reformed and rendered more practical in the future; if the clause, which stipulates that a candidate "shall have been employed five years superintending buildings," shall be read as fixing the time to be wholly devoted to such duties; and, if a healthy, noiseless, and comfortable room, suited to the purposes of an examination, will be provided for conducting the examinations in future?
§ THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)There were some complaints from candidates examined last April for Clerk of Works in the Office of Works and Buildings as to the too theoretical character of the examination; but, on inquiry into the matter, those complaints proved to be groundless under the existing Regulations. The Civil Service Com- 339 missioners are not aware whether the Office of Works consider that the Regulations require to be reformed; but it is understood that the matter is under consideration. The Civil Service commissioners do not consider that the clause, which stipulates that "a candidate shall have been employed at least five years in the superintendence of buildings," should be read as fixing the time to be wholly devoted to such duties. The candidates on the occasion in question were examined in a healthy, noiseless, and comfortable room in the Office of the Civil Service Commission in Cannon Row.