§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state when the last open examination took place for clerkships for the Law Courts in Dublin; whether any, and, if so, how many, appointments have since been made to clerkships, and under what circumstances these appointments were made; and whether he can state how many of the present staff were appointed by open competitive examination and how many by other means.
§ MR. VICTOR CAVENDISH(1) The last open examination was held July 22nd, 1903. (2) Since that date six vacancies in junior clerkships have been filled, namely, one by open competition in Accountant-General's Office; one in Lord Chancellor's Chief Clerk's Office, and one in Chancery Registrar's Office by transfers of clerks from Land Judge's Office; one in Bankruptcy Court by promotion of Superintendent of Copyists under proviso in Section 73 of Judicature Act of 1877 exempting any person holding any office or clerkship at the passing of that Act from the provision with regard to open competition; and two in the Probate Office by persons appointed by the Judge assigned for the Probate business under Section 5 of Judicature (No. 2) Act of 1897. (3) Of the present staff of the Supreme Court, excluding Heads of Departments and Staff Officers, twenty-eight were appointed by open competition and forty-five by other means. The provision in the Judicature Act of 1877 which threw open all junior clerkships to open
† See (4) Debates, cxli., 1490.‡ See (4) Debates, cxlv., 87.625 competition preserved their patronage to the then existing Judges, and the persons appointed "by other means" represent those who were appointed by patronage both before and since that Act, including appointments by the Judge assigned for Probate business under the Act of 1897.