HC Deb 26 June 1906 vol 159 cc758-60
MR. WALTER LONG

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the opinion of the Irish Land Commissioners, the arrangement made with their approval some years ago for testing, by independent examination, at the hands of the Civil Service Commissioners, persons proposed to be appointed for the first time to the position of Assistant Commissioner, has worked satisfactorily; whether the views of the Land Commission were ascertained before it was recently determined to set aside this arrangement; and whether it has been decided to abrogate the arrangement in the cases of future similar appointments.

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) Without expressing any disapproval of the arrangement by which some years ago, certain persons were examined by the Civil Service Commissioners for the position of Assistant Land Commissioner, the Irish Government considered that an examination is not necessary where there existed ample evidence, aliunde, not only of the fitness but of the special merits of certain of the candidates who offered themselves for these posts. It would be improper to state the nature of confidential communications which passed between the Land Commission and the Government. The Lord-Lieutenant has not arrived at any decision as to whether the method of examination by the Civil Service Commissioners will be used in the future or not.

MR. WALTER LONG

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what is the date of the Land Commission rule prescribing qualifications for the position of Assistant Land Commissioner; whether he will enumerate these qualifications; whether contemporaneously with the making of the rule the Irish Government arranged, with the full approval of the Land Commission, that all persons proposed thereafter to be appointed for the first time to the office of Assistant Commissioner should be required to undergo examination, conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners, in order to test their qualifications as set forth in the rule; and in what manner, without such independent examination, were these qualifications specifically tested in the case of the five now Assistant Commissioners who were recently appointed.

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The date of the rule is March 13th, 1899, The qualifications are prescribed in the following provision of the rules:—The following persons shall be competent to be appointed for the first time to the office of Assistant Commissioner:—Practising barristers and solicitors of not less than six years' standing; Persons possessing the following qualifications:—(a) A practical acquaintance with the value of land in Ireland, and knowledge of the methods of land valuation; (b) Knowledge of the principles of land surveying and mapping, including skill in computing areas from maps and plans; (c) General educational fitness; and (d) Physical health, and capacity for outdoor work in connection with land valuation. There is nothing to show that the arrangement as to Civil Service examination was intended to apply generally to all persons proposed thereafter to be appointed. No arrangement of the kind, even if contemplated, could have been binding, because the appointments in question are made by the Lord-Lieutenant for the time being, who may adopt any method he thinks suitable for satisfying himself that the persons to be appointed possess the prescribed qualifications. As to the concluding inquiry, I beg to refer to my reply to the Question of the hon. Member for Mid Armagh on May 10th, 1906.†