The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5036, 4 March 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1885.

It has been our sad duty in the past to recognise the fact that (his Colony has suffered very considerably, monetarily, from tbo method, or perhaps, want of method known in the regulation of mattersconnected With the Civil Service. The enormousi drain on; the colonial revenue required to keep up the thHous establishments from time to, time instituted, and added to by successive/Governments, has been one which is now telling it's own tale in the way of taxation, and cannot but seriously undermine the health of this rarely gifted young land. The system of patronage, no .liable to abuse, is one of the diseases from which our Civil Service is, and has long been, suffering, and under which it groans. In the -colony of Victoria tho Government has ' bravely faced this troublesome question, and with a result which must have bfsen more than gratifying to it. Commencing with, the State railways, a Commissioner was appointed, 'who,- acting with an independent Board of Advice, has completely regeneratedthe service;in that department, removed the patronage of employment' of, officers and laborers from political hands, and has placed the Victorian railways on a sound commercial basis. Applicants for employment in its service have to undergo examination as to fitness,, and sinecures' in it are unknown. This railway management,board having proved a most 'decided ;..success**' the " present Ministry of Victoria 'decided that the whole of tho civil service should be placed under the supervision of a similar control, and the satisfactory results which have followed the establishment of a Civil Ser» Vice Board should encourage the neigh-. boring ' colonies .".. to follow, Victoria's . example. From an economical point of view the -result can hardly be doubted, while in the matter of rendering our service more . efficient there can be no":question that, success , will/ follow. ! The abuse of patronage/ is, as we have remarked, one of the chief—if not the chief—•sources of, trouble, and it is, of- course* at /orjice seen that an independent Board, relieved of political ties, is most likely to treat/the manage- 1 went of the service frooi a;clear businfiss point bf view. We must indulge in the' hope that the very /satisfactory results of the experiments tried in the sister colony .WlKnot'bVlbyt'-op/^ that a trial will be given to this method of dealing: withonei of the most troublesome duties of Ministers.;. / //../'' :