The Government appears disposed to go some little way towards
meeting the wish of the tradesmen that Civil Servants should no longer be connected with Stores. They will be very powerful in medium boroughs at the elections. By a circular, dated December 10th, the Home Secretary has called upon all Departments to send, up lists of "all persons within the 'United Kingdom for whose payment provision is made in the Estimates," and who devote any portion of their time to companies trading for profit. The names of all office-bearers in such companies who happen to be Civil Servants are also to be Bent up. From the wording of the order, it would seem that even -pensioners are included ; and the order has led to strong remonstrances, as the Civil Servants believe that they are entitled- to do what they like with their evenings or other spare time. They need not be much alarmed. Parliament will not interfere with them, the country gentlemen not being afraid of the tradesmen, or the Ministry anxious to do anything, except appear courteous and. friendly to a powerful class. Mr. Cross might as well ask for a return of all the civilians who eat suppers or keep late hours, on the ground that such practices -tended to accelerate superannuation, and so to cause prospective -damage to the Treasury.
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