MINUTE TO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 151 



upon the chance occurrence of vacancies. It is most 

 strong!}' felt by this Society that promotion by Seniority 

 and the waiting for " dead men's shoes " is fatal to con- 

 tented service, and that a fully qualified scientific officer, 

 with the social obligations of an e'ducated man, should 

 not be taken into the Service at all unless he can be 

 assured of promotion on satisfactory service, to at least 

 £800 per annum. The suggested efficiency barrier at £500 

 is sufficient to block indolents or incompetents, and more 

 solid work will be given by an enthusiastic officer on £800 

 than can be extracted from two discontented officers on 

 less. 



Seniority. 



The suggestion has been put forward by certain 

 vigorous members that all rank and file officers should 

 be regarded as of '^ equal seniority", as soon as they 

 reach the top of their grade. The present system of treat- 

 ing seniorit}^ as the main credential for promotion is 

 regarded as basically bad, and they maintain that a 

 system in which personal antiquity is taken into undue 

 consideration is subversive of the best interests of the 

 service. They urge that the " Chamois should not be ex- 

 pected to climb by the mule path '^ and that grey hairs 

 are not in themselves deserving of respect. 



Ceteris paribus^ Seniority must of course be considered, 

 but a system by which official seniority disappears at the 

 top of a grade has much to recommend it. Once the 

 principle were clearly recognised there should be little 

 heart-burning, the promotion of a younger man would no 

 longer be regarded as a " superceding " of an older, while 

 a direct inducement would be offered to individual energy. 



Higher Degrees and Post-Graduate Experience. 



It is regarded as most important that due recognition 

 should be given to graduates entering the Service with 

 qualifications above the ^^ minimum entrance require- 



