176 REPORT—1858. 
new Stamp Act came into operation, by which the duties payable on conveyances:and 
mortgages were very largely reduced. Beginning with the year 1843, the operations 
of building societies have gradually assumed some importance. The number of deeds 
registered in connexion with these societies had risen from 31 in the year 1843, to 
637 in 1857, the largest number being 682 in 1855. The total for the last fifteen years 
was 4608. A system of registry which enabled a vendor or mortgagor to show readily 
that he had a satisfactory title, and which secured the purchaser or mortgagee against 
secret and fraudulent conveyances, must be a benefit, provided the cost of its attain- 
ment be not too great. The distinctive feature of the West Riding Registry was, that 
while anyone might search and inspect its records, there was, nevertheless, no expo- 
sure of private affairs. In conclusion, Mr. Dibb suggested that a consideration of the 
statistics of the West Riding Register would afford many very useful suggestions to- 
wards the establishment of a general register, as well in those particulars which it 
might be desirable to adopt, as in those which it might be prudent to avoid. 
Mr. Donnetty, Registrar-General of Ireland, gave an account of the manner in 
which agricultural statistics are collected in that country. About 4000 enumerators, 
selected from the constabulary force for their intelligence, were employed last year. 
The names of all occupiers, nearly 600,000, are obtained, and, so far as could be ascer- 
tained, not a single tenant farmer, however small his holding, refused to give the 
required information. This success he attributed mainly to the assistance afforded by 
the landed proprietors, magistracy, and clergy of all denominations, and by the press, in 
removing prejudices against these inquiries; but particularly to the gratuitous distri- 
bution, annually, of about 10,000 copies of ‘General Abstracts*,’ which show, by 
counties, the number of live stock, and the acreage under each crop, all reference to 
the property of any individual being carefully avoided. Tables of the estimated pro- 
duce of the various crops, and of the size of the holdings, in nine classes, by baronies, 
and Poor Law Unions, are also subsequently published, so that these statistics are be- 
coming more perfect each year, and are now very popular in Ireland, 
On Public Service, Academic, and Teachers’ Examinations. 
By James Heywoon, F.A#.S. 
English public service examinations are of two kinds; comprising a special adap- 
tation to the business of each respective office in the case of candidates nominated by 
private influence; and a more general range of examination, so as to admit candidates 
from public schools or the ancient universities, in the case of competitive examinations, 
without nomination. 
For the civil service of the Government at home, a nomination by private influence 
is the first requisite; candidates thus obtain a place on the list for examination in the 
department to which they desire to belong ; the examinations vary according to the 
requirements of the different offices of state, and are frequently special. 
Under the Committee of Council of Education, the preliminary examination for 
clerkships includes, writing from dictation, arithmetic, bookkeeping, the précis and 
digest of forms into summaries, making fair copies from rough notes, and the calcus 
lation of per-centages. 
A competitive examination follows, which comprises English composition, geography, 
history, mathematics, and natural science. 
The organization of competitive examinations for the Royal Military Academy, 
Woolwich, was carried into effect with the aid of the Right Hon. W. Monsell, M.P., 
Sir Benjamin Hawes, and the Rev. H. Moseley. Age in the candidates is limited to 
between seventeen and twenty years; a certificate of good character is required from 
each candidate, and an inspection by military surgeons is ordered, to prove the bodily 
fitness of the candidates for the performance of military duties. No nomination is 
requisite, but the examination is conducted on the basis of the general education of 
the country, and is intended to admit the competition of candidates educated in the 
public schools, so that candidates for the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers may, 
have secured the acknowledged advantages of the training of these schools, which are 
connected quite as much with the large open play-grounds, and bold athletic games. 
* These Abstracts cost One Penny each. 
