Lord Ashbourne on Monday made an excessively long speech in
the House of Lords, accusing Mr. Morley of injustice in removing Mr. Moffett, the President of Galway College, and Mr. Bourke, the Inspector-General of Irish Prisons, from their posts. We cannot honestly say we think he made much of his case. Both gentlemen were removed late in 1894, on the ground that they were beyond the statu- tory age, which in the one case is sixty-five and in the other sixty. Mr. Moffett is sixty-five, and Mr. Bourke sixty-two. Lord Ashbourne showed that, in the judgment of experienced men, Mr. Moffett is still equal to his duties ; and that Mr. Bourke was removed not for inability, but because some changes are contemplated in prison management which he would probably dislike ; but he did not show that - Mr. Morley had not a right, subject to his responsi- bility, to exercise his discretion. He questioned, indeed,. whether Mr. Moffett is legally removable, and he is a great lawyer; but Mr. Morley took the opinion of the law officers of the Crown, and what could he do more ? We dare say both gentlemen feel hurt at being retired, and dislike taking pensions lower than their pay ; but we are jealous of all claims to fixity of tenure in office. The power of removal at a definite age ought to exist somewhere, or the whole service of the State will be enfeebled by a clan of Struldbrugs. The rules fall constantly, especially in the Army, with great severity on individuals who are reduced to idleness while they are quite competent to work on, but they are essential to the Services, in which otherwise the chiefs would be super- annuated and the subordinates hopeless. It is not jobbing to carry out a general rule in the interest of the State and. of all juniors.
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