NEW OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.
[To THE EDrroa OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—It was notorious before the war began that the King's Bench Division of the Irish High Court of Justice was overmanned. The High Court business has steadily declined during the war, and is never likely to revive. The K.B.D. Judges are more or less idle, through no fault of their own. Few of them are to be found at work in the afternoon. There are, moreover, several Judges outside the King's Bench Division who have very little to do and whose services can be requisitioned to assist, if needed. About two years ago a vacancy occurred in the King's Bench Division which was left unfilled and the salary saved, with general approval and at no inconvenience to any one. A few weeks ago, however, the vacancy was filled by the appointment of a barrister with valid claims on his political party, but who might very well have been otherwise provided for, and thus a totally unnecessary charge put on the revenue. It is now freely stated that the vacancy in the Irish Land Commission, due to the lamented death of the late Mr. Bailey, is about to be filled by a member of the party opposed to that of which the last new Judge was a member. Most of the functions of the Irish Land Commission are now in abeyance. The work could easily be done by one Commissioner with the assistance of the competent staff, and can certainly be done by the two surviving Commissioners. The services of a number of subordinate officials have been dis- pensed with for the purpose of saving the Treasury the expense of their salaries, and in some cases their dismissal has involved serious hardship. The loyal members of the community in Ire- land are uncomplainingly bearing their share of the burdens of the war and doing their best to comply with the exhortations to economy in various shapes addressed to them, and to " do their bit " in every way; but they are aggrieved at the funds, to which they are at great inconvenience contributing, being used to pro- vide salaries for perfectly unnecessary officials. This may seem a small matter compared with the bigger blunders of the Govern- ment in their treatment of this part of the United Kingdom, but I venture to think it is one to which attention should be called in your columns.—I am, Sir, &c., A LOYAL IRISH TAXPAYER.
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