Mr. John Morley asked a question on Monday concerning the
appointment of the Second Charity Commissioner, Mr. Charles .Alderson (Lord Salisbury's brother-in-law), with a special salary, to the post formerly filled by Mr. Longley, who has (very rightly) been placed at the head of the Commission. Sir Michael Hicks- Beach's reply was not at all satisfactory. Nothing is more certain than that the Second Charity Commissioner ought to be a good lawyer, with a complete command of all the law needed by a Commission which has to deal with so many thorny legal questions in connection with charitable trusts. Nothing is more certain than that Mr. Alderson, though an accomplished school-inspector and a most amiable and honourable man, has all his work to learn in relation to subjects of this kind, and that he cannot in any way fill at present the place which was created for Mr. Longley, and which was specially endowed in order to make it worth Mr. Longley's acceptance. In point of fact, Mr. Alderson will not be required to deal principally with what alone he does know well,—the administration and inspection
of school,—and will be required to deal with a kind of work for• which his merely nominal qualifications as a lawyer have by no means fitted him. He will do all that diligence and ability can do to discharge his duties well. But a very much better appoint- ment might have been made, as every one who knows the work of the office is well aware ; and that it was not made must, we fear, be attributed to considerations which should not come into play at all till every effort has been made to provide for the efficiency of the Department.
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