The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

248 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1851-4
from its unsystematic nature, so much abounds. Every
uninformed person would naturally assume that all
provincial postmasters (deputy-postmasters, as they
are technically called) must be appointed by the Post-
master-General ; whereas, at the time in question, all
such appointments were in the hands of the Treasury.
Still worse, the nomination was left in effect to the
member of parliament for the district where the
vacancy occurred, provided only he were a general
supporter of the Government. Of this anomaly the
Commissioners recommended the removal, not only
on account of the more obvious reasons, but also
"because the power which the Postmaster-General
would possess of rewarding meritorious officers in his
own department, by promoting them to the charge
of the important provincial offices, would materially
conduce to the general efficiency of the whole body."
This recommendation the Treasury so far adopted
as to concede to the Postmaster-General the appointment
to all postmasterships where the salary exceeded
;i75 per annum, observing that the principle of
making such appointment the reward of merit " would
be inapplicable in all cases where the post office is
held in conjunction with a private business or pro-
fession." And here I may remark that, though
it is
true that the powers and responsibilities of the chief
office can never be placed on a completely satisfactory
footing until all subordinate appointments are placed
at its disposal, still the concession made was very
large and highly valuable, and the relinquishment
of so much patronage reflects great honour on the
Liberal Administration then in power.*
The last recommendation which I shall cite is one of
* A subsequent concession reduced the minimum to 120.