H.—l2

6

NUMBER OP CANDIDATES EXAMINED. At Auckland, 52; Thames, 9 ; Tauranga, 2 ; Opotiki, 1 ; Napier, 4; New Plymouth, 21; Wanganui, 15 ; Wellington, 42 ; Blenheim, 4 ; Nelson, 39 ; Westport, 1; Reefton, 1; Hokitika, 9 ; Christchurch, 22 ; Oamaru, 8 ; Dunedin, 31; Invercargill, 6 : total, 267 Since the establishment of the Board the number of candidates examined has been as follows : — Tear. Examined. Passed. Year. Examined. Passed. 1869 .. .. 12 6 1877 164 75 1870 16 10 1878 199 96 1871 .. ... 11 5 1879 .. 211 107 1872 ... .. 39 18 1880 222 80 1873 ... 57 38 1881 (half-year) 45 11 1874 ... 56 47 1875 .. .. 65 50 1,200 600 1876 103 57

CIVIL SERVICE LITERARY PRIZE. An offer having been made to the Board of a sum of £5 per annum, for five years, to provide for prizes for the best essays on the principles and practice of parliamentary government, and cognate subjects, the Board announced that the subject for the year 1880 should be "The Development of Constitutional Liberty in England;" to be competed for under the following conditions: (1.) Competition to be open to all persons under the age of twenty-five years at this date who have passed either the Junior or Senior Civil Service Examination, and who are in the Service at the time of competition. (2.) The prize to be in books or money, at the option of the prize-taker. (3.) Essays to be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only (4.) Essays to be delivered to the Secretary of the Civil Service Examination Board, "Wellington, by the 31st December, 1880. (5.) No competitor to allow his name to appear on his essay, but to adopt a motto or cypher, which is also to be written on a sealed envelope containing the author's name, and attached to the essay (6.) The prize will not be awarded unless there is an essay which, in the judgment of the examiners, is of sufficient merit to entitle the author to receive it. (7 ) Competitors are advised to keep copies of their essays, as those sent to the Board will not be returned. Three essays were received, but none of them appeared to the examiners to be deserving of the prize, which was accordingly not awarded. The donor of the prize was informed of the result, and, with his consent, the unexpended amount has been added to the prize for the present year. The subject for the essay is " The Constitutional Influence of the House of Commons in England on Questions of Peace and War." The conditions are the same as those of last year, and essays must be lodged with the Secretary to the Board by the 31st December, 1881.

RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE. Receipts. Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. Voted by Parliament for year 1880-81 250 0 0 Preparation of papers, and valuation Moiety for 1881-82 ... .. 125 0 0 of candidates' work 200 4 0 Fees ... ... ... 79 15 0 Supervision of candidates during work ... 134 8 0 Hire of examination halls, stationery, &c. .. 28 0 11 Attendance fee of member of Board, not being a member of the Civil Service ... 37 10 0 £400 2 11 Balance 54 12 1 £454 15 0 £454 15 0 I have, &c, Gr. &. Coopeb, Chairman.

Authority: Q-bobob Didsbuby, G-overnment Printer, Wellington.—lBBl.