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English. — For Senior Civil Service. Time allowed : 3 hours. Papeb No. 1, —Composition and Peecis. 1. Point out and correct anything you see wrong in the following sentences : — (a.) They even claimed property in anonymous authors, and in particular obtained an injunction against printing The Whole Duty of Man, the sex of which author was even to this day unknown. (&.) By waiting till he saw the force of his rival begin to abate, he recovered not only all that he had lost, but made new acquisitions. (c.) The new Italian bank-note is adorned in the two lower corners with portraits of Cavour and of Christopher Columbus. (d.) I saw nothing of interest in the town, and, not knowing what time there was to spare, I made no endeavour to do so. (c.) Dickens as a reporter was the ablest of all his colleagues. 2. Write an essay on one of the following subjects : — The character of Polonius, showing how it was such as to excite the dislike and contempt displayed by Hamlet. Pope's lines on Bacon : — " If parts allure thee, think how Bacon shined, The wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind." The benefits of cheap postage. 3. Make an abstract of the accompanying correspondence. [An abstract serves the purposes of an index. It should give, with respect to each letter, the date, the writer, the person addressed, and, in as few words as possible, the subject.] 4. Make & precis of the same correspondence. [The precis should give the substance of the correspondence in narrative form, so that any one who had not read the letters might get full information from the precis. Nothing immaterial should be inserted, but great care must be taken not to omit anything of any consequence. The merits of a precis consist of a combination of brevity, distinctness, and completeness.]

No. 1. Sib, — Bremier's Office, Wellington, 25th June, 1891. I have to acknowledge receipt, through our Agent-General, of your letter, dated the 2nd April last, referring to the position of debenture-holders of the New Plymouth Harbour Board. Our Parliament being in session, and the matter contained in your communication being of so much importance, I have deemed it advisable to refer the correspondence to the Public Accounts Committee of the House for their consideration. Upon their report being received by the Government, I shall do myself the pleasure of sending you a reply. I have, &c, The Bight Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bart, M.P., J. Ballance. Chairman, Council of Foreign Bondholders, 17, Moorgate Street, London, E.C.

No. 2. Sic, Premier's Office, Wellington, 3rd Decemher, 1891. I have the honour to enclose herewith a reply to Sir John Lubbock's letter, of the 2nd April last, on the subject of the default of the New Plymouth Harbour Board in payment of interest on their loan, which I shall be obliged by your handing to Sir John Lubbock. I also enclose a copy of the reply, for your information. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Ballance.

Enclosure in No. 2. Sib Premier's Office, Wellington, 3rd December, 1891. Eeferring to my letter of the 25th June last, wherein I promised to advise you of the result of the deliberations of Parliament (which was then in session) in connection with the claims of the New Plymouth Harbour Board debenture-holders, on account of the default made by that Board in the payment of interest upon bonds held in London, the claims being more particularly set forth in your letter dated the 2nd April last, addressed to my Government, as Chairman of the Council of Foreign Bondholders, I am now able to inform you of the decisions which were arrived by the Committees appointed to investigate the matters arising out of the default made by the Harbour Board as previously mentioned. The New Plymouth Harbour Committee presented their report to the House of Bepresentatives on the 19th August last, and recommended " the Government to open negotiations with the Council of Foreign Bondholders with the view of replacing the debentures of the New Plymouth Harbour Board with New Zealand stock on equitable terms." On the same clay the Bublic Accounts Committee reported that, " having considered the correspondence relating to the payment of interest by the New Plymouth Harbour Board, resolved to report that the Committee cannot recommend Parliament to take any action in the matter." The reports of the Committees were fully and exhaustively debated by the Government and members in the House, and the conclusion arrived at was that it could not be admitted for one moment that the colony could accept liability for any local loan. The terms of the Act, and of the debentures issued by the Board thereunder, expressly provided that the revenues of the colony should not be made liable for the principal or interest of the money borrowed by the Board. The Government have very carefully considered the various points raised in your letter now under reply, and have come to the conclusion that, without direct instructions from Parliament, they are unable to give effect to the proposals contained in your letter under consideration, for, if the colony once decided to accept liability in connection with any local loans, it would,, without doubt, 2—E. la.