PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18228, 12 November 1924, Page 11

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

TO THZ EEITOH OF "THE PEXSbSir, —Your contributor "Jurist' i* l his second article says: "One may ba permitted to ask whether this farreaching Public Trust Office Amendment Act' 1921--2 received at the handi of the "Legislature that consideration which its imoonancc to bencticwr.es wtu.se estates, happen to be administered by .the Ihiblic I'rustec, merited. ALuv 1 recommend your contributor to pursue this' aspect of the mutter a little- further and to give the public trie benefit.of his search. lam not quits 6ure whether tbe Bill originated in the House, or tho Council, but I think it was the latter, and that the Bill was bcfcTe Parliament; for a period of less than seven davs to which the House contributed somo two days. To this may be added that the Bill was considered in the dying hours of the 6ession. "Considered"" is probably toe complimentary a term to use," but Hansard will show the. extent of the consideration.

Investigation will probably show that this Department makes a practice or introducing its amending Bills at the end of the session, and, if so, it must not be hurt if the public draws the conclusion that this is done deliberately and so-that no opportunity shall be afforded of making a protest. I put the matter in this way because I am too busy to do the actual investigation myself, and "as -your contributor is. engaged in the work he will probably be glad to do so. ' But my statements will be found to bo very near the actual facts. I saj' this' because I did enquire into the position afc the timo th-e> Bill Kecam6 law, but I am new writing from memory. *

I am a solicitor in active practice and I' am able tb say, therefore, that it is quite a mistake to. suggest .that tho legal profession, is opposed to the Public Trust Oflico per sc.. This opposition has only been shown in comparatively recent years, and it: is. due,, not to the existence of the office, but to the manner in which the office is run. Tho legal profession wr.rk quite amicably with the various Trust Companies'and, indead. frequently suggest to clients the appointment, of one of thoso companies as trustee. One of your correspondents (an apologist- for the Public Trust Office) apoears to think that the Trust' Contoanies are run by members of the legal profession. So far as my knowledge goes (arid it'iV definite with regard to two companies) that idea is absolutely erroneous.—Yours', ote.. ' ' SOLICITOR.