PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1672, 12 February 1913, Page 3

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

CHARGES REPLIED TO.: ' STATEMENT.BY THE HON. A. L. HERDMAN. Some charges against the administration of the Tublio Trust Office were published yesterday in a local paper. Interviewed on tho, subject last evening, the Hon. A. L. Hcrdnian made the following statement:— "It is quite true that there is a good .deal of overtimo work in the Public Trust Office, but the most of it is paid for. yThoro is a great press of work at four periods of the year, namely, when the yearly and half-yearly balances are being prepared, and when the West Coast Settle-' ment'E-oseijve. rents are being calculated half-yearly for distribution.. Tho period 6o occupied is about sixty days in tlio year, and overtime is paid for these. On i other occasions when overtime is worked it is.not paid for,- but tho staff receives tea money.. "There has been special strain of late owing to special causes, and this has led to night work. Tho Commissioners 'irequired returns which had to be promptly prepared. Then thero have been a good many changes ,in ,- the stuff, which has led'to a certain amount of disorganisation, and, consequently, overtime. Moreover, twenty of tho staff will havo to go into camp shortly, and it is necessary i that their work should bo brought well up to date before they leave. To this, of course, mult be added the,steadily in-, creasing volume of office business, but every effort is made to cope with it. Within', the last two years no fewer than 72 new officers have been appointed. l ' "As regards salary—it may be that the .average salary does not exceed .£l5O, but it must be remembered that a very large proportion of the staff consisls of cadets. These gentlemen are raoidly qualifying for .more-responsible positions, but, of I'course, this is a matter of time, and their .salary is -regulated accordingly. It has always been considered by tho Public Trustee, and I quite agree with him, thai it is not fair to -tho staff to brinf outriders in at higher salaries. In the Public Trust Office the policy is pursued of>training the cadets to fill the higher posts. As a consequence, it may appsar that the average /of the tfilarios is not high. .-,•-.

, "I am nleased to be able M say the*,ro far.OT.I cin'learn, the sKiff.'is an able, ono, and performs its very arduous duties with gr«at nbiltty and chperfulne«s. ■ ■

'Th«'wliolo quWion of the staffing of v the office was TOrticnlarly referred by nm to the Commissioners, and will; be-'de->lt with by them when they report'to his -Excellency - the Governor. A perusal of tho order of raferonee published bv Wellington papers nn December U and'lG ivill show that the Commissioners are required f» report upon the nuestion as to whether the Public Trrrt Office is well and sufficiently staffed".