PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2165, 2 June 1914, Page 6

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE

MR. RUSSELL'S CHARGES. . (Bir Telcsmiii.-Prcsfi jyssoctoUon.) Ohrlslchurch, Juno I. Sear by a «i#rte, Mi 1 . G. W. ]{ us . soli, M.F., yesterday made a statoMtt« /•mmneniing or. the Hon. A. k Herd* mail's reply to ehai'se.s tend® I>y him (Mr, Russell) with reference to tie Minister's conduct of tiio affairs of tile Public Trust Office. 1 M ii&'ticc that, at Haiyiu'deii," said Mr. Russell, "ilio Hon, Mr. Hwdtnan d-'Uverwd -an alleged reply to my criticism, regarding Ms action. ill rjiforeuc-e to iis.- Public Trust Offlv;(? s with stm» skill, and ho triumphantly prodaces a report from someone Jiuji-ftiiied who is au c-ffeei- of the Department (:ij)jjai-o!itiyii«t tin-! Pahlie Trustee) to proyssi that the Public Trust Ogi.ee rontiiuios to flourish, All this is mare y«rWago> lacaat to cover his ignominy in a cloud of words. Ilfl n.evftr aj)-proae-lies my char#:*, wfeiiA were.- as follow:—(I) That Mr Kerdiimii slippressed and withheld from Pj rliamcnt tile annual report- of the Public Trus'tce because that report stieec.sst'ully vindicated the establishment of a branch which had bean condemned by a lay member of the commission; (3) that Mr. Itwdman, in hU place- in Parliament, unequivocally domed that such a report was it* ilw possession of the Government, when. i;s a matier of fact. it was in print ready to bo laid an the table a{ the Houses; (3) that) iit tininstigation of the. Wellington Law Society',' Mr. Hortlman eliminated from tiie Public Trust'Bill of hist ye»f, »rep»fo<i by the Depftflitttttt, ."ill t,h'> daus&s objected to by tlw society, and which members of iliHouse ««» ha«l an owpovtiinisy of passing judgment apAn. Tl.ie-ti charges are oKnr and spepiflv." said Xl.r Rnssellj "anil no amtsmii of wrigglint; flan extricate Mr. tferdniiin from ilw ■pit which be is in. If is not a question of whether the Doiiarltr.ont is, or ?wt. prosperous. I feel sum tlnvt its prosperity will eohtimro whilst ss abte a mMi «is Dr. Ktehett is allowed -t& nitinEtfrfi it without interference by his poll* tical chief, The jjnestwn which. tiio public have to- dflaitlo as a jury is. whether-or not Mr. Herdmn is giflty of the grave oiiwges wlilVfi I h(iw brought Against lnhn. If he. is riot guilty, t am prepared, to most humbly Apologise. If ho is guilty he is itjisohttoly unfit, iiiid Mr, MnSsey islmuld np-fK-infc wiotlwr Mißister lq talw charge el the Public Trast Offiea.