PUBLIC TRUSTEE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3129, 6 July 1917, Page 4

PUBLIC TRUSTEE

WHO-WILL-BE'APPOINTED? \ Soon au appointment will have to be made to the office of Public Trustee foi the present holder of the position, is ietiring shortly on superannuation. Ineie is cSmpetition for the position, ihfe names of three Public Servant being mentioned as "in the running. , The matter was in ■ tne House yesterday.- Mr. W. asked the Minister in charge of the Public Service Commissioners to use his influence to secure the appointment to the position of Mr. T. b. second in charge in the Public lrust Office, a gentleman who had acted as Public Trustee on occasion mdjrta. had the confidence of the staff and ot G. W. Russell, Minister in. charge of the' Public Service Commissioners, raised a point of order, ine member for Ashburton he said, had asked a question intended to influence the appointment of a certain gentleman to the position of Public Trustee, lho point of order was that the motion infringed section 6 of the Public Service Act, which provided that no Minister or member of Parliament should influence or attempt to influence the Commissioners with mpeet to. any person to any position in the Public Service. He. pointed out, also, that the clause declared that every person convicted under this section was liable to a fine of J250 • Mr. Speaker said he would examine the notice of the question carefully. Mr. Noswerthy said that ho hoped Mr. Speaker would look into the matter. A certain amount of talk was going round about the appointment •of the Public Trustee, and he thought it lus duty to bring tho matter before the House. Mr. Russell said that if the question were allowed the door would bo opened verv wide-to the influencing of appointments in the service' by members of Parliament.