GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 9 December 1927, Page 7

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE UNDER FIRE

SHOULD LOCAL BODIES PROTECT IT?

The strong condemnation of the Public Trust Office at the conference of the Chambers of Commerce was mentioned at the regular meeting of the Hastings Borough Couhcil last evening, when the chanman (Or. S. J. McKee) read extracts from various newspapers referring to the matter. He pointed out that the statements had been retracted but thought he would bring the matter before he council.

“I don’t think that this council has anything to complaint about." stated Cr McKee. "Some £49,000 has been borrowed by the borough from the Public Trust Office and there has never been any trouble about it." Cr. E. V, Simpson thought that the matter should be carefully considered by . the members before any decision was arrived at- He realised that it was a big question, and thought i.t was outside the jurisdiction of the council.

The chairman explained that he had noticed that several local bodies had passed resolutions supporting the Public Trust Office. “The Pulillst Trust i s quite capable of looking after itself,” declared Cr. A. I Rainbow. “Why should every local body m the Dominion rush tp its assistance? The banks are criticised and so are all public bodies. I don’t think it necessary for this council to take any action in the matter whatever.” “The trouble is that the members of the chamber who made the remarks know what the Public Trust Office has done for the settlers,” stated Cr. T. Donovan, who contended that this body had saved the settlers thousands of pounds. “If a man gets up and says something like what has been said, he has something behind it. They are jealous and are looking out for their own pockets The Public Trust officials are civil servants and as such their hands are tied. I was very much amoved with the Chamber of Commerce over the matter.”

“We should not interfere one way or another,” declared Cr. G. C. Lowe, who contended that as the Public Trust was a Government institution then the Government was quite capable of looking after its own, affairs. “I am quite neutral in the matter. I just wanted to see what the opinion of the council was on the question,” stated Cr. McKee It was decided to hold the matter over for the present.