The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1913. THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 289, 29 April 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1913. THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

The Royal Commission which was appointed by the Government to enquire into and report upon the working of the Public. Trust Office, lias submitted the result of its investigations. The gist of its report was published on Saturday. There had been a good deal of talk indulged in prior to the setting up of the Commission regarding the inefficiency of the administration of this highly hn-' portant Department of State. Confidence in the ability, and even in the integrity, of those in charge of the Office might easily have been shaken if steps had not been taken at once by an independent and competent tribunal to sift the charges, and in appointing the Commission the Government acted in the interests of the country. The first head of enquiry put to the commissioners was: 'Whether estates in the hands of the Public Trustee are efficiently administered?" The Commission found that the methods adopted are "eminently efficient." The Commission further explains: "The number of well-founded complaints received by them was very small in comparison with the number of estates administered or in course of administration and,the variety of the factors to be dealt with, As a set-off the Public Trustee produced to them letters from various persons expressing their thanks for and appreciation of the man-, ner in which their business had been attended to." The commissioners, however, dwell on the insufficiency of the staff, which is responsible for some minor defects, such as delay in answering correspondence. The second head of enquiry was, "Whether realisations are properly conducted ?" The Commission,ers fipd that the head office and its "agencies are fully and anxiously alive to the various business considerations combined with trustees' duties to be taken into account with respect to the realisation ,of estates. The third question was: "Are the moneys controlled by the Public Trustee satisfactorily invested?" The commissioners find that the moneys are satisfactorily invested, though they point out that the Trustee lias not taken advantage of the higher } market rate of interest which- has prevailed lately. In regard to office methods, the commissioners observe that the system now in force is one, on the whole, well calculated to ensure accurate and reasonable expedition. In regard to the constitution of the Public Trust Office Board, the commissioners think the Board should be strengthened by the addition of the Valuer-General and two members of wide business knowledge and experience, one being a person experienced in matters relating to farming and stock. In respect to the West Coast settlement reserves* a question of vital importance to Ta'ranaki, the commission--ers say that all the work is largely routine and mechanical, and the books and office-arrangements for carrying it out appeared to be above criticism. There was no' Suggestion that the work was otherwise than satisfactorily done. It was, however, acknowledged that inspection of areas under occupation, was not so frequent as it should be, due to the inadequacy of the staff. The commissioners do not express any, opinion re- < specting the granting of licenses to natives, ahd the papa-kainga area. Subject to the comments made, they report that the trusts of these' reserves are carefully and satisfactorily performed. They hold, however, that the Public Trustee should not have to deal with the ques : tions of whether the native owner is to be relegated to the position of an idle rent-receiving landlord, or ,is to be encouraged and helped to become a successful cultivator and useful member of the community, or whether any and what effort should be nude to settle the still unleased portion of the various reserves. The administration of the reserves should be in touch with the Native Land Department, so that a policy consistent with the operations of these departments in regard to natives generally should be maintained. The commissioners believe that the whole of the native reserves and their administration should be vested in an independent body, the immediate establishing of which they advise, the head to be called the Native Trustee, and endowed with the main functions of a Maori Land Board. This, to our mind, is One of the most important recommendations. It would, providing the personnel of the proposed Board contained the right men, be of considerable advantage to all parties. The Maori Land Boards arc, as far as Taranaki is concerned, at any rate, a perfect farce, and might well be superseded by a Board which understood its business and was prepared to execute it. The commissioners do not suggest that the proposed Board should have the same powers in regard to the disposal of lands as are vested in Maori Councils, but only vested with the authority now possessed by the Public Trustee—virtually a transference of the hitter's powers to another Board. Later, however, it might be found advisable to invest the Board with the full powers of the Native Councils, which should be Wiped out right away. As far as one can see, they are now playing with their work and are incapable oven of collecting the dog tax. But the whole system of native land administration ought to be completed recasted and put on an efficient business basis. We have been tinkering with it for years and years, and getting very little "forrarder." The setting up of a Native Trust Office would form an integral part in any new system, and for that reason we hope this proposal will be given effect to by the Government. The Commission's report, on the whole, will serve a most valuable purpose. It has given the lie to the major charges brought against the Public Trust Office, and wilt but strengthen public confidence in the Office, its administration and its inviolability. That its record is so untarnished and excellent is a tribute not only to the capability and

worthiness of offieers of the Bepartairat,

who have been sadly overworked and underpaid, but to the ability, disinterestedness and honesty of purpose of the Ministers who called such a beneficent Department into being and guarded and shaped its destinies. And so another pigeon-hole has been searched and dra'wn blank of any of the horrible disclosures that we were led to expect would be forthcoming when the present Government acquired the privilege of ransacking the Dominion's official records.