PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1917, Page 6

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

"ITS TRAINED MEN SHOULD BE EXEMPT." By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, May 1. Regarding an appeal on behalf of-tin; chief clerk of the Christchurch office of the Public Trust, the Military Board to-day announced that the appeal woull be dismissed, as the chief clerk had been declared fit foiMhome service only. The board yesterday visited the Publie Trust office and to-day made a statement that the office lias had a greater strain put upon it by the war than any other department except that of Defence. It han to administer the estates of deceased s.-ldiers to the number of 2000.. with fresh batches coming in every week, and has also from 300 to 400 agencies for absent soldiers to attend to. It prepares at Trentham soldiers' wills; it assists the Defence Department in paying arrears of pay to next-of-kin of deceased soldiers; it receives appointments by Lrustees, gents and executors of £jeh as are enlisting; it takes over the- management of enemies' properties; it sees to the winding up of enemy firms and companies and acts as the committee, of estate of alien prisoners of war. The staff at present is IS7 men over military age, Ifi in the Second Division, 33 in the First Division, and fiti under military age. There are 73 at the front and there are 30 being called up. The statement concludes: ''lt has done enough and, in our opinion, its trained men should be exe.mpt, or at least should dot be further drawn upon until the First Division is exhausted."