WAS THERE POLITICAL INFLUENCE?

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3100, 25 January 1909, Page 4

WAS THERE POLITICAL INFLUENCE?

Our Carterton contemporary states that Mr J. A. Laurenson has been appointed agent for the Public Trustee in the South Wairarapa district, Mr Laurenson, it may be remarked in passing, is a partner of Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, ex-M.P., who unsuccessfully contested the Wairarapa seat in the Government interest at the last General Election. We do not know whether the statement of our Carterton contemporary is correct, but we understand that there are reasons for believing it to be true, and should such prove to be the case the general public will not only be greatly surprised, but will see in the apparent action of the Public Trustee an de-

merit that should be explained. Mr Laurenson may be most highly qualified to discharge the responsible duties that the appointment involves, but that is an aspect of the question that we are not discussing. The position really is this, that Mr W. B. Chennells, of Masterton, who has acted as agent for the Public Tru;tee for the Wairarapa for many years past, vsuh conspicuous ability and success, and who has been admitted by the Public Trustee to be one of nis best agents, is, without reason or warning, to have a large portion of his district taken away from him, which means, in effect, that he is to be ruthlessly deprived of a considerable portion of the agency which he has spent s.) many years in working up! Why? This is the question that should be answered by tha Public Trustee, or the Minister responsible, if such is the case, for the appointment of Mr Laurenson in place of Mr Chenneils. Is the Public Trust Office immune from political influence, or is it subject to the solicitous attention of Ministerial influence? Mr Chennells, if report speaks truly, has been treated most unjustly, but this, also, is a question that is quite apart from the one that is of real interest to the public. If the Public Trust Office is subject to political influence —even to the appointing of agents—it is a matter of the gravest concern to the public, and, therefore, with a view to obtaining information on the point, the reasons, in fullest detail, for the discarding of Mr Chennells' services should ba insisted upon.