PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9719, 15 February 1910, Page 5

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

ITS RAPID GROWTH.

AN INVALUABLE PUBLIC INSTITUTION.

By Telegraph —Press Association

WELLINGTON, February 14

At the presentation to Mr J. W. Ponyton, Public Trustee, in Wellington, to-day, Sir Joseph Ward said that the Public Trust Office was entirely free from political control, and the way in which the Department has moved ahead by leaps and bounds was the greatest tribute to the confidence of the public in the administration. It was, also, a striking example of the progress of the Dominion. In a very short time the business had trebbled, and when one realised that the estates now under administration numbered 5,000 and ran into the large sum of £7,000,no0 ; it spoke eloquently of the large and varied nature of the work. Probably no commercial or trading concern had been so economically managed, and notwithstanding this, he was pleased to be able to announce that from April Ist next a very large reduction would be made in charges for dealine with business. The commission to be charged would be 2£ per cent, on the first £IO,OOO and li ppr cent, on sums beyond that instead of 5 per cent, on the first £I,OOO, three per cent, on the next £3,000, two per cent, on the next £6,ooo,and one and a-half per cent, on sums over £IO,OOO. Such low charges meant fresh business for the officß and it would not be too much to anticipate that probably a thousand more wills per annum would come into the Department. The fine new office for the Department had come none too soon, and at the present rate of growth he could see that before long the tenants who filled the rooms unoccupied by the Public Trust Department would have to ero. He believed, also, that the time would soon come when the staff, which numbers 107, would have to he increased. It was very pleasant to realise the potentialities of the Department, and his headers should look forward to those further changes which were bound to bring | them promotion before long.