8.—9

8

(b.) It is also necessary that as far as possible the State shall be fully protected against all risk under its absolute guarantee. Although Reserve Funds have been created as barriers against such a contingency, these funds should not be trenched upon. Therefore in carrying out the large and complex business of the Office the greatest circumspection must be exercised. (c.) For the credit of the Office it is essential that the standard of excellence should be at least equal to that attained by the best commercial institutions. The work of the Office is skilled and exacting to a degree, and calls for trained technical knowledge- combined with ability on the part of officers if it is to be discharged with credit to the Office and satisfaction to clients and beneficiaries in estates and to the public generally. Where such training and ability exists (and the Office is fortunate in numbering on its staff many officers who possess the requisite qualifications) the remuneration paid should be fully commensurate with the value of the services rendered. It is the opinion of the Board, strengthened by a close and intimate experience of the work of the Office extending over a period of eighteen months, that the salaries paid in. the past to officers performing the higher branches of the workhave been inadequate. Whilst the Board has been enabled to effect some measure of justice in this connection, yet several officers occupying positions of responsibility in which they were trained, by the Office found it to be to their advantage to accept outside employment. Moreover, the Board is satisfied that ' apart from the more specialized portions of the administration of estates the work of the Office as a whole must be raised to a higher level. In the past the volume of work to be performed has outstripped the trained staff available to perform it. While the war lasted there was little opportunity to remedy this state of affairs, but now that men are returning to civil life the position must be faced and improvement effected. In order that the special features in estates under administration, may receive close and personal, attention the staff must be increased in numbers. All this will involve considerable expense, and the Board considers it desirable to indicate that the expenditure of the Office, especially upon salaries, must increase if the Office is to perform with satisfaction and credit the everincreasing volume of work which is entrusted to it by the public.