TRUST FUNDS, ETC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1879, 13 October 1913, Page 5

TRUST FUNDS, ETC.

Sir, —Your article on "Lawyers and Trust Money" is very apropos. The manner you havo drawn attention to the matter allows of further comment as to tiro justness or fairness of tho different charges. A solicitor pays £3 35., and £2 2s. extra if a barrister, for his liconse, both very small fees. A land agent's is £5, and another £5 for his guarantee. An auctioneer, £40. Now, Sir, why is the lattor so exorbitant? In England, I think it is about onequarter of that amount. Why should auctioneering be restricted by such a charge? A man has to submit his character to the local authority before a license is granted, and a nominal feo should meet all requirements; or, if it is necessary to make such a charge m the larger cities, could not tho smaller local authorities bo allowed to make their own charge?. (Say, from £10 upwards.) If this were done, it would certainly limit the sphere of tho auctioneer to a spccial district; but, Sir, how many want to roam all over the Dominion? Let a commission bo set up, and all these license fees bo gone into, and fairly adjusted. Why should not an auctioneer be in every town or borough ? It would be beneficial to tho locality as well as the man; not let big firms havo a monopoly, as at present. I have'seen a large number start business, but the £40 license takes the profit off a small man's doings. In small boroughs, auction sales (furmture) run about £40 to, saj, £S0 per sale, and, say, one sale a month, by striking an averago of £60 per sale (which, in my experience, is high), at 10 per cent, commission, is £6. rwelve months equals £72 per annum I Jor this, at present, a license of _£4U is charged. Give every man a fair deal. - 1 am ' et °" M.M. October 11.