PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 72, 18 December 1917, Page 4

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE

UNDER. WAR CONDITIONS

At the sitting of the Third Military Service Board yesterday morning the Public Trustee appealed on behalf ot William George Baird, chief clerk, Christehurch, Joseph Snell, clerk, and Arthur Reginald Coad, clerk. • ■ The Public Trustee (Mr. Robert Triggs) made a general statement recording the state of affairs in the office. Ho stated that it would.be within tho recollection of the board that ho was recentlv appointed to the position of Public Trustee. Sinco the date of his appointment; which was Uctober 10 last, he had inquired into tho state of affairs, and he had found that owing to war conditions the work ot tho office was in an unsatisfactory condition. The work was muoli m arrear and the Department was greatly meonvp.nienced. Thero was another phase of tho question arisinc from tho deletion of the staff, and .that was that the audit was much in arrear. iho inspection of offices was also m arrear because the Department had not sufficient men to undertake-the work.. Tho Department undertook bankruptcy work in Christcburch, Masterton, and Napier, and on his application the Government had relieved tho office of the work at Christehurch and Masterton, and would probably grant relief, at Napior also. As a new man w>111? into the Department bo considered niter a careful examination that the Deportment had done everything possible under war conditions. A large number of women had been employed, and where women could be employed tne office was employing them so as to rcIrase eligible men. Owing to war conditions a large- number of experienced men had taken up ether duties, and it had been necessary to appoint inexperienced men to deal with the accounts in tho office and the examination of tho accounts. Ho considered it necessary that the examination ot accounts should be brought up to date. Some of the siccounts were very complicated. At the present time there were 180 accounts awaiting examination, fco ncnto had tho position become that he bad taken it upon himself to requisition many qualified accountants 111 other Departments to work at th* examination of the accounts after office hours. The staff had boon working ovortimo nieht after night, and ho had not been able to do much to reduce this. After some was decided to adjourn tho applications to April next.