THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. (BY TELEGRAPH.) Wellington, May 2.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7128, 4 May 1891, Page 3

THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. (BY TELEGRAPH.) Wellington, May 2.

Ellington, May The Public Trust CommusMoners have sent a copy of the ovidenc • takfn so far to the Go\ eminent. From this it appears that officers of the Department arc in the habit of attending auction sales oidered by the trustee and buymg up goods wlueh the\ have been illoni'd to appraise before hand Ceitain articles of value have been found to be missing Tnis has not been done with real property ; but on the contrary, agents entrusted with a sale have been prevented froiv buying such property themselves. The evidence shows that the system of book keeping is cumbrous, inconvenient, and umntel ligible. No interim report has been sent in, and the Commissioners intend to pursue the inquiry till they are in a posi* tion to send a full report to the Governor, In consequence of the revelations ( N afforded by the evideuce taken by the Public Trust Commissioners, the Goverment have called on Mr H imerton, (the Commissioner), Mr Wilson ( he legal adviser) and the chief clerk for an explanation. Both the Government and the Commission look upon the piactice disclosed in the Public Trust Office in a serious light, and it was in order to have them stopped that the Commission forwarded the evidence up to the Government. Besides Messrs Hamerton and Wilson, de Castro (chief clerk), Moginio (accountant), and Ronaldsou (clerk) were called upon to explain their conduct, both in buying articles at auction belonging to trust estates, and in regard to the administration of certain estates, particularly one in which some two years elapsed before an account was rendered to those interested. The replies were received to day, and will be considered by the Cabinet on Monday.