THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9284, 2 May 1891, Page 2

THE PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

I The Public Trust Commissioners reported to the Government yesterday that, having been at work for six weeks and having taken a groat deal of evidence, they bad come to the conclusion that it was their duty to themselvea and to the Government and to the people of the Colony to submit to Ministers the full particulars of the evidence bo far as they had gone. They Intend, they add, to pursue the enquiry until they are in a position to send a full report to his Excellency the Governor. With this document they have forwarded a packet of printed evidence covering nearly 200 pages. The most sensational portion of this evidence we hoar relates to the proceeding* in the case of persinal property of intestate estates. It appears that officers arc in the habit of attending auctions and buying jewellery, watches, chains, rings, binoculars, articles of “ bigotry and virtue.” From the head of the office downwards men have in their possession various articles thus purchased, and there are cases of purchases for their friends outside. The moat remarkable part of the story is that there are no inventories kept of these things. The lists when they are mads up consist largely of “etceteras”— “ watch and chain, etc.” Receipts are not given in detail of property received, and the chief basis for making out the accounts ou winding up are the auctioneers’ account sales of job lots. There is apparently no check of any kind. The articles are placed on a table before being sent to auction where the officers may appraise them, and take advantage of tho prices given at auction. Those examined do not appear to have any idea that there was anything improper in the practice. There is a story of a piece of lace belonging to an estate which disappeared mysteriously, was out of the office many months without being missed, and only turned up on enquiry made by the Commissioners, who found mention of it in a letter. An officer admitted that he had taken it home to get it valued, but had forgotten to bring it back. A bracelet fiom the effects in the same estate is missing. It was the estate of a woman whose son claimed as next of kin. He wished to have the jewellery kept, for be wanted the articles as mementoes. There waa no particular reason to sell, as there was money at credit. Id the correspondence it appears that the law as to illegitimate children claiming, which is very clear and precise, was not understood in the office. Some of the officers were buyers of the articles at the auction. Tbi* practice of baying at auctions has lasted for years. Xu some cases the officers attend and bid openly, in others they leave instructions with the Auctioneer’s Clerk, in others they do the business through a friend. No such practices have taken place in the case of real property. For on one occasion, It is in evidence, an agent who waa entrusted with the sale of a piece of land came into the office with a transfer to himself, and was properly brought to book and made to return the property. The managemsnt of the business is discovered to be di-story. There is a case of a life policy which was paid, though the policy bad been burnt, ou condition that tha money remained in the Trustee’s office for six years at 4 per cent • but it was two years before the people entitled to the money were notified. The system of book-keeping is cumbruous and inefficient. There are about SO books of different sizes ; the great majority of them are admitted in evidence to be useless. Some of them, the chief of the Department, it is said, admits he never even heard of. Between subsidiary ledgers, impressed cashbooks, rough cashbooks, and a mass of others, there is confusion, and the bsok keeping is said to be slovenly and incomplete. It is understood to be a case of much labour and little result. These are a few instances. We are informed on authority, which appears good, of the kind of thing which induced the Commissioners to send the evidence up to the Government. It is said that the feeling is strong in their mind that the work of the office has altogether outgrown the organisation and capacity of the Department.