PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12253, 2 June 1914, Page 4

PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE.

MR RUSSELL AND MR HERDMAN. "Per Pnrcss Association. Chriitehurch, June 1. Mr G. W. Russell, M.P., yesterday made a* statement commenting on the Hon .A. L. Rerdman's reply to the charges made by Mr Russell with' reference to the Ministers conduct of the affairs of the Public Trust Office. "I notice," Mr 'Russell said, "that at Hawarden the Hon. Mr Herdman delivered .an alleged reply to my criticisms regarding his action in reference to the Public Trust Office. "With some skill he stated my position to suit himself, and triumphantly produced a report from someone unnamed who is an . officer of the department —apparently rot the Public Trustee —to prove that the Trust Office continues to flourish. AH this is mere verbiage, meant to cover his ig omjny in a cloud of words. Ho never approaches my charges, which are as follow: (1) That Mr Herdman suppressed .and withheld from Parliament the annual report of the Public Trustee because that"report successfully vindicated the establishment of a. legal branch, which had been condemned by a lay member of the commission; (2) that'Mr Herdman in his place-in Parliament -unequivocally denied that such a report was in the possession of the Government, when as a matter, of fact it was in print ready to be laid on the table of the House: (3) that at the instigation of the Wellington society Mr Herdman eliminated from the Public Trust- Bill of last year, prepared by the department, all the clauses objected to by* the society, and which members of trie House never had au opportunity of pissing judgment unon. These charges are clear and specific, and no amount of wriggling can extricate Mr Herdman from the pit he is in. It is not aquestion of whether the department is, or is not, prosperous. I feel sure its prosperity will continue whilst so able a man as Dr Fitchett is allowed to manage it, without interference by his political chief. The question the publichas to decide is whether or not Mr is guilty of the grave charges I have brought against him. If he is not guilty I am prepared to most humbly apologise ; if he is guilty, he is absolutely unfit to control the affairs of the country, and Mr Massey should appoint another Minister to the Public Trust- Office."