THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1891.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9116, 15 May 1891, Page 2

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1891.

A few months ago we dealt somewhat fully with certain charges which had been made during the parliamentary session of 1890 against the administration of the Public Trust Office. Those charges proved on investigation to be wholly unfounded. That there was room for improvement in the system under which the department worked was clear enough, but the reforms needed were in the statutes by which the department is governed. The Public Trustee and his subordinates were shown to have done in those particular cases the best they could within the limits of the powers the law had conferred upon them. Some accusations were proved to be simply trumped up; others had resulted from misconception or from a desire to make the department subservient to particular private interests; in short, all the accusations made on the occasion in question were satisfactorily demonstrated to be groundless, and the Public Trust Office emerged triumphant from the ordeal.

Infinitely more serious and dangerous is the experience through -which the department is now passing. An assault q£ a most formidable character is being tnaie ttjon it at a period when the condition* of attack happen to bespecially favourable, and when through some unfortunate errors of judgment on the part 61. certain officers several weak places hwe been exposed to the onslaught of-fche foe. There is a plainly manifest lesire in some quarters to put the worsv possible construction upon the facts Recently disclosed in evidence before the "Royal Commission, and there is a dmpt and grave danger that under the passing influence of a species of panic—perhaps not unmixed in some cases with special motives —hasty steps may be taken on the one hand to the permanent, detriment of the department; while, on the other hand, public confidence may b& so deeply shaken as virtually to destroy for a lengthened period the whole usefulness of the Trust Office. Precipitate judgment and action are therefore to be earnestly deprecated. The publication of the evidence, before the Commissioners had made their final report, and even before the termination of their inquiry, appears to us »s irregular and improper as it has undeniably been mischievous. That the dealings of the department with personal property which had come under its charge were in some instances open to grave exception may at once be admitted. Indeed, we believe the officers who were in the habit of purchasing for themselves the articles sold on behalf of trust estates, recognise now that their action was wrong in principle and is calculated to expose them to serious suspicion, however free it may have been from all wrong intent. The' purchase of trust properties by a trustee cannot for amomentbedefended, and every officer of the Public Trust department is a unit in that aggregate which makes up the department, and so goes to form the real trustee. It is likely enough, as some of the officers urge, that in several cases a better price was obtained for the goods through their competition, and that sales were effected when otherwise the articles offered would have failed to find purchasers at all. But this does not affect the principle involved in respect of the relation between trustees and trust properties. Nor must it be forgotten that a serious temptation would be placed in the way of the auctioneer to favour his Employers if possible, and to let them obtain the goods at the prices they had named beforehand as their limit. Clearly this ought not to be. As to the cases of the missing lace and bracelet, of which a great deal has been made, the explanations mentioned by our Wellington correspondent as having been offered on those points appears prima facie reasonable and credible. The system of accounts has evidently been less efficient than it might and should have been; but here, too, there are symptoms of exaggeration and colouring in the statements made public. A wish to make the case look as black as possible is plainly shown by the references which have been made in certain quarters to the landed investments of the Trust Office, which are hinted at as open to the same dealings. The fact is ignored that all investments of moneys entrusted to the Public Trust Office are managed by a Board which includes the Surveyor-general, the Property Tax Commissioner, and other officers outside the department, as well as the Colonial Treasurer for the time being, so that there is an effective check upon all the transactions under this head.

While, however, we deprecate any panic-mongering or reckless attempts to destroy public confidence in an important and most valuable institution, or to blacken the character of its officers, and while we urge that the public judgment should be suspended until the whole case and both sides of the case shall have been set forth, we say plainly that certain reforms are imperative. Some of theseare especially pressing. In the first place the Public Trust Office must no longer be used as a machine for the performance of any troublesome work which it is not convenient for some other department to undertake. That has been done hitherto with reckless disregard for the efficiency of the Trust Office, which unquestionably has been impaired through the overburdening of the department with duties quite outside its proper function—such, e.g., as the administration of Native reserves. Secondly, an adequate system of inspection is required. At present none exists. Such inspection does nob

fall within the province of the Audit department, as some persons have supposed "through ignorance of the nature of Government audit. Thirdly, a specific regulation must be passed prohibiting all traffic by officers of the department in properties placed under its care. But, above all, the department must henceforward be conducted, like the Government Life Insurance Office, under State guarantee. People will no longer entrust their affairs or the interests of those for whom they desire to provide to an institution upon which so much discredit has been cast—if only on the score of judgment—unless there shall be a distinct assurance that losses incurred on trust estates under the administration of the Public Trust Office will be made good, instead of the department being used as a source of supplementary revenue. That LI 8,000 which was paid into the consolidated fund last year as revenue earned by the Trust Office ought instead to have been treated as an insurance fund for making good to the beneficiaries any losses made by the Trustee in administering their estates. This will have to be done without delay if the Public Trust Office is to be useful or trusted in the future.

The English bye-elections of the past few days aie worth a passing notice. Deaths and resignations have been - unusually numerous of late, and at least six elections have taken place within less than four weeks. To three of these—the three first—no particular importance can bo attached. For the City of London a Conservative, unopposed, took the place of one of the same party who had also been returned without opposition. At Whitehaven the Bisht Hon. G. GayendishBentinck (an interesting old Tory identity, who will be a good deal missed in th& House) was succeededbyaCoDservativewho obtained a somewhat larger than his predecessor in 1886; while at Woodstock (which Lord Randolph Churchill represented for many years) the death of a "Liberal Unionist" made room for a Conservative, who defeated the Gladstonian candidate by a large majority—a majority, however, the value of which it is impossible to estimate, because the "Liberal Unionist" was returned without opposition in 188 G. These three elections, we repeat, possess no particular importance, though the advantage (if any) accrues to the Conservative side. But a very different tale is told by the result of the three succeeding contests, all of which have been decided within the last week. They indicate phenomena in "political meteorology" which can hardly fail to gladden the heart of the illustrious author of that phrase. It is true that a Conseivative was returned for South Dorset, but his majority was 40, contrasting curiously with the 991 obtained by hiS*Conservative predecessor in 1886. We do not much care for the .phrase "moral victSry," which has been shockingly abused; but its use could hardly be criticised in this case. And what is to be said of Harborough and Stowmarket? At the latter place a Gladstonian, by a majority of 214, has taken the place of a Conservative who was returned in 1886 by a majority of 543; while Harborough shows a change of opinion which, though not unprecedented, is at. least very extraordinary. In 1886 the seat was carried by a Conservative, who scored 1138 more votes than his Gladstonian opponent; last week a " Radical" (according to cable) beat a Conservative by 48 9 1 Thus, in these six contests, the Gladstonians have won two clear seats, counting four votes on a division—one of the two constituencies showing an enormous revnlsion of opinion; in another place a very large Conservative majority has been reduced to the verge of extinction; in a fourth the Conservative majority has been blightly increased; in a fifth there has been no change whatever; and in a sixth the Conservatives have so far gained as to substitute an adherent for an ally. No doubt it is both easy and customary to make too much of bye-elections, but nevertheless it would be a mistake to ignore a political manifestation like that of last week.

Wo unJ»~to»<i lli.t. oon£..» UTO will bo hold next Wednesday afternoon between the mayor,

the city members, and the committee of the

Chamber of Commerce, at which the advisability of holding a public meeting with reference to the Otsgo Central railway and the question of the proposed Harbour Board rating district will be considered.

The subject of the proposed new tariff of export dues again came, on adjournment, before the Harbour Board yesterday afternoon, but no resolution was arrived at. Mr Joel submitted a suggestion, however, which it is thought may meet the views of all parties concerned, and this has been remitted to the.finance Committee, who are to report to the next meeting of the board, when it is expected the question will be' finally disposed of. Mr Joel's suggestion is that all exports beyond the colony shall pay accordto the present scale without exception, and that all.coastal exports shall pay a reduced rate without exception, manufactured and imported articles being treated alike.

There were two deputations to the members of Parliament for the city yesterday afternoon. The first was from the Council of the Ofcago University, and its object was to obtain the support of the members to the continuance of the grant in aid of the Ofcago School of Mines. The chancellor and Mr Allen laid the case for the school very fully and forcibly before the members, and obtained a promise from all three members to support its claim. The other deputation was from the graduates of the university, who are promoting a bill for a change in the constitution of the university council that will enable them to elect members to fill alternate vacancies, and providing that future appointments shall be for a period of five years. A favourable reply was also received by this deputation, all of the city members being of opinion that the alteration was advisable.

. We understand that the honorary medical staff of the hospital some days ago advi-ed the trustees to request the Government to procure, through the Agent-geEeral in London, a further supply of Dr Koch's tuberculine for use in the hospital. A reply has been received that the Government can only do so on the trustees agreeing to become liable for the coat. This lends some colour to the rumour going about that the small supply which came to hand cost the Government somewhat more than market price. As the lymph is said to have been of undoubted benefit in at least one of the cases under treatment in Dnnedin, it will be a matter for regret if no further supply can be procured. The article is not easily purchased, as is shown by the fact that several medical men in town Bont orders shortly after its becoming known and have not; yet been supplied. It thus appears that some influence, and possibly extra expense, ia necessary to the securing of it. In any case it will be a misfortune if no more comes to hand, as several cases of a suitable character are said to have made application for treatment, but were declined owing to the small supply of the remedy. A very wide local interest has been stirred up by the brief reports of the cases under treatment, as numbers of people have friends or relatives Buffering from consumption, and take a keen interest in the progress of these cases. Reports as to its success from the various centres of the world where it has been tried are exceedingly conflicting, but it appearß quite certain that many cages have been benefited by it, and a few cured. From statements made by Dr Gordon Maodonald regarding the cases in the hospital, there is every prospect of a cure being effected by ibs instrumentality in at least ouo of those cases; and with go much local evidence in its favour, steps should be taken to secure a supply at once. The trustees will, no doubt, attend to the recommendation of the stsff in this matter, just as they would if any ordinary and less expensive remedy were asked for.

A meeting of the coramittfie of the Dunedin and Suburban Reserves Conservation Society was held yesterday afternoon. The collectors reported that subscriptions to the extent of £114 33 bad Deon alreaQly promised to the Octagon improvement fund, Mr D. J. Napier having put his name down for £20, while Messrs R. Chapman, Hallenstein Bros, and Co., and John Sidey had given £10 each. The rest of tne subscriptions ranged from £5 5s downwards. A sub-committee was appointed to oonsider the advisability of getting up a concert in aid of the funds. It was also reported that several of the architects in town had agreed to furnish sketches of a design for Mr Chapman's monument to the Rev, Dr Burns,

,There was a long and, towards tho close, animated disoussion at the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday upon the subject of accoptiog a surrender of Mr Donald Reid's leaso. On the one hand it was argued that Mr Reid's case was one of exceptional hardship, and that it was the duty of the board to give him relief. Tho ohairman, who was among the advocates of this course, went the length of assorting that the Irish landlords were as kings compared with the Harbour Board in their relations with their tenants —an expression of opinion which was warmly resented by Mr Oargill. On the other hand, it was argued that Mr UeicVs case was not an exceptional one, that the acceptance of a surrender of his lease would involve a considerable loss of revenue to the board, and that if relief were granted to him demands would be immediately tnade upon the board by their other tenants for relief. The matter, which has been beforo tho board since June last, was not settled, but was referred to the Finance and Reserves Committees jointly, in the hope that some modus vivendi may be decided.

A correspondent who happened to be in the Milton district the other day, gives some facts in connection with the use of lime on the lands in the vicinity that are worthy of note. In one instance a settler obtained a cheque for £97 10s for the produce of a 10-acre paddock; another, £125 off a lls-acre paddock, and a third took grass seed to the value of £140 off a 10-acre paddock—all the three sections had been limed. On these lines a 50-acro farm would pay handsomely.

Daring the discussion at the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday upon the motion to accept a surrender of Mr Donald Reid's lease, Mr Joel, who is himself a tenant of the board, took part, opposing the motion. Mr Allen raised the question whether Mr Joel, being the holder of n lease from the board, had a right to vote on the question, whereupon Mr Cargill pointed out that Mr Joel, in opposing the motion, had spoken against his own interest as a tenant and againet the interest of the general body of tenants. At a subsequent period cf the meeting, Mr Allen asked that; the opinion of the board's solicitors should be obtained upon the point as to whether a lessee under the board was entitled to vote on the question of surrendering the lease of another tenant.

The Government have appointed Mr J. M'Coll Smith to be a member of the Licensing Committee for the district of South Molyneux, vice Mr Moses M'Lay, resigned.

The North Canterbury Education Board scholarships for 1891 were won by Arthur Craddock (Boys' High School) 592 marks, David Shirlaw (Boys' High School) S3S marks, John Cross 473 marks, class C; Alice Osborne (Christchurch Girls' High Sohool) 603 marks, William Campbell (Christchurch Boys' High School) 598 macks, class D. The maximum marks we're 900. ' "

The Christchurch branch of the protection league has passed the following resolution: — "That the attention of the Government be drawn to the polioy advocated for some years by this branch of the protection league— viz., land and income tax versus property tax, a State baok of issue, and full protection by a high Customs tariff upon all things that should be made in the colony, whilst all things that Cannot be manufactured or grown in the oolony should be admitted free of duty."

The North Canterbury Education Board disapproves of the suggestion of the Wellington Board to hold a conference of inspectors and representative sohool teachers.

The first of a series of fortnightly entertainments was held in St. John's Schoolroom last night. After an address by the chairman (the Rev. Mr Diggens), songs were rendered by Messrs Durston', Pasco, and H. and A. Martin, who were all encored, as was also a banjo trio by Messrs H. Martin, Brown, and Adams. Mr A. Reynolds contributed a violin solo in excellent style, and also played anobbligato to Mr Martin's songs. A reading by Mr Haggitt and a recitation by Miss Fettit sompleted the first part of the programme. The second part consisted of a comedy entitled " The Tutor," adapted from " Betsy " very cleverly by Mr Henry Belcher, jun. The characters were all well sustained by Mieseß Holland (two), Miss Tewsley, and Messrs T. Haggitt, F. and H Belcher. The latter was vociferously encored for two songs he introduced, and was the recipient of a hearty call at the finish for his clever acting. Miss Belche r played the music incidental to the comedy, and mrss Mattin and Miss Irwin acted very efficiently as accompanistes during the evening.

The electric light carnival, which it was proposed to hold on the Carisbrook ground, has now been postponed indefinitely, the committee having come to the conclusion that it will be wiser to hold it in the summer when the nights will be warmer and the conditions generally more favourable than at present.

The annual general meeting of the Mutual Agency Company will be held at the Chamber of Commerce on May 30, at noon. Mr John Grindley (on behalf of the Farmers' Company) sells sheep, horses, and pig» at Palmerston on May 18. Messrs A. Lotle and Co. sell purebred poultry to-morrow at noon.

Messrs E. O. Reynold! and Co. sell books to-morrow, at their rooms.

The Borough Council of North-Bait Valley notify Intention to strike a Bhtllim? rate on May 80.

It waß Mr A. J. Morrison, of Dunedin, who Illuminated the address presented at Fort Chalmers to the Hey. W. M. Grant.

Edek Qeoroe Company (Limited), the leadiDg Photographers of Dunedin, will issue the greatest novelty ever offered to the Dunedin public on Saturday, June 6. Watch for particulars in this paper.—[drvr.j Money oan be obtained from It. brands, Ootagon (next Athenaeum). Bepaid weekly, monthly.—Advt.]

Johk Hislop, Watchmaker and Jeweller, 74 Prlnoes street. The oldest established house In town. Bepairt of all kinds. Good assortment Watohes, Clocks, and Jewellery. Spectacle! to suit all sights.—[Advt.] See G, and X. Young's stock of watohes, clocks, Jewellery, sterling silver and electroplated goods, Five first-class awards received H.Z. and 8.8. Bshibition 1880-90. Prices strictly moderate. Largest and finest ttook In N.Z. to select from.—[Advt.]