The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1891.

Timaru Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 5193, 14 July 1891, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 1891.

Some part oC tbo iuterest wuiob was directed to the alleged mismanagement of the Public Trust Office bus been diverted to the enormous remuneration which the three gentlemen who comprised the Royal Commission have claimed for their services. It wus at fii'et thought to be a mere canard when it was snid that Messrs Larnach, Macdonnld, and Loughrey had each sent m a voucher for £10 per day for the whole of the time during which the Commission had currency. But enquiry showed that nothing but tho truth had been stated, and there is some curiosity on (lie part of the public to knoj? how the affair will end. The Welling, ton Evening Press of Saturday says : — "We have been informed, on what soema to be very good authority, that the Commissioners actually sent m a claim for £10 per day per head for the seventy-five dnya occupied by the Commission, making a total of £750 for each Commissioner, or n grand total of £2250 for the three. A. modest demand, truly ! It is further stated that uo less than forty additional clerks had to be employed for several months m getting information ready for the Commissioners, and, of course, the payment of these must amount to a pretty stiff sum. Then there was the cost of reporting, which is said to have been over £300, and, added on to all, the coat of printing tho trempndously voluniinons evidence. It is affirmed that, m addition to the payment of the Commissioners, the expenses tot; np to £3000. If the demands of the Commissioners had been conceded.the grand total would have been £5250. Truly, m these ' days of remorseless retrench ment, a Ministry whose chief card has been drastio economy ought to have reckoned up the probable expense of this Commission before appointing it, and seriously considered whether quite as good results could not be secured by some less expensive means." Our contemporary goes on to stute that the Government entered into negotiations with tho Commissioners, and, after a good deal of trouble, managed to heat down their claims to £500 each., or a total of £1500. But, at present at all events, a settlement even on that lower basis cannot he effected. The provisions of the Disqualification Act bar tho wny, Mr Macdonuld ib v member of Parliament, and Mesßrfl Lurnach and Loughrey were members of Parliament less than a year

ii|.;o. Not one of fcho threo, therefore 1 , ciin bo paid for his services unless specinl legislation be obtained to nuthorise the expenditure and acceptance of. the money. Tbe Governmout could certainly not have curried ;i Bill giving the Commissioners the full sum which they originally asked for, and we slmll be very much surprised if the House will even go as far as the £1500, that is to say, £500 each. The labour members could not possibly vote for such remnnorntion, and faco their constituents afterwards without fear and trembling. Why should these Comtnissioners be paid so extravagantly, especially at a time when evury public servant ib having his salary nut down, nnd members have been retrenched altogether, ou the score of absolutely ueceeinary economy V Tho Ootnmißaionci'a place a very much higher vnlue ou their services than tho public do. Tbe more closely the evidence and tho report arc studied the leas valnablo they appear to be. Somo useful work wns done, but n vory larpjo part of the evidence was worthless, the report is iv many reapects misleading aud m. some

is absolutely untrue, and a practical scheme for improving the management of the Public Trust Office has yet t& be formulated. These Royal Commissioners cannot be reckoned amongst the saviours of then- country, aud if they aro each paid two or three guineas a day they will get very muoh the best of the bargain.