WELLINGTON.
May 2. The Public Trust Commission have sent a copy of the evidence taken bo far to the Government. Prom this it appears that the officers are in tbe habit of attending auction sales ordered by tbe Trustee and bringing up goods which they have been allowed to appraise beforehand. Certain articles of value have beon found to be misjing. This has not been done with real property, but on the other hand, agents entrusted with the sale have been prevented from buying such property themselves. The system of book-keeping is cumbrous, inconvenient, and unintelligible. No interim report has been sent in, and the Commissioners intend to pursue the enquiry till they we in a position to send a full report to the Governor.
In consequence of the revelations afforded by the evidence taken by the Pnblio Trust Commission, the Government have called on Mr Hamertoo, Commissioner Wilson, the legal adviser, and the chief clerk for an explanation.
Both the Government and tha Commission look upon the practices disclosed in the Public Trust Office in a serious light, and it was in order to have them stopped that the Commissioners forwarded the evidence up to date to the Goverflmonfc. Besides Messrs Hamerton and Wilson, De Castro (chief clerk), Maginnie (accountant), and Bonaldson (cleric) were called upon to explain their conduct, both in buying artioles at auction belonging to the 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. Replies wero received to-day and they will be considered by the Cabinet on Monday. Government consider that the report of the Imperial officers exonerates Captain Falconer from blame for tho SheZlv Bay explosion, but it discloses a laxity in the Defence Department in not seeing that the officers had instructions from the War Office properly forwarded to them. The question of appointing a responsible head, as suggested, is already one of tho reforms in tbe Department which it is proposed to submit to Parliament,
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7403, 2 May 1891, Page 2
Word Count
341WELLINGTON. Wanganui Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 7403, 2 May 1891, Page 2
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