§ 4. £1,870, Public Trustee.
§ MR. J. D. WHITE (Dumbartonshire)said that when the Public Trustee Act was passed they were assured that the office would be conducted on the basis of the outgoings being met by the income. The Estimate now submitted did not include, he thought, some expenses which ought to have been included. A pamphlet which had 1492 been very widely circulated upon the work of the new office was not accounted for on the Estimate. He saw it was printed for the Stationery Office, and he wished to know whether it would come under the Stationery Office account. The circular had been sent broadcast in envelopes marked "On His Majesty's Service." He wished to know whether the cost of advertising the Department was to be borne by the Post Office. It seemed to him that it was. He did not see any item for rent, rates, and taxes. He thought the new office ought to be conducted on a self-contained financial basis, and all the expenditure connected with it ought to be entered on this Estimate. He protested against the plan of dumping some of the expenditure connected with it upon the general taxpayers. The general taxpayers included Scottish and Irish taxpayers, but the Public Trustee Act did not extend to Scotland and Ireland, so that they got no benefit from the establishment of the office. He appealed to the Government to see that the Public Trustee Office was placed on a self-contained basis, and that no part of the expense was borne by the general taxpayers.
§ THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Sir SAMUEL EVANS, Glamorganshire, Mid.)said the Attorney-General was not aware that this question was to be raised, and he was not present. He had taken careful note of what had been said by the hon. Member, and he would bring the matter to the notice of his learned friend.
§ Vote agreed to.