§ Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Attorney-General if he is aware that, in the case of Trust No. G.2,088, the Public Trustee, on being asked to accept payment of the principal and interest due from a borrower of the deceased and to hand over certain deeds which had been deposited by way of security, sent the deeds from his office in London to a firm of solicitors at Bromley, who now claim payment of an additional sum for their charges, although no reconveyance or other legal work is required; whether these solicitors usually act for the Public Trustee or any other Government Department; and whether it is the practice for the Public Trustee to employ solicitors to receive moneys and hand over documents in cases where a private trustee would act personally without charge?
§ Sir E. POLLOCKI understand that the facts are not sufficiently stated in the question and that legal work was required. The deeds have been handed over by the Public Trustee. The operations in this case were such as to require the employment of a solicitor and the costs demanded were for the preparation of a legal mortgage which the mortgagor agreed to pay. The solicitor employed by the Public Trustee has an office in London and the transaction was carried out there and not at Bromley. The solicitor has no special connection with the office of the Public Trustee or with any other Government Department.