§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the charges of the Public Trustee are higher than those of competitive companies; and whether he will have the facts examined with a view to a reduction being made?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERALI have been asked to reply. No exact comparison can be made between the charges of the Public Trustee and other trust corporations, because there is no uniform standard of charges among the latter. In some cases the Public Trustee's charges may be higher and in others lower. The Public Trustee's fees were reduced as recently as 1st January last, this being the second reduction since 1920; further reductions are constantly kept under consideration subject, however, to the condition that they cannot legally be made if the effect would be to bring part of the expenses of the Office on to the Parliamentary Vote, contrary to the provisions of the Public Turstee Act, 1906.