The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-23


to sweep them away. Dublin's streets are
dirty, and her sanitation is neglected be-
cause there is not enough money for
these necessary services, while the sub
urbs where the wealthy citizens of
Dublin live, are models of cleanliness ana
bealth
The Chamber of Commerce has taken a
strong stand on this and has voiced de-
mand for legislation to add to the area
of Dublin proper the territory which real
ly belongs to her and the taxes from
which provide amply for her public SER
vices.
i The chamber however, does not confine
itself to municipal matters, but as Is
proper in the, leading commercial body
of the capital, interests itself in matters
affecting the whole country. At the quar-
terly meeting this week it set ON foot
an agitation for the appointment of pub
lie trustee for Ireland on the lines or
the office which has been so successful
in England. The English public trus-
tee who by the way is an Irishman, was
appointed about five years ago. and he
already has charge Of estates amounting
to nearly s400, 900 600. lie takes the place
of the family lawyer or friend so often
appointed as trustee under will, and so
often a defaulter. He cannot default be-
cause he is guaranteed by the govern
ment, and estates intrusted to his care are
as safe as it is humanity possible for
trust money TO be.
II was pointed out at the meeting of
the chamber of commerce that the need
for such an official was greater even IN
Ireland than in England The average
amount of estates left by will in Ireland
is smaller than in England and the dif-
ficulty of investing them to advantage is
therefore greater. BY pooling them pub
lie trustee could increase the returns with
out in any way imperiling their safety
AT present trustees and executors In
ireland are almost entirely of three
ella sses, clergymen of all denominations
bank managers and lawyers The irish
peasant as a rule diStrusts lawyers, so
that the number of these is limited
Bank managers generally make excellent
trustees, but under the branch banking
system which prevails in this country
they are liable to constant removal from
one town to another and so lose touch
with the estates and wards in their charge
In many cases they apply to the courts
for release from a trust on transference
from one town to another, and someone
else has to be found who perhaps Wouio
not have been the kind of man selected
by the testator.
Clergymen who are chosen oftener than
any others by men making their Wills
are the very worst class OF 'rue'eSs
because of their lack of business tram
ing and detachment from the ordinary
affairs of life. Every village almost can
tell of losses by unfortunate investments
by clerical trustees, who have peen 'aken
bv glowing prospectuses or plausible COM
many promoters For the credit OF the
cloth it must be stated that dishohest
clerical trustee is rarely heard Of
Another objection which is sometimes
made to the clerical trustee is pased
on the frequency in this country OF pc
quests to the church Hundreds or irish
men annually leave their money Tor
church purposes and there IS haroy .
week that a clerical trustee Is not forced
to appear in the courts to resist an ap-
plication by relatives to set aside VIII
Of this kind. The clergymen themselves
do not like it and would be glad to be
rs,;e,-ed of the burden, but they feel
that in the absence of public official
whose duty it is to undertake the work
they cannot refuse to make the last hours