12 OCTOBER 1929, Page 36

REGISTRARS AND TRANSFER AGENTS.

The attention which has been drawn to the big financial responsibilities involved in company registration and transfer work is resulting in- an increase in the number of companies and public authorities which entrust the keeping of their stock and share registers to third parties of known re_spon- bility and resources. In England the general rule is for companies to keep this work in the hands of their own staffs, but there is nothing more than tradition in favour of the principle. In the United States no public corporations are permitted to handle their own share transfers but have to appoint a bank or trust company as their transfer agents. By this means the risk of irregularities is much reduced, while should they occur, the loss falls upon a responsible institution.