POST OFFICE BANK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 10, 7 October 1919, Page 6

POST OFFICE BANK

DEPOSITS OF DECEASED PERSONS j The Post and Telegraph Amendment I Bill, introduced into the House of Re- j presentatives last night, is very largely ' a Departmental Bill- Some of the clauses ' 1 affect the public in such matters as re- . gistration of letters, but not very ma- i terially.' The 0110 quite new clause ■; as follows:— _ i Where the whole amount standing to . the credit of a depositor iu the Post Of- 1 (ice Savings Hank at the time of his j death does not exceed ,£IOO, and probata j of the will of such depositor, or letters of administration of liis estate, is or are . not produced within such time as the Postmaster-General thinks reasonable, tho • Postmaster-General may, in his discretion. without requiring probate or letters of administration, pay the amount or ; any part thereof to afiy of the person! ; following, that is tb' sijy—(a) Any perron who has paid the funeral expenses ot the depositor; (b) any person being a , creditor of the depositor; (e) the widow * or 'widower of the depositor; (d) the person entitled, to the estate of tlife depositor under the statutes .of distribution j (e) any person entitled to take out. probata or letters of administration; (f) any person undertaking to maintain the the children of the depositor; (g)__ the | i'ltbii" Trustee. In making any pay- ; men I . s aforesaid the fostmaster-General • shall have regard to the rules of law , regulating the distribution'of. the estates J of persons dying intestate, but luMnay/'; nevertheless, if he considers that injus- ; lice or undue hardship would, result from j the observance of those rules! ma'ko sucli payment otherwise tlnin in accordance " therewith. All payments made pursuant j to this section shall be valid as against all persons, and no liability shall at- I tacli to the 'Postmaster-General or the Government of New Zealand in. respect j of any such payment. Before making any ; payment under this section tho Post-master-General may require tiie produc- : tion of proof to his satisfaction of th' \ death of the depositor. ■ |