Public Trust Office.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1923, Page 1

Public Trust Office.

! THE MINISTER'S REVIEW ! j WELLINGTON. I'l'liniiirx 1. | ‘The I icst State in.-tit nt ion.” was a i description applied to tho Public {tltlioo I>y tlic* Hon .1. G. Coates the j Ministcr-in-eliarge. at a gathering of | tho staff hold at Wellington on Saturday to make a farewell presentation td ATr M. C. Tini nett on his retirement from tho position of Assistant-Public Trustee. Mr Contes said thal when Mr Barnett joined the oTue in 1893, there were 1012 estates under administration ami their total value amounted to C1.28f.77-". *On March 31st of last year the estates numbered 0.138. and their value was £21.107.770. hi 11 io ten years to 1902 the estates under administration had doubled them selves in value. The increased value was itself doubled in the next five years, and redoubled in another five venrs. In the last ten years, tho value had boon nearly trebled, and it was still growing. The total of the Common Fund investments was £102., 88. while mi March ‘list last the total was £13,174.181. and in tho last ton months since that date further investments had been made amounting to

over two million pounds. Hi the days of Mr Barnett's eoinnieneenient with the office, the staff was very small, and the office had no home of its own. It carried on in leased premises in Customhouse ipiny. Xow it had its own buildings in Wellington. ( hristehureh. Dunedin. Gisborne.. Groymouth.. Hawora. Hivei'cargill. Masterton. Napier Nelson. New Plymouth. Palmerston North, and Wanganui, while sites had lu-oii obtained elsewhere for buildings required to meet the growing needs. When it was stated that wills of living persons are being received in the office at the rate of five thousand a year, it will be gathered that a continuance of business is assured” said Mr Coates.