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they are to be sold, as I intend buying the ladies' gold watch, the bracelet, and the lace as a memento to my wife of the old lady,—l am, &c, Wm. Leslie Moubison.—E. C. Hammerton, Esq., Public Trustee." There is a case, it appears, where he arranged with your second in command, the Eev. Mr. De Castro, to fet him know when this sale was to take place, as he was a buyer, and wanted, for certain purposes, to acquire some of the articles by way of memento. He was not informed?— There is nothing on the papers. If there had been anything on the papers the sale would not have taken place without his knowledge. 2845. We learn from the Eev. Mr. De Castro that he is the chief jeweller to the Public Trust Office :is that so —that he gets all the jewellery?— That is so. He has the custody of all those things. 2846. That is a very responsible position for a gentleman in holy orders : do you not think so? —It is a responsibility which he, as Chief Clerk, had to undertake. 2847. Are you aware that he keeps a book, which he calls his private register, of wdiat his safe contains?— Yes, he told me that he kept it. 2848. But you never saw that book?—I have seen it. I have never examined it. He showed it to me. I have seen it open. 2849. Have you ever takeu it in your hand and looked through the pages?— No. 2850. If you had, perhaps you would have required it to have been kept in a little more methodical and clearer condition, believing you to be a methodical man? —I should require that, no doubt. 2851. Well, there are very few particulars of the articles. It may all be perfectly clear to Mr. De Castro; but if he were to die suddenly, and another officer had to take it up, he would have a difficulty in understanding his memoranda and hieroglyphics?—lt would not matter if the book was. burnt, because all the articles appear on the estate paxjers. 2852. But if any article were missing, how could you tell that without going through all the estate papers in your office?— True. 2853. If an article were missing, in order to find out whether such was the case, it would necessitate your going through the whole of the papers from the time the office started ?—Yes ; if we had not that book. 2854. So that it would not do oven for this book to be destroyed ?—No ;it would occasion great trouble. 2855. How do you know this book is a correct inventory ?—Personally, I do not know. 2856. Because you never took stock of the jewellery?—l left that entirely to Mr. De Castro. 2857. Do you know how often he takes stock?—l do not. 2858. He never reports to you ?—No. 2859. Then, he and you only have a talk about jewellery matters when you think it is time that some should be sold ?—The rule of the office has been, ever since its foundation, to keep jewellery for twelve or fifteen, sometimes eighteen, months, within which time, if the estate goes out of the office, the next-of-kin may claim it. If it is not claimed within that time the rule has been to sell it and carry proceeds to the estate. 2860. So that after twelve months, as a rule, any persons interested in an estate would have forgotten all about the jewellery—would have forgotten that there was jewellery in an estate. If you keep it for twelve months at least, and some of it nearly two years, the beneficiaries in any particular estate w7ould have lost sight of or forgotten anything about it, or that there was jewellery ? —If within twelve months, or fifteen or eighteen months, as the case may be, the estate is claimed by the next-of-kin the jewellery, of course, goes in kind. If it is not claimed then it is sold, and the proceeds credited to the estate. 2861. But, speaking again of this jewellery which you have still got in stock under the charge of your reverend jeweller, and the particular estates which it is divisible into, how many of those interested in those estates in which this jewellery is divisible have not forgotten all about it, or now know nothing of it ?—I do not quite grasp your question as to its tendency. The next-of-kin, either for jewellery or kind, or for money, if they ask for it in kind they get it. If there is no proof of kinship it is reasonable to come to the conclusion that no relatives are known ; it is reasonable to conclude that the estate is not going to be claimed ; and in order to prevent a large accumulation of jewellery, and damage by damp or otherwise, the jewellery is changed into cash. 2862. In other words, you have periodical sales of jewellery, so as to reduce your stock?— Yes. 2863. What steps does the Public Trust Office take after coming into possession of a lot of jewellery to find out the next-of-kin, or in what manner it is best to be distributed?— With the information we have. 2864. If you have no information, do you take any steps by advertising or otherwise?— The only step is by advertising in the Gazette here, and in London in some paper selected by the AgentGeneral. 2865. Some paper perhaps that is not read ?—We leave it to his discretion. 2866. Who reads the Gazette in this colony ?—Very few, comparatively. 2867. And no lists are hung up in your various offices of the jewellery and personal effects in hand?— No. 2868. Mr. Loughrey.} Nor of the desire of the Public Trustee to ascertain next-of-kin ? —No such lists are hung up. 2869. The Chairman.} And when your auctioneer has a parcel of effects from your office to sell, he never heads his advertisement announcing the sale "In the estate of So-and-so"?—I have seen it so headed, but have seen it not so headed. 2870. Perhaps you may have a difficulty in finding out; but there are very few cases, if any, where these advertisements have been so headed,_where personalty such as jewellery has been sold under instructions by your office. Let us now come to the principle of this business, and I may