H.—ll

2

The number and the estimated value of the estates in the Public Trust Office on the 31st December in each of the years 1890 to 1893, and on the 31st March in each of the years 1895 and 1896, were as follows :—

Number and Value of Estates in Public Trust Office.

Wills and Trusts.—Excluding the Gisborne Harbour Board Sinking Bund Account, of which the balance at credit amounted to £10,962 10s. lid., and the Government Loans to Local Bodies Sinking Fund Account, with a balance of £85,259 Is. 3d., there are included under the heading of " Wills and Trusts " in the foregoing return fifteen other sinking-fund accounts, of which the Public Trustee is Commissioner under the authority of section 206 of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1896." The aggregate balance at the credit of these fifteen accounts had accumulated on the 31st of March, 1896, to £26,061 16s. 3d. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Sinking Eund was established by section 6 of " The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act 1886 Amendment Act, 1892," and was opened on the 9th December, 1892, and the transactions in this account have been as follows :—

Received

That the estimation still continues high in which the office stands with those who would appoint the Public Trustee to be trustee or executor, or transfer to him such an appointment, is indicated by the large increase at the close of the year in the number and value of the estates in the office subject to wills or trusts. But in every branch of the business there is evidence of a growing appreciation of the services which the-office is affording and is established to afford. The trustees of the fund voluntarily contributed to provide for the relief of those who were left destitute or in distress through the loss of life and property by the wreck, on the Great Barrier Island, of the steamer " Wairarapa," on the 24th October, 1894, recently appointed the Public Trustee to complete the administration of the fund—that is to say, to distribute the fund among the beneficiaries according to a final settlement made by the trustees. The large and spontaneous contribution of money for the relief of the widows and children of those whose lives were lost by the accident of the 25th March, 1896, to the Brunner Coal-mine

Number of Estates. Class. On 31st Dec, 1890. On 31st Dec, 1891. On 31st Dec, 1892. On 31st Dec, 1893. On 31st March, 1895. On 31st March, 1896. Wills and trusts (including Fund Accounts) Intestate estates Real estates Lunatic estates Native reserves West Coast Settlement Reserves Unclaimed lands Sinking 288 752 109 137 99 293 343 794 114 181 100 293 354 845 117 202 101 293 371 868 117 271 102 293 392 850 113 335 103 293 447 812 91 434 107 293 52 Totals 1,678 1,825 1,912 2,022 2,086 2,236 Value of Es ;ates. Class. On 31st Dec, 1890. On 31st Dec, 1891. On 31st Dec, 1892. On 31st Dec, 1893. On 31st March, 1895. On 31st March, 1896. Wills and trusts (including Sinking Pund Accounts) Intestate estates Real estates Lunatic estates Native reserves West Coast Settlement Reserves Unulaimed lands £ 418,047 £ 415,160 I_ 442,671 £ 543,239 £ 586,814 £ 673,478 75,305 23,496 32,918 340,869 349,462 83,381 24,190 34,913 344,692 350,289 81,650 22,706 40,380 346,499 350,839 84,436 23,465 51,278 348,500 400,000 80,287 22,462 72,706 350,000 450,000 86,132 14,686 73,995 350,000 600,000 8,662 Totals 1,252,625 1,450,918 1,562,269 1,806,953 1,240,097 1,284,755

During the Year ended 31st March. Prom Consolidated Fund. From Land Assurance Fund. Prom Interest. Balance at Credit of Account at close of Year. .893 894 .895 .896 £ s. 14,000 0 20,528 19 11,406 13 13,384 18 d. 0 7 7 0 £ a. d. 7,015 11 9 4,494 1 5 3,802 4 6 4,461 12 7 £ s. 1,058 16 2,148 0 2,958 3 d. 0 7 3 £ s. d. 21,015 11 9 26,081 17 0 17,356 18 8 20,804 13 10 Totals 59,320 11 2 19,773 10 3 6,164 19 10 85,259 1 3