H.—ll

3

An Act to amend " The Public Trust Office Consolidation Act, 1894," " The Lunatics Act, 1882," " The Foreign Insurance Companies Deposits Act, 1894," and " The Native Land Court Act, 1894." Be it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : —■ 1. The Short Title of this Act is " The Public Trustee Empowering Act, 1898." 2. The following subsection is hereby added to section thirty-one of " The Public Trust Office Consolidation Act, 1894 " : — " To an amount not exceeding twelve thousand pounds in the purchase at Wellington of the necessary ground and building, or in otherwise providing the office accommodation and furniture required by the Public Trustee and the Public Trust Office and the officers thereof : Provided that the approval of the Office Board be obtained to the expenditure of any money under the provision of this subsection." 3. The following paragraph is hereby added to section four of " The Foreign Insurance Companies' Deposits Act, 1894 " : — " Every foreign company shall pay to the Public Trustee for the issue of such certificate a fee of five pounds five shillings, and a like fee of five pounds five shillings for each grant of a renewal of such certificate, which fee shall be paid to the Public Trustee before he issues the certificate or grants a renewal thereof, as the case may be." 4. Section fourteen of the last-mentioned Act is hereby amended by the insertion of the words " upon payment to the Public Trustee of one pound one shilling and," after the word " deposited," in the third line of subsection one. 5. Section two hundred and fifteen of " The Lunatics Act, 1882," is hereby amended by the excision of the words "into and form part of the Consolidated Fund," in subsection (b) thereof, and the insertion of the words " to the Public Trustee " in lieu of the words excised. 6. Section one hundred and thirty-three of "The Native Land Court Act, 1894," is hereby amended by the excision of the words, " without any deduction or charge whatsoever," and by the insertion of the words, " after deducting therefrom the costs and charges of the Public Trustee as prescribed by Order in Council," in lieu of the words excised. 7. The Public Trustee is hereby authorised to prepare wills of which he is appointed executor, mortgages, and transfers of mortgages, powers of attorney, and such other deeds and documents as he may consider advisable, and to charge therefor such fees as may be prescribed by Order in Council. 8. All moneys received by the Public Trustee under the provisions herein contained shall form part of the funds of the Public Trust Office.

The Revenue and Expenditure of the Public Trust Office for the Three Years, 1891, 1892, and 1893; for the Fifteen Months ended 31st March, 1895; and for the Years ended 31st March, 1896 and 1897.

Year ended 31st December, 1891. Year ended 31st December, 1892. Year ended 31st December, 1893. nfteen Month ended 31st March, 1895. Year ended 31st March, i 1896. I Year ended 31st March, 1897. Expenditure. Salaries Commission to agents Clerical assistance and auditing ... Legal expenses Stationery and printing Miscellaneous Royal Commission Unauthorised Deficiency in realisation of mortgages Balance, being excess of revenue £ s. a. 5,146 19 10 1,327 18 4 £ s. d. 4,872 7 4 1,457 18 4 £ s. d. 5,858 3 3 1,466 5 10 £ . s. a. 8,571 15 11 1,348 8 8 £ s. 7,438 8 538 4 d 1 1 £ s. d. 7,719 6 10 739 2 10 539 15 2 93 11 2 306 16 5 1,681 4 9 2,280 6 10 726 17 3 1,006 4 8 38 1 4 122 4 5 2,652 11 11 1,596 7 8 789 0 11 I 984' 7 4 519 13 6 323 3 1 3,566 2 4 410 11 8 690 19 4 1 990 8 0, 4,523 19 0 261 13 542 8 506 2 3,508 10 O 7 4 7 278 13 0 503 6 0 379 0 6 3,390 1 3 373" 4 7 412 19 6 1 1211 7 89" 3 7 1,717 7 9 2,041 6 8 340 4 9 1,272 4 8 180 7 4 1,940 4 3: 1,162 11 8 1,221 11 4 Bevenue. 12,103 9 9 14,252 4 4 15,132 6 7 19,229 11 1 15,242 14 10 14,500 12 8 Commission and charges Interest in excess of amount credited to properties Miscellaneous Balance, being excess of expenditure ... 5,470 15 4,308 11 352 6 4 5 6 5,912 14 6,177 7 250 12 2 7 7 5,299 15 8 7,369 10 9 2,027 6 11 7,197 9 10,163 6 1,868 15 1 i 6,513 11 7,560 7 1,168 16 3 2 5 6,898 15 6,376 5 1,225 12 5 2 1 1,971 16 6 1,911 10 0 435 13 3 12,103 9 9 14,252 4 4 15,132 6 7 19,229 11 115,242 14 10 14,500 12 8