8.—9

14

By the Public Trust Office Amendment Act, 1912, power was given to create the position of Local Deputy Public Trustee at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and some place to be selected in the Provincial District of Wellington. In pursuance of these powers officers were appointed at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin in 1912; and in 1917 the fourth appointment was made by raising the status of the officer in charge of the Wellington District Office from District Manager to Local Deputy Public Trustee. The benefits which were contemplated by the Act have not been fully realized. Delegation has hitherto been subject to several important limitations : (a) Delegation was restricted to estates of not more than £1,000 in value, except in special cases ; (b) in every case statements of beneficiaries' accounts were sent to the Head Office for' examination before despatcli ; (c) the legal work of the Office was all performed at the Head Office. The Board has done everything possible within the limits of existing statutory powers to make the four principal District Offices self-contained. District Solicitors have been appointed at Auckland and Christchurch. District Accountants have been appointed at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. In future the whole of the accounting work at those offices will be under the control of the District Accountants, and the necessity for rendering statements of account to the Head Office will completely disappear. Reference to this change will be found under the heading of " Accounts." The Board has abolished the arbitrary limit of £1,000 hitherto imposed in the case of delegation of estates. In addition to delegating the administration of all new estates reported in the four principal districts, the Board has directed that many of the estates hitherto administered in the Head Office shall in future be administered by Local Deputy Public Trustees. In anticipation of the transfer of the greater portion of the administration work to the local offices it has also appointed Assistant Local Deputy Public Trustees at the four principal offices, to relieve the Local Deputy Public Trustees as far as possible of the work of officesupervision and the discipline of the staff. The importance of having administration work performed by officers in close touch with the beneficiaries and others connected with estates cannot be overemphasized. The Board is of opinion that decentralization should be extended at the earliest opportunity to include the more important of the remaining District Offices, but before this can be done legislative sanction will be required. CONTROL OF ENEMY PROPERTY. Special duties in connection with enemy property have been cast upon the Public Trustee from time to time by War Regulations. These duties have involved the creation of a branch known as the " Enemy Property Branch." The principal functions discharged by the Public Trustee in this connection are the following :— (a.) Custodian of Enemy Property. This position is held in virtue of. the War Regulations made by Order in Council dated the 3rd April, 1916, under which all property, real or personal, belonging to any enemy person, firm, or company vests in the Public Trustee as Custodian. 'This has involved the collection of all moneys due on goods imported from enemy countries into New Zealand and not paid for prior to the date of the regulations. Enemy goods held on consignment have been sold, and the balances remaining after the deduction of expenses have been lodged to credit of the Common Fund. All rents, dividends, and interest payable to enemies in respect of any shares, stock, or debentures of any company incorporated in New Zealand, and all profits from any business owned by enemies, and all interest on moneys lent by enemies, are payable to the Public Trustee as Custodian.