B.— 9

Workers' Compensation Act. 60. Of considerable importance are the functions performed by the Public Trustee in reference to claims for compensation under this Act. The Public Trustee's functions may be briefly classed as threefold in the following manner: —- (a.) Under section 33 of the Workers' Compensation Act, 1922, it is provided that compensation-moneys directed to be invested shall be paid to the Public Trustee, who shall deal with them and the income therefrom in accordance with the regulations and orders of the Arbitration Court. In this connection compensation-moneys payable to minors are invested by the Public Trustee and applied by him on their behalf. (b.) Section 38 of the Act orders that all compensation-moneys in respect to the death of a worker shall, unless the Arbitration Court directs otherwise, be paid to the Public Trustee. In reference to such moneys the dependants may arrange for their own practitioner to make application to the Arbitration Court for the necessary apportionment order, or they may require the Public Trustee's legal adviser to act for them. In any case before an apportionment order will be made investigations have to be conducted by the Public Trustee, and a report placed before the Court setting out the circumstances of the case and recommendations as to the manner in which the compensation-moneys shall be apportioned. {(:.) In the estates under administration by the Public Trustee, whether they be those of deceased persons or persons under mental and physical disability, the Office takes steps to protect the interests of those for whom it acts in respect of any claims which may be made under the Act by reason of accident causing death or mental disability. In view of the fact that the dependants of deceased persons entitled to receive compensation-moneys under this Act are generally in poor circumstances, special attention is paid to these claims. Every effort is made on the part of the Office to expedite the completion of the claims in those cases where the Public Trustee's legal adviser is acting, and to co-operate with outside practitioners where they have been employed by the dependants to act on their behalf. Charitable and Public Trusts. 61. By reason of the character of the institution and its machinery and organization the Public Trust Office is eminently suited for the carrying on of trusts of a public nature, particularly those that will be continuing for long periods. Already the Public Trustee is administering a number of these trusts, amongst which the following are of the greatest public interest T. G. Macarthy Trust. —Full information regarding the working of this trust may be found on an earlier page of this report. The services of the Public Trustee are being frequently availed of to administer funds raised for the relief of suffering and distress caused by disasters of various kinds. Amongst these the following are of the greatest public interest: - (a.) Brunner Disaster Fund. This consisted of funds raised by public subscription throughout the Dominion and the Commonwealth of Australia for the relief of the widows and orphans and other dependants of those miners who lost their lives in the disa'strous explosion in the Brunner Mine in 1896. There were a large number of dependants, and the fund has been administered by the Public Trustee since its inception. Within the last few years the Advisory Board which had been set up by the deed of trust was abolished, and the fund is now administered solely by the Public Trustee. As will be understood, in the lapse of time the number of recipients has been considerably diminished. There remained in the hands of the Public Trustee as at the 31st March, 1925, the sum of £2,444 4s, 4d,

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