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13. NELSON. The, following statistics give an indication of the business done through the Nelsori Branch :— N , Value. Estates and funds under administration — UUl ' £ As at 31st March, 1924 .. .. .. .. 357 473,439 1925 .. .. .. ..373 488,538 Estates closed .. .. .. .. .. ..78 42,200 No less than twenty-four estates, of the value of £13,649, were both accepted and closed within the twelve months ended 31st March, 1925. New wills deposited during the year numbered 153, and the total number held on deposit on 31st March, 1925, was 1,768. There are thirty-seven sinking funds in the district under administration, and the present cash value of these funds is £26,992. There are three benefit funds under administration. One was created by public subscription, another by lodge members, and another by the will of a deceased person. The value of securities held on account of estates under administration was £43,639, and for safe custody for living persons was £5,756, making a total of £49,395. The total cash held on account of estates and trusts under administration was £136,792 as at 31st March, 1924, and this was increased to £145,694 as at 31st March, 1925. Cash receipts were £103,845, as against £82,767 for the previous year, and cash payments amounted to £103,869, as against £82,602 for the previous year. There were 101 mortgages, of the total value of £81,284, held by estates under administration by this Branch. The total amount of Common Fund investments in the district was as follows : Flat mortgages, £12,350 ; Instalment mortgages, £2,896 ; local body debentures, £191,068 : total, £206,314. Loans granted from other funds were as follows : Railway Superannuation Fund, £6,670; Public Service Superannuation Fund, £3,500 ; Teachers' Superannuation Fund, £6,500 ; National Provident Fund, £1,150 : total, £17,820. The following is an approximate summary of the realizations during the year ended 31st March, 1925 : Bank accounts, £769 ; Post Office Savings-bank accounts, £4,595 ; fixed deposits, £3,529 ; shares, £261 ; life policies, £1,591; real property, £7,372 ; mortgages, £8,245 ; miscellaneous, £16,903 : total, £43,265. The Office has made steady progress in the district during the year. Almost 45 per cent, of the estates of persons dying in this district have been administered by the Office during each of the past three years. The district is a large one, but very scattered, and the total population is not very large. The business done, however, shows that the Office is very popular in the district. The public generally appear to be well satisfied with the manner in which estates are being administered, and do not hesitate to express their appreciation of the work done by the Office. 14. NEW PLYMOUTH. During the past year this Office has made steady progress. The following statistics give an indication of the business transacted. The number of estates under administration at 31st March, 1925, was 213, of a total value of £257,720. During the year thirty-five estates, of a total value of £44,656, were closed and distributed, and forty-five new estates, of a total value of £63,236, were reported and accepted. During the year 105 new wills were deposited, making the total number 775. The cash held at credit of various estates under administration is £96,458. The cash receipts for the year totalled £75,220, and the cash, payments totalled £85,687. The investments in this district are asTunder: Mortgages, £184,586; local body debentures, £139,580. The staff at the Branch now totals ten, the increase in the work having necessitated the appointments of an additional typist and an additional cadet. During the year a further step was taken to decentralize the Office work by the appointment of a Legal Clerk, and all the legal work, including the preparation of wills and other documents, is now performed locally. The prospects of the Office in this district are particularly bright, as is evidenced by the number of wills held on deposit for living testators, and also the number of new wills being deposited every month. Inspection of Farms. —Arrangements have been made for the Office Farm Inspector to visit the district at regular intervals, thereby ensuring that every farming property and mortgage security in the district is inspected at least once per annum, and more often if required. In addition the practice has been adopted of obtaining an initial report from the Farm Inspector immediately a farming property comes under the control of the Office, thereby ensuring a continuity of supervision by a practical man from the time the farming property comes under the control of the Office to the time it is disposed of or transferred. Part-time Office. —The only part-time office in this district is that at Inglewood, which is visited regularly once a week on sale days by an experienced officer of the staff. The results obtained are entirely satisfactory, and, as many Office clients cannot spare the time to come to town, they appreciate the convenience of being in constant touch with the Office and of being able to transact their business in their nearest town.

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