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In the meantime some special steps have become necessary to relieve the present congestion, and arrangements have been made for the erection of temporary additional premises to provide accommodation for present needs. It is anticipated that the provision now being made will suffice for the needs of the Office until the erection of a permanent building can be proceeded with. At Dunedin additional accommodation will shortly be required, but this can be obtained in the premises at present in occupation by the Local Deputy Public Trustee and his staff. Plans for additions to the Hawera Office building and for the erection of an office building at Invercargill have been prepared. New premises have been rented at Gisborne. Premises have been leased for the accommodation of the newly appointed District Managers at Hamilton, Taihape, Palmerston North, Dannevirke, and Blenheim. Larger premises are urgently required at Napier and New Plymouth. STATUTORY POWERS AND DUTIES. SPECIAL POWERS OF PUBLIC TRUSTEE. Of the special powers conferred by section 21 of the Public Trust Office Amendment Act, 1913, two only need be referred to. (1.) The power given by clause (q) of the section under which an amount up to £500 may be expended out of the capital of any estate for the improvement and development of the property has proved useful in the administration of estates. (2.) The power conferred by clause (.), authorizing the Public Trustee to take up additional shares in any company on its reconstruction or otherwise, has been sparingly exercised, and has been restricted to those cases where the retention of shares and the acquisition of additional shares has been authorized by the trust investment. SPECIAL FACILITIES TO PRIVATE TRUSTEES. The provisions of section 4. of the Public Trust Office Act, 1913, which authorize the appointment of advisory trustees to co-operate with the Public Trustee in the management of estates are growing in public favour. Many wills drawn by the Office include the provision, and in many large estates in which the trust instruments were created before the passing of the Act the provisions are now being availed of. It is also found that in many cases private executors relinquish their executorship in favour of the Public Trustee, with the proviso that they shall be appointed advisory trustees in the estate. A further provision of the 1913 Act which is largely availed of is that contained in section 17, subsection (2), whereby legacies or shares payable to an infant may be handed over to the Public Trustee for retention on behalf of the beneficiary. In England, and also in New Zealand before the passing of the Act, the closing of the administration was in many cases delayed for lengthy periods until infant beneficiaries came of age Under the provisions of the subsection quoted the trustee can divest himself of further responsibility by paying over the, infant's share to the Public Trustee. Interest on all amounts so paid over is allowed in accordance with the Office regulations. Private executors in increasing numbers are availing themselves of this convenience. RECIPROCAL SERVICES BETWEEN THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE AND OTHER STATE PUBLIC TRUSTEES. New Zealand grants of probate or administration have no effect beyond the Dominion, and the consequent inability of the Public Trustee to administer and deal with assets of an estate situated beyond New Zealand makes it necessary to invoke the assistance of persons resident in the foreign jurisdictions wherein such assets are situate to enable the latter to obtain ancillary grants and then account to the Public Trustee as principal administrator. In such cases the Office has adopted the practice of instructing public officials endowed by the law of their respective countries or States with the power of administering deceased persons' estates in their respective jurisdictions.

s—B. 9.

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