8.—9.

The expansion of the Public Trust Office over the past twenty years is shown by the following table giving the value of the business under administration and the number of wills on deposit at regular intervals :—■ y ear Value of Estates and Funds Number of Wills under Administration. on Deposit. £ 1921 .. .. .. 22,364,319 28,356 1931 .. .. .. 57,527,263 73,523 1941 .. .. .. 64,436,092 105,079 As a result of the occupation of a substantial portion of Europe by enemy forces much work has devolved upon the Public Trustee as Custodian of Enemy Property under the Enemy Property Emergency Regulations 1939. It is pleasing to record that the operations of the Office over the past year resulted in a profit of £17,073, after making the usual provision in the accounts for depreciation on Office property and for bad debts in respect of the Office investments. The operations of the Office over the year under review have proceeded smoothly, and the figures which have been given indicate that the people of New Zealand have full confidence in this highly successful institution. H. G-. R. Mason, Minister in Charge of the Public Trust Office. Wellington, 26th June, 1941.

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