Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Attorney-General how many applications the Public Trustee has received in each year, and all together, since the Public Trustee Act, 1906, came into operation, for him to act as trustee in testamentary and mar- 2968W riage trusts, respectively, which fall, or would fall, to be administered under the law of Scotland; and how he has dealt with such applications?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSNo statistics have been kept of the Scotch trusts submitted for the acceptance of the Public Trustee. If an estimate were to be asked for it might be fair to say that in five years not less than 500, and this would be verified if desired, although it might take some time to take out the figures. It should also be noted that the fact that the Public Trustee Act, 1906, is expressed not to extend to Scotland has doubtless caused many people to abstain from approaching the Public Trustee on the matter. The tendency of the applications from Scotland to the Public Trustee latterly has been on the increase.
Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Attorney-General to what extent the provisions of the Public Trustee [...]06, relating to the appointment of the Public Trustee as custodian trustee have been utilised for testamentary trusts and marriage trusts, respectively, as compared with the provisions for his appointment as ordinary trustee?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSThe answer is that out of 2,993 appointments of all kinds accepted up to 31st March last the Public Trustee had only been appointed as custodian trustee in thirty-two cases, or an all-round percentage of 1 per cent. The public evidently prefer that they should be able 2969W to resort to the services of the Public Trustee as a full ordinary trustee rather than as a merely passive custodian of trust property.