1901_PROBATES_ORDINANCE__1897 — Page 4

D1897.1

PROBATES.

• [No. 2.

293

to administer oaths and to perform such other duties in reference to matters and causes testamentary as may be assigned to them from time to time by any rules and orders made under this Ordinance.

Every Commissioner for taking oaths in the Supreme Court in its original jurisdiction shall be a Commissioner for taking oaths in the Court.

PART II.

THE OFFICIAL ADMINISTRATOR.

Registrar to be Official Administrator.

11.(1.) It is hereby declared that the Registrar for the time being of the Supreme Court is ex officio Official Administrator, under this Ordinance.

(2) In all cases the Official Administrator shall be subject to the immediate control and act under the direction of the Court.

12. A grant of administration to the Official Administrator, whether the name of the grantee, the officer holding the appointment at the time of the grant, is or is not mentioned therein, shall be deemed to have been made and to be made, as the case may be, to him and his successors in office from time to time.

13. All property vested in the Official Administrator for the time being by virtue of any grant of administration made to him or any predecessor in office or otherwise shall, on his vacating or otherwise ceasing to hold the office, be deemed to be vested in his successor without any other transfer or conveyance.

Power to Official Administrator to take possession of property of deceased person until grant of probate or administration.

14. (1.) It shall be lawful for the Official Administrator, whenever he thinks it expedient to do so and upon such evidence of death as he deems sufficient, to receive or take possession of the private papers, monies, goods, chattels, and other movable property whatsoever of any deceased person which may be found within the Colony, and to provide for the safe custody thereof, until probate of the will of such deceased person or administration of his estate has been granted by the Court: provided always that the Official Administrator may, in lieu thereof, if he thinks fit, issue forthwith a commission of appraisement of all or any such property.

(2) In case of the death of any citizen of the United States of America in the Colony, without having in the Colony any known heirs or testamentary executors appointed by him, the Official Administrator shall at once inform the nearest Consular Officer of the said United States of the fact, in order that the necessary information may be immediately forwarded to persons interested. The said Consular Officer shall have the right to appear, either personally or by delegate, in all proceedings relative to the administration.