Public Trustee Act 1930

Where any person domiciled in this State or who has property in this State has died, or shall hereafter die, the Court, on the application of the Public Trustee, may grant to him letters of administration of the estate of such person in any of the following cases:Where such person leaves no executor willing and able to act in the execution of his will, and resident within the State;Where every executor or administrator has died;Where the estate or any portion thereof is liable to waste, and every executor or administrator or next-of-kin – is absent from the locality of the estate; is not known; or has not been found – or the executor, administrator, or next-of-kin has requested the Public Trustee in writing to apply for such letters of administration; or Where part of an estate already partly administered is unadministered owing to the disappearance or absence from this State, or the incapacity, of the executor or administrator, or where the executor or administrator has become bankrupt.

Upon an application by the Public Trustee under paragraph (d) of subsection (1) hereof, an absent or bankrupt executor or administrator may be discharged by the Court.