17Public Trustee entitled, on application, to administration of an intestate estate

17 Public Trustee entitled, on application, to administration of an intestate estate

(1)  Where any person domiciled in this State, or who has property in this State, has died or dies intestate, the Public Trustee, if he thinks fit to apply therefor, shall be entitled as of right to administration of the estate of such person, unless –

(a) administration thereof has been granted to some other person and the same is being administered by him; or

(b) any person domiciled in this State who, but for this section, would be entitled to such administration, makes application therefor to the Court before the same is granted to the Public Trustee.

(2)  The Public Trustee, before making an application under this section, shall give public notice in the prescribed form of his intention so to do, and such notice shall be published fourteen days before the application is made.

(3)  Such notice as aforesaid shall be in lieu of, and shall take the place of, a citation, and it shall not be necessary for the Public Trustee to take out or publish a citation.