41Power of appointing new or additional trustees

41 Power of appointing new or additional trustees

S. 41(1) amended by Nos 6867 s. 2(Sch. 1), 9075 s. 5(1), 9427 s. 5(Sch. 4 item 12).

(1) Where a trustee is dead, or remains out of Victoria for more than one year without having properly delegated the execution of the trust, or desires to be discharged from all or any of the trusts or powers reposed in or conferred on him or refuses or is unfit to act therein, or is incapable of acting therein, or is a minor, then, subject to the restrictions imposed by this Act on the number of trustees—

(a) the person or persons nominated for the purpose of appointing new trustees by the instrument (if any) creating the trust; or

(b) if there is no such person or no such person able and willing to act, then the surviving or continuing trustees or trustee for the time being, or the personal representatives of the last surviving or continuing trustee—

may, by writing, appoint one or more other persons (whether or not being the persons exercising the power) to be a trustee or trustees in the place of the trustee so deceased, remaining out of Victoria, desiring to be discharged, refusing, or being unfit, or being incapable, or being a minor as aforesaid.

(2) Where a trustee has been removed under a power contained in the instrument creating the trust, then a new trustee or new trustees may be appointed in the place of the trustee who is removed as if he were dead, or in the case of a corporation, as if the corporation desired to be discharged from the trust, and the provisions of this section shall apply accordingly, but subject to the restrictions imposed by this Act on the number of trustees.

(3) Where a corporation being a trustee is or has been dissolved, either before or after the commencement of this Act, then, for the purposes of this section and of any corresponding previous enactment, the corporation shall be deemed to be and to have been from the date of the dissolution incapable of acting in the trusts or powers reposed in or conferred on the corporation.

(4) The power of appointment given by subsection (1) of this section or any corresponding previous enactment to the personal representatives of a last surviving or continuing trustee shall be and shall be deemed always to have been exercisable by the executors for the time being (whether original or by representation) of such surviving or continuing trustee who have proved the will of their testator or by the administrators for the time being of such trustee without the concurrence of any executor who has renounced or has not proved.

(5) But a sole or last surviving executor intending to renounce, or all the executors where they all intend to renounce, shall have and shall be deemed always to have had power, at any time before renouncing probate, to exercise the power of appointment given by this section, or by any corresponding previous enactment, if willing to act for that purpose and without thereby accepting the office of executor.