The role of the Registrar
What we can and can’t do
The Charitable Trusts Act 1957 (the Act) sets out the Registrar’s roles and responsibilities. These do not include intervening or arbitrating in the internal matters of charitable trust boards.
What we do
Under the Act, the Registrar’s responsibilities are limited to —
- registering trust boards,
- recording changes to trust deeds, rules and addresses, and
- dissolutions.
What we don’t do
The Registrar has no power under the Act to inquire into a board’s activities or operations.
If your charitable trust board experiences internal problems about how it is being run or the way its deed or rules are being interpreted or applied, it must resolve them itself. You may need to get legal advice.
The authority to examine and inquire into the condition and management of charities in New Zealand resides with the Attorney General.
The Attorney General's contact address is:
Crown Law Office
P O Box 2858
Wellington 6140
The Crown Law Office website address is www.crownlaw.govt.nz
