71
appeals were heard against the decisions of the Tenancy Tribunals. Eleven actions were filed in the Admiralty juris- diction and sixteen petitions were filed in the divorce jurisdic- tion (1938: three and six respectively). Fifteen trust estates were in the hands of the Official Trustee at the end of the year (twenty-one at the end of 1938). The estates of thirty- gufive deceased persons were taken into the custody of the Official Administrator (twenty-five in 1938) and administra- tion of two of them was completed. 380 Hong Kong com- panies and 41 foreign corporations were registered during the year, bringing the total number of Hong Kong companies on the register to 1,399 (764 at the end of 1938), and the total number of registered foreign corporations to 364.
Cases Heard in the Lower Courts.
The figures below show the penalties which were awarded at the Hong Kong and Kowloon Magistracies in respect of cases heard during the period May to December, 1946. Corresponding totals for the whole of the year 1938 are also given:-
Total for Total for Hong Kow-
1946 1938 (12 Kong. loon. (May-Dec.) months).
Prosecutions against adults & juveniles 25,518 Convictions against adults & juveniles 20,707
10,730 36,248 72,752
8,577 29,284 67,600
Adult Offenders.
Fined
9,394
5,755
15,149 47,182
Imprisoned in default of payment of fine
721
346
1,067 9,317
Imprisoned without option....
1,766 2,023
3,789
5,886
Bound over
1,319
105
1,424
2,606
Cautioned or discharged
5,632
1,805
7,437
7,888
Defendants fined and allowed time to
pay fine
15
10
25
967
Juvenile Offenders.
Fined
589
30
619
1,544
Sent to reformatory
99
66
165
292
Committed to approved institution...
15
70
85
16
Bound over
45
45
90
313
Placed on probation
45
33
78
23
Cautioned or discharged
2,579
101
2,680
508
Whipped
55
63
118
190
Maintenance Cases.
Orders made
10
6
16
14
749 criminal prosecutions were brought before the Dis- trict Officer sitting in his court in the New Territories.