the Registrar General with effect from the 1st April, 1949 to centralise the administration of the following offices by combining them into one department: Land Office and Deeds Registry, Companies Registry, Trade Marks
Marks and Patents Registry, Marriage Registry, and the offices of the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy and Official Trustee.
The following table gives details of the work done in the Supreme Court during 1947 to 1949:-
Original Jurisdiction
(actions instituted)
Summary Jurisdiction
(actions instituted)
Distraints for Rent
Probate Jurisdiction
Probates
1947 1948 1949
340
357 763
229
411
439
245
372
387
246
160
130
(grants made)
Letters of Administration
642
589
531
(grants made)
Grants by other Courts sealed
232
208
109
Criminal Sessions
Persons indicted
366
286
203
Persons convicted
277
261
158
Under trial or adjourned
16
Appeals against conviction or sentence
11
41
27
Appeals against magisterial decisions
24
24
22
Appeals in respect of civil actions.
17
22
17
Appeals against the decisions of the Tenancy
Tribunals
28
42
59
Admiralty Jurisdiction
2
7
(actions filed)
Divorce Jurisdiction
32
16
15
(Petitions filed)
Estates taken into custody by the Official
Adminstrator
32
41
41
Bills of Sale registered
128
141
183
During the year 1949, the appointment of a permanent President to the Tenancy Tribunal was the remedy to the heavy arrears which had been accumulating; not only were the arrears accounted for during the year but a big increase in the number of cases filed-599 as against 398 in 1948- was successfully dealt with.
The Lower Courts
There are three magistrates' courts on the Island and two in Kowloon. The latter hear cases from the whole mainland area south of the Kowloon Hills and from the harbour. In October, 1948, a new
new court was instituted, known as the Justices of the Peace Court which is composed
92