meteorological services for use by aircraft and shipping, issues regular weather forecasts and is responsible for giving typhoon warnings.
Law and Order
The Attorney General is the adviser to Government on all legal matters and is also the public prosecutor. The Registrar General is the officer responsible for the registration of companies, trade marks, marriages and land deals and is also the Official Receiver and Official Trustee. Watch and ward in the Colony is kept by the Commissioner of Police, while the Colony's prisons are the responsibility of the Commissioner of Prisons. The Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade has an efficient and up-to-date force under his command.
New Territories
The administration of the New Territories is in the charge of a District Commissioner, assisted by a District Officer for each of the three districts: Yuen Long in the west, Taipo in the north and east, and the southern District. The District Officers for Yuen Long and Taipo each sit as Magistrates three days a week, on alternate days, and hear small debt cases and disputes concerning land, in which sphere they have powers similar to those of the Supreme Court. With the help of the Medical and Health Officer, the Department is responsible in the New Territories for much of the work done in the city by the Urban Council.
Other Departments
The Government Statistician is responsible for the production of any statistical matter required by any department of government.
The Commissioner of Registration is responsible for the registration of persons and the issue of identity cards under the Registration of Persons Ordinance, 1949. The main work of registering the population was completed in the autumn of 1951.
The Quartering Authority is responsible generally for the allocation of accommodation within government and for the requisition of premises.
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