JUSTICE, RECORDS, POLICE AND PRISONS
juvenile offences. In 1951, the overall figure for Hong Kong and Kowloon was 54,372 while in 1952 the cor- responding figure was 34,920.
In the Tenancy Tribunal, which hears applications under the Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, there was a great increase in the number of cases. In 1951, 659 cases were filed while in 1952 there were 1,466.
Public Records
The Registrar General's Department comprises the Land Office and Deeds Registry, the Registries of Marriages, Companies, Trade Marks and Patents and the offices of the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy and the Official Trustee.
Land Office
All instruments affecting land in Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon are registered in the Land Office. Legally the system prescribed by the Land Registration Ordinance provides for registration of deeds, not of title, but in practice the Land Office re- gisters also serve as a complete record of the title to each lot and have in fact become regarded as registers of title.
The form of land tenure throughout the Colony is leasehold, all land being held under lease from the Crown. In the early days of the Colony the normal lease term granted was 999 years, and much of the most valuable land in the central district of Victoria is held under long term leases of this kind. Later, between 1875 and 1898, there was a change in policy, and numerous leases of lots in Kowloon were granted for one term of 75 years only: in these leases the option for renewal for a second period of 75 years, which is
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