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EPORT ON THE NEW TERRITORY FOR THE YEAR 190
LAND.
The work of the Land Office in Hongkong as regards the New Territory 1900 falls under two heads :--
(n.) The translation and registration of Deeds under Ordinance No.
1844.
(b.) The registration of claims for the purposes of the Rough Rent 1
As regards (a.), the Registration Fees received from the New Territory la. year amounted to $1,892, and Deeds relating to 431 Lots situated in 45 different villages were duly registered by Memorials under the Ordinance.
The question has been raised whether it is desirable to continue the registra- tion of instruments in the Chinese language dated in some cases many years beforc the Convention. It is found that villagers who have deposited their documents for registration and paid the proper fees are apt to imagine that their title has beer recognized by Government and that they need not trouble further to bring thei claims before the Land Court.
Moreover, the lot number given on registration of a deed does not relate t any map, for the simple reason that there is not yet one available, and as the bot daries and the description of the land in the Chinese deed are invariably extr vague, it is impossible to ascertain with any certainty where the land affect the instrument is really situated.
It is true that the title of a registered owner becomes absolute if he remain. possession for 20 years, but in view of the constitution of a special tribunal— Land Court-all claims will have been enquired into and fresh titles or certifica of title issued by a very much earlier date.
It would no doubt be desirable to continue the operation of the Ordinanc the New Territory for all conveyances and other deeds executed since the terr has become British, but it will probably be advisable to discontinue the regis of older deeds until their validity has been decided on by the Land Court.
As regards (b.)-the Rough Rent Roll-the work of enquiring i registering claims, as described in my Report for 1899, was carried on summer of 1900 by Mr. KEMP, who was subsequently relieved by Mr. V P'ing Shán and by Mr. MESSER at Táipó.
A summary survey of holdings was made by an auxiliary staff, M: GREY, working under the directions of the Deputy Land Officer, being empi the area to the south of the Kowloon watershed and part of Ts'ün Wé
In the district to the north of the Kowloon watershed Mr. MESSEL a Corporal detached from the Royal Engineers, was responsible for the by plot of the land in Hap Wo Sub-district and near the villages of She and Lin Au (Lam Ts'ün Sub-district), Ha Háng, Sha Lo Tung, and Tsai (Shün Wán Sub-district).
At Ping Shán Mr. KEMP and subsequently Mr. WooD assisted from the Royal Engineers made similar measurements over a large are:
These operations were intended by the Deputy Land Officer to fu visional Rent Roll sufficiently accurate for the collection of revenue time as it should be superseded by a register of holdings based on i survey, but as it was realised that it would be impossible to finish the v tory on this plan within anything like a reasonable time, it was decided this scheme.
Until a rent roll based on the cadastral survey and the result the Land Court has been completed, the land revenue of the New be collected in anything like a satisfactory or thorough mar attempt will be made in the meantime to collect as much Crow
A number of disputes connected with land were submi to the Land Office in Hongkong and to Messrs. MESSER and K of these as involved questions of title now await settlement by th