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The introduction of a new rent roll to take the place of the rough one on which rents, had previously been collected in the New Territories and at the same time of a new scale of rents produced several petitions from the village elders and some hesitancy to pay rents due. Regulations for the collection of Crown rents in arrear in the New Territories made in September and re-enacted with slight modifications at the end of November enabled these difficulties to be got over and the payment of considerable sums for work on the railway bank doubtless assisted in getting in arrears shortly after the end of the year. Fears enter- tained at one time that the second crop of rice would suffer from want of rain were fortu- nately not realised and the New Territories remained prosperous and on the whole quiet throughout the year.
In conclusion I would refer to a few changes in personnel that occurred in the Colony in 1905. The Right Reverend Bishop DOMENICO POZZONI succeeded the late lamented Bishop PIAZZOLI as head of the Roman Catholic Church and was consecrated on the 1st October. Commodore H. P. WILLIAMS took over the charge of the naval dock-yard from Rear-Admiral C. G. DICKEN on 29th September, 1905. Sir PAUL CHATER, KL., C.M.G., resigned his appointment on the Legislative Council after serving on it for Eighteen years and has been succeeded by Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C., as representative of the ratepayers. In the Colonial Service Mr. (now) Sir FRANCIS PIGGOTT, formerly Procureur "General in Mauritius, arrived on the 23rd May to succeed Sir WILLIAM MEIGH GOODMAN as Chief Jus- tice, and since the 2nd August Mr. T. SERCOMBE SMITH has ably acted in the appointment of Colonial Secretary temporarily vacated by Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G., who proceeded on leave on that date.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient, humble Servant,
M. NATHAN.