Fees.
7. The aggregate amount of Land Office fees collected (exclusive of fees collected in the District Land Office of the New Territories) amounted to $204,036.50. The pre-war table of Land Office fees was amended (with effect from 30th July, 1948) by the Land Registration (Fees Amendment) Ordinance No. 40 of 1948, which authorized higher fees in certain cases.
8. An analysis of the fees paid, by months and by main categories is given in Table V. For purposes of comparison Table VI shows the totals of fees collected during the last ten years for which figures are available.
9. In the New Territories, Land Registration fees amounted to $46,893.95. Crown Leases fees totalled $30.
Stamp Duty.
10. The total amount of Stamp Duty paid on instruments registered was $4,345,423.05.
Crown Rents.
11. The number of lots on the Hong Kong and Kowloon Rent Roll was 14,071, an increase of 414 on the previous year's figure of 13,657, and the total Crown Rents amounted to $1,028,128.38, an increase of $95,682.67. Table VII gives particulars by localities, and a comparison with the previous year's Table VII reveals increases in various districts notably 259 Victoria Inland Lots, 10 Rural Building Lots, 62 Kowloon Inland Lots, and 72 New Kowloon Inlands Lots.
12. There have been few changes in the Village Crown Rent Roll. The number of lots has decreased by 22 to 1890, and the total Crown Rent by $33.90 to $1,205.70. Table VIII gives details by localities.
13. During the year the Crown Rents of 307 sections of land were determined under the Crown Rents (Apportionment) Ordinance, 1936, and a total of $3,697.00 was collected in fees for such determinations.
Airfield (Kai Tak) Extension & Reversion Ordinance, 1948.
14. By the end of the year under review, a further 74 claims totalling $579,335.40 including interest were settled by this department.
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