Surrenders of Crown Land
22. 236 Deeds of Surrender comprising 318 lots or sections of lots were prepared and put through by the Land Office. Most of these surrenders were required in connexion with exchanges negotiated by Government for public purposes and with regrants of land in accord- ance with the terms of the 1949 Government Announcement relating to the grant of new Crown leases for lots held on 75 year non-renewable Crown leases. Many of the remaining surrenders were free surrenders of portions of scavenging lanes being taken over by Government. Only in a relatively small number of cases, mostly having to do with street widening, was anything paid by Government for the surrender. The total amount paid in 1961-62 was $1,018,850, $782,600 of which was paid in respect of a surrender for the widening of Shau Kei Wan Road near the Taikoo Dockyard Recreation Ground.
Acquisition of Land by Charities
23. The Charities (Land Acquisition) Ordinance, 1958, provides that land shall not be assured to or for the benefit of or acquired or possessed by or on behalf of or for the benefit of any charity as defined in the Ordinance or assured, acquired or possessed for any charitable purpose, otherwise than under the authority of a licence granted by the Governor. Thirty four such licences were granted during the year, twenty six of which were granted to religious bodies for miscellaneous religious purposes and non-profit making schools, two to the University of Hong Kong, two to Chung Chi College, and four to other bodies. Twenty licences were in respect of flats or floors in buildings, ten in respect of lots in urban areas totalling 157,021 sq. ft. and four in respect of lots in the New Territories totalling 1,590,118 sq. ft.
Card Index of Owners and Mortgagees
24. Besides complete card indexes to all lots and sections of lots, the Land Office maintains an index, not open to the public, of all persons registered as the owner or mortgagee of land in the Colony. According to this the number of landowners (excluding mortgagees) rose by 7,604 during the year to a total of 62,406 on 31st March 1962. Many of these own several properties, many simply a small undivided share in a property coupled with the right to a flat as described in paragraph 12 above.
Safe Custody of Deeds, Wills, Etc.
25. Under Section 22 of the Land Registration Ordinance deeds, wills, etc., may be deposited in the Land Office for safe custody. A fee
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