Revenue and Expenditure
17. The grand total of the Department's contribution to the Colony's revenue in 1963-64 was $7,554,888, which was a new record total, ex- ceeding the previous year's total by almost $2,400,000. The approved estimated revenue for the year had been $4,860,000, but thanks to the continued activity in land transactions and company registrations the Land Office and Company Registry fees exceeded the estimates for these branches by $268,000 and $2,393,000 respectively. Details of the Department's revenue are given in Table XL.
18. On the other hand the Department for once spent more than the approved estimate, the total of $3,289,512 exceeding the estimate by $137,000, but this was due entirely to the unbudgeted-for interim allowances of between 5% and 11% paid to the staff for the period from 1st July 1963 to 31st March 1965. Of course, the $3,289,512 spent does not by any means represent the total cost of the Department. To arrive at that one would have to add the cost of the Government accom- modation occupied and a sum representing the value of pensions and other 'fringe' benefits. On the other hand it should be borne in mind that the Marriage and Births and Deaths Registries are as a matter of policy not run on a self-supporting basis, and the fees charged therein represent only a fraction of the cost of running these Registries.
PART II
LAND OFFICE
Functions
19. The Land Office is responsible for the registration of all instru- ments affecting land, the settling and registration of Conditions of Sale, Grant and Exchange of Crown land, the issue, renewal, variation and termination of Crown leases, the granting of Mining Leases, and advising the Government generally on matters relating to land.
Deeds Registration
20. Under the Land Registration Ordinance the Land Office is responsible for the registration of deeds and other instruments relating to land in Hong Kong, Kowloon, portions of New Kowloon, and a few lots in the New Territories which have been exempted from the
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