19. On the other side of the account the Department's actual ex- penditure of $4,827,449 was $71,000 less than the approved estimate of $4,898,400, savings of $51,000 being made on Personal Emoluments (due mainly to delays in recruiting legal and other staff), and $20,000 in stores and equipment. The $4,827,449 does not, however, represent the total cost of running the Department. To arrive at that one would have to add the cost of the Government accommodation 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.
Functions
PART II
LAND OFFICE
20. 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. The District Land Offices in the New Territories are separately administered by the District Commissioner New Territories as Assistant Land Officer. Accordingly, the figures given in the following paragraphs do not include figures in respect of land in the New Territories registered in the District Land Offices.
General Review
21. A general review of conditions in the Property Market and their effect on the work of the Land Office is given in Part I in paragraphs 5 to 10.
Deeds Registration
22. 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 provi- sions of Part II of the New Territories Ordinance. The Ordinance
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