Government purposes, or which are intended for non-Government use. It also manages buildings on former leased land which has reverted to the ownership of the Crown either through re-entry, expiry of the lease, or purchase by agreement.
7.07 The amount of rent collected during the year totalled about $8.9 million. The downward trend in connection with properties taken under management, either for failure to pay instalments of premium or where Crown lessees did not take up renewals or regrants of leases, continued, and there were only 9 properties that fell within this category during the year. Activities in connection with Urban Renewal increased and included taking additional properties under management and the service of notice and obtaining of vacant possession in respect of certain properties already under management. As another new departure, two management cases were taken over on behalf of the Colonial Treasurer Incorporated, and this aspect of the Division's work is expected to increase. The traffic was not all one way, as the opportunity was taken, in view of buoyant market conditions, to hand over 17 properties not required for public purposes to the Urban Estate Division for sale by public auction.
7.08 There were about 250 properties under management at the end of the year, comprising about 580 lettings. In addition, 7 commercial piers and 18 ferry piers were managed and various wayleaves, licences, etc. issued. Close co-operation was maintained with the Registrar General's Department, which advises on the legal aspects of the Division's work, and with the Buildings Ordinance Office, which supervises maintenance of properties managed by the Division.
Valuation Division
7.09 The Valuation Division is concerned with a wide variety of functions including acquisition of land for public purposes, the modification and enforcement of lease conditions and the valuations required in connection with these as well as for Estate Duty, Statutory Assessments, Sales and Private Treaty Grants of land. In addition, it gives Government valuation advice for special purposes. Altogether more than 10,000 valuations were made during the year. The acquisition by negotiation of property for urban renewal continued and the first resumption of property took place. 42 properties were acquired for this purpose during the year. A time-consuming item was the continuing protection of the Mass Transit routes so that they should not
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