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his attention to the registration and issue of titles to land in the New Territories as claims are determined by the Members of the Land Court. This with the ordinary work of his Department will keep his hands more than full of work.
In addition to Mr. Clementi I have appointed Mr. Messer who is in charge of the Branch Land Office at Taipo, and Mr. Wood who has had much experience as Registrar of the Land Court, to be also Members of the Court.
These three Officers are each at work separately by virtue of Ordinance No. 2 of 1904 disposing of claims to land in three different Districts of the New Territories. They will continue to divide the work amongst them till all claims have been disposed of.
5.
I am in hopes that by these means as rapid a settlement as possible may be arrived at. As the most important claims, namely those to the valuable foreshore between Lyeeun and Laichikok have been determined as reported in my Despatch No. 140 of the 29th instant, I see no objection whatever in giving to the individual Members of the Land Court the extended jurisdiction conferred by the Ordinance referred to.
6.
It has been necessary to provide for a Staff for the Land Court for the whole year instead of for 6 months as on the Estimates. I enclose a statement showing the provision made. The excess expenditure over the Estimates amounts to $7,746.80. This revised estimate has been framed with the strictest regard to economy and I do not consider it possible to push the work rapidly to completion with a smaller staff.