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The number of deeds registered in the Land Office was 2,154 or 279 less than the previous year, the total consideration being $30,250,789 as against $43,110,225 in the previous year.
The Government resumed several properties during the year, chiefly in connection with the enlargement of the Central Police Station and for the extension of the Railway sheds and workshops. The total area of land granted during the year was 2851 acres, of which 163 acres were situated in the New Territories; the total area of land resumed was 994 acres.
In the New Territories, the demand for house sites and agricultural lots continues normal, and several areas of swampy waste lands in the neighbourhood of Deep Bay have been sold by auction for the purpose of reclaiming and converting the areas into rice fields.
III. LEGISLATION.
Thirty-five Ordinances were passed during 1915, of which 14 were amendments of previous Ordinances.
The most important matters with which these Ordinances dealt were the Seditious Publications (Possession) Ordinance (No. 6), which makes knowingly possessing seditious papers an offence, and gives power to issue search warrants; the Estate Duty Ordinance (No. 16); the Post Office Amendment Ordinance (No. 17); the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance (No. 30); the Companies Ordinance (No. 31); the Deportation Ordinance (No. 35), which gives power to order departure of deportees by a particular ship; and the following ordinances necessitated during the continuance of the European war: the Military Stores (Exportation) (No. 3), which provides a specific penalty for acts done in contravention of Proclamations prohibiting the exportation of certain articles and defines the term "Export"; the Declarations of Ultimate Destination (No. 9), which prevents the exportation to ostensible destinations in neutral countries in Europe of goods intended to be forwarded to enemy territory; the Alien Enemies (Winding up) Amendment (No. 11); the Trading with the Enemy Amendments (Nos. 12, 22, and 28); the Travellers Restriction (No. 19), which provides for the examination of persons entering and leaving the Colony, the deportation of persons ordered to quit the Colony, and the registration of visitors at hotels, boarding-houses, and clubs; and the Importation and Exportation (No. 12).
IV. EDUCATION.
No important changes have taken place in the Education Department during the year under review. The Staff has been depleted by causes due to the war.