# Appendix J
# REPORT ON THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR THE YEAR 1915.
## A. NORTHERN DISTRICT.
### 1. STAFF.
Mr. S. B. C. Ross filled his substantive post of District Officer from January 1st to January 19th. Mr. D. W. Tratman then acted till September 7th, and Mr. A. E. Wood acted from September 8th till the end of the year.
### II. MAGISTRACY.
The following table shows the number of cases heard by the District Officer sitting as Police Magistrate :-
1914 1915 Cases heard 221 260 Persons brought before the Magistrate 455 Persons convicted and punished 420 257 Persons bound over 93 30 Persons discharged 105 105 Persons committed to Supreme Court 10 Persons imprisoned 69 84 Fines inflicted $2,158 $1,401 Warrants executed 37 41 Civil (Small Debts). Cases 42 165 Writs of execution 41 51 Summons fees $8 $58As usual, a large number of Money Loan Association cases came before the Court, but the majority of them are not included in the above Table.
Armed robbers were unpleasantly active this year, and several persons were kidnapped and held for ransom.
### III. LAND Office.
The number of sales of land and other transactions affecting land which took place during the year are set forth in Table A.
The number of deeds registered was 3,202 as against 2,886 in 1914.
One of the most notable and encouraging features of the year was the tendency to take up marshy land for cultivation of salt-water padi. Towards the end of the year a particularly important
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