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brought before the Kowloon Magistrate, and all other cases from other parts of the district before the District Officer. In former years serious cases were brought, as a rule, before the Hongkong Magistrates.
3.-SMALL DEBTS COURT.
31 cases were instituted during the year as compared with 33 in 1924 and 22 in 1923.
4.-LAND OFFICE.
The number of land sales and other transactions affecting land which took place in 1925 are set forth in Table A. 1497 deeds were registered during the year as compared with 1637 in 1924. Registration fees for 1925 were $1,805.65 as compared with $4,438.30 in 1924.
5.-REVENUE.
The total revenue collected by the District Officer is shown in Table B. The slump in land values is reflected in the much reduced proceeds of land sales, boundary stones, deeds registration fees and Crown leases, while the effect of the boycott is seen only in the item of leases of stone quarries. The yearly reduction of Crown rent is due to resumptions of land chiefly in New Kowloon. Table C gives details of revenue collected in Licence fees by the Police in 1924 and 1925.
Table D shows the revenue collected in 1924 and 1925 in the District by Departments other than the District Office and includes the totals in Table C. It has been found impossible to separate the liquor duties and harbour dues collected in the Southern District from those collected elsewhere, and the figures under these heads have therefore been omitted.
Table E shows comparatively the total revenue collected from the Southern District by all Departments during the last three years, so far as can be ascertained. It has been necessary, for purposes of comparison with previous years, to omit from the figures for 1923 and 1924 the revenue collected by the Harbour Office and Imports and Exports Office.
6. GENERAL.
During 1925 the Southern District has on the whole enjoyed a fair measure of prosperity. Both crops and fisheries have been good, while the high cost of wood fuel in Hongkong has more than doubled the value of the village forests. Certain industries have been heavily hit by the boycott since June, but the losses are by no means general. The slump in land values continues; the boycott had a depressing effect, but this is beginning to pass off.
Tai 0.-Business has been good. The fishing season was distinctly better than last year, although the dealers do not seem