Appendix I.
REPORT OF THE LAND OFFICER FOR THE YEAR 1931.
REGISTRATION.
During the year 6,181 instruments were registered under the provisions of Ordinance No. 1 of 1844,—an increase of 664 on the preceding year.
2. The total number of instruments registered under the provisions of the above mentioned Ordinance (since 1844) to the end of the year 1931 was 129,074.
3. The number of instruments registered each year during the last ten years is shewn in Table I.
4. The total consideration on sales, mortgages, surrenders and miscellaneous land transactions registered in the Land Office amounted to $137,746,898.57 particulars of which are shewn in Table II.
CROWN LEASES.
5. 517 Crown Leases were issued during the year, as against 874 in the previous year—a decrease of 357 particulars are set out in Table III.
6. The number of leases issued each year during the last ten years is shewn in Table I. The year 1930 was abnormal owing to the issue of a great number of Leases at Kowloon Tong and the Praya East.
FEES.
7. The total amount of fees collected (exclusive of the New Territories) amounted to $118,598.00 being an increase of $1,743.25 on the preceding year. Table IV shews the Monthly Revenue.
8. Land Registration Fees in the New Territories amounted to $8,467.50 and Crown Lease Fees to $90.00.
9. The total fees collected during the past ten years is shewn in Table V.
10. It will be seen from Tables I and V that the figures for the year 1931 have only been exceeded on one occasion,