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allowances, demobilization pay, relief and general expenses in respect of the Force. Steps are being taken to cut down this expenditure, which seems totally disproportionate, as from the beginning of the year.
AUXILIARY SERVICES.
23.
Prior to the Japanese attack on the Colony several auxiliary service organisations were formed with widely differing regulations and conditions of service in regard to their very considerable establish- ments. The settlement of outstanding claims by members of these organisations presents a problem which is rendered more complicated by the loss of all records and by the dispersal of personnel.
24.
Enquiries regarding A.R.P., the largest of the auxiliary services, are nearing completion, and registration of former members of the other organisations is proceeding.
LEGAL & JUDICIAL.
25.
Summary Military Courts are still in operation and have dealt with 718 cases during the three month period. Only nine cases have been considered of sufficient importance to warrant a General Court and no sentence exceeding five years has yet been passed. With the exception of Renegade and Quisling cases, on which the preparatory work is being pressed in the face of substantial difficulties owing to staff problems, there are no serious arrears. The standard of prosecution has shown considerable improvement during the last month. In view of the fact that the Military Courts have now proved themselves capable of handling criminal work without serious delay, first steps have been taken towards
An Amendment the resumption of Probate Jurisdiction.
to the Probate Ordinance is in preparation which will enable limited grants of Probate to be made in non- contentions cases and estate duty to be collected.
26.
Tenancy Tribunals are now in operation with a view to settling the numerous rent disputes which have arisen consequent upon, inter alia, the acute shortage of accommodation. The lack of an Assessor and Valuer and the large number of damaged premises have made it impossible to apply the Rating Ordinance even with modifications. A Rating Proclamation has been drafted with the intention of satisfying immediate requirements.
27.
Agreement has now been reached with the Services regarding the procedure for requisitioning and it is hoped that the present position and past anomalies will thereby be regularised.
28.
The Companies Register and the Register of Mortgages and Charges have been recovered but very few of the files containing the Memoranda and Articles
The question of individual companies are available.
of some form of temporary legislation by which companies may be authorised to carry on business is under urgent consideration.
29.
It is hoped that the moratorium on transactions
1946. Meanwhile in land will be lifted by 1st January, our Land Registers are being prepared so that registration will be possible on the same date.
The value of
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