improved. This Section is staffed by a Senior Legal Assistant, a part- time Legal Assistant and two experienced Land Office clerks. On Saturdays the legal officers return to Departmental Headquarters to attend the weekly Departmental Legal Conferences and to maintain close liaison with the Land Office on New Territories problems. Since 26th October 1965 an Assistant Registrar has also been assigned to duties in this Section.
Crown Leases
51. When the purchaser or grantee of Crown land has complied with all the conditions of the sale or grant, he becomes entitled to a Crown lease of the lot and has to take up the lease when called upon by the Land Officer to do so. In many cases, however, the Land Office finds it difficult to persuade owners to take up their Crown leases when ready. This is because the taking up of a Crown lease involves an owner in a certain amount of trouble and expense. Although the standard fee for a Crown lease is only $175, it is necessary where there is a mortgage or other incumbrance on the property to employ a Solicitor to clear the title and reinstate the mortgage or incumbrance after issue. Since the Crown is the lessor, the vast majority of owners are usually content to allow their title to rest on the Conditions of Sale, Regrant, Exchange, etc., on which they hold their property, and such titles are in practice universally recognized as good marketable titles.
52. Marked progress was nevertheless made in the issue of Crown leases during the year. As shown in Table III, the number of Crown leases issued in 1965-66 rose sharply to 331, the highest figure in the post-war years.
53. The lots for which leases were issued were of the following categories:
Hong Kong Island
Inland Lots, Hong Kong
Rural Building Lots
Aberdeen Inland Lots
Chai Wan Inland Lot
Shek O Inland Lot
.
Victoria Permanent Piers
Miscellaneous
Kowloon
...
Kowloon Inland Lots Hung Hom Inland Lot Miscellaneous
:
103
13
13
1
1
2
3
106
1
2
17
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