Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1967-1968 — Page 23

MARINE DEPARTMENT, LIBRARY

of the Registrar General and then only in conformity with any conditions imposed by him. During the year, 61 applications for such consent were received, and 43, including some received in 1966-67, were approved on certain conditions. 22 applications were withdrawn and 19 were pending at the end of the year.

Modification of Lease Covenants

45. Before the war many lots were sold with height and other restric- tions which are, under the changed conditions of modern Hong Kong, no longer considered necessary. There are therefore many cases in which Government is prepared to grant modifications of the original restric- tions on terms usually including the payment of an additional premium. During the year 54 applications for modifications were received, 5 less than in 1966-67. Questions arising out of the applications are normally discussed and decided at the meetings mentioned in paragraph 42.

46. The number of New Territories modification cases on which the Registrar General's New Territories Section gave advice to the New Territories Administration totalled 17, eight less than last year.

Fullfilment of Building Covenants

47. On 3rd November 1965 the Government, recognizing the diffic- ulties of developers under the conditions then prevailing in borrowing money to complete their developments within the time limits imposed upon them, announced that a free extension of one year would be granted for the fulfilment of building covenants in Exclusion Orders and Conditions of Sale or Grant which were made or entered into before 1st July 1965. In a further announcement on 20th September 1966, the concession was extended for one year so that developers who applied for and were granted a year's extension under the November 1965 announcement would be granted on application a further one year's free extension provided the extension already granted expired before 30th June 1967. On 8th November 1967, the Government again an- nounced that yet another one year free extension would be granted on application in all cases where one or more previous free extensions of one year had been granted and expired before 30th June 1968, and that an extension of one year would be granted to any new applicant who qualified under the original November 1965 announcement.

New Territories Section

48. The New Territories Section of the Registrar General's Depart- ment gives on the spot legal advice to the New Territories Administra-

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