Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1968-1969 — Page 70

206. Unfortunately the activities of the Departmental Photographic Society were rather restricted during the year, although the members did enjoy a most rewarding day at Green Jade Villa at Castle Peak in the New Territories.

207. The senior members of the staff enjoyed a very pleasant Christmas lunch at the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and the usual informal Christmas Eve party was held in the Land Office, where members of all other branches met to exchange seasonal greetings.

Twenty Years' Retrospect

208. On 31st March 1969 the Department completed the second decade of its existence, and it is interesting to look back and record some miscellaneous facts about the work of the Department during the two decades. The Department had in 1949-50 an establishment of 30 officers, supplemented by 3 Deputy Registrars General seconded from the Legal Department and 11 Temporary Clerks; in 1959-60, having in the meantime absorbed the Births and Deaths Registry, it had an establishment of 128 and a supernumerary staff of 8, but the number of legally qualified officers remained unchanged at 4; while in 1969-70 the establishment has grown, as noted in paragraph 2, to 20 legally qualified and 336 other officers, with in addition super- numerary staff of 3 legally qualified and 36 other officers. Expenditure has grown from $183,601 (excluding the Births and Deaths Registry and cost of living allowances) in 1949-50 to $5,431,429, and revenue from $508,685 to $6,104,170 as follows:

Land Office

Marriages

Companies

Trade Marks

Patents

Official Receiver's

Official Trustee

-

...

...

Births and Deaths

Headquarters and Miscellaneous

:

1949-50 $

1958-59

1968-69

$

S'

220,833

537,810

1,496,945

21,295

94,687

250,461

141,021

862,661

3,272,950

76,925

137,666

517,486

3,088

26,861

6,213

27,529

100,851

88

42,310

370 195,272

282

309,872

94,238

128,462

$508,685

$1,953,321

$6,104,170

These increases were due partly to increases in fees, but largely to the greatly increased volume of work being done.

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