panies, and a rise of $403,000 in Land Office fees as a result of the substantial increase in the number of instruments registered. These in- creases were to some extent offset by decreases of $13,000 in each of the Births and Deaths Registry and the Trade Marks Registry, of $14,000 in the Official Receiver's Office, and of $31,000 in the returns on Companies Liquidation Account investments. Total revenue ex- ceeded the approved estimates by $5,855,000. The full Statement of Revenue is set out in Table III.
17. On the other side of the account the Department's actual expenditure of $5,888,556 was $299,843 less than the approved estimate of $6,188,400. The major cause of the underspending was the delay in implementing the new microfilming project at an estimated cost of $245,000. The $5,888,556 does not, however, represent the total cost of running the Department. To arrive at that one would have to add the cost of the Government accommodation occupied and a sum representing the value of pensions and other 'fringe' benefits. On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the Marriage and Births and Deaths Registries are as a matter of policy not run on a self- supporting basis, and the fees charged therein represent only a fraction of the cost of running these Registries.
Functions
PART II
LAND OFFICE
18. The Land Office is responsible for the registration of all instru- ments affecting land, the settling and registration of Conditions of Sale, Grant and Exchange of Crown land, the issue, renewal, variation and termination of Crown leases, the granting of Mining Leases, and advising the Government generally on matters relating to land. The District Land Offices in the New Territories are separately administered by District Officers under the overall control of the District Commis- sioner New Territories in his capacity as Assistant Land Officer. Accordingly, the figures given in the following paragraphs do not include figures in respect of land in the New Territories registered in the District Land Offices.
General Review
19. A general review of conditions in the Property Market and their effect on the work of the Land Office is given in Part I in paragraphs 3 to 8.
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