Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1971-1972 — Page 27

New Territories Section

49. The New Territories Section of the Registrar General's De- partment gives on the spot legal advice to the New Territories Ad- ministration at its own Headquarters in North Kowloon. It is staffed by a Senior Solicitor, an Assistant Registrar and two experienced Land Office clerks. Due to the growing shortage of Solicitors in the Department it became necessary towards the end of March 1972 to withdraw the Senior Solicitor from the New Territories Administration Headquarters. It is intended, however, to resume this service to the New Territories Administration as soon as the staff position improves. In the meantime the Assistant Registrar and his clerical staff are continuing to assist at the New Territories Administration Headquar- ters on routine matters, while a limited amount of legal advice is still being given by a Senior Solicitor in the Land Office.

Crown Leases

50. 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.

51. Since many of the owners who were prepared to take up their Crown leases had already done so in previous years, only 189 Crown leases were issued in 1971-72, 135 fewer than in 1970-71.

52. The lots for which leases were issued were of the following categories:

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