Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1972-1973 — Page 29

Armed Services and Ministry of Defence Lands

59. The Land Office maintains registers of all lands appropriated for the armed services and the Ministry of Defence, and is responsible for preparing all documents relating thereto. Under the policy announced by the Government in December 1966, the old Military Lands Account procedure established in the 1890s was superseded by a new arrangement, under which the Ministry of Defence has agreed to return to the Hong Kong Government free of charge any land appro- priated for the armed services or the Ministry of Defence as soon as the land is no longer required for purposes in connection with the defence of the Colony, and the Government has agreed to provide land free to the Ministry of Defence when the Government agrees the land is needed for such purposes. During the year Memoranda of Appropriation were completed and executed in respect of three pieces of land provided by the Government for use by the Ministry of Defence, two for residential accommodation and one for a sports and recreation ground for Ministry of Defence personnel. In consideration of the appropriation of one of the two pieces of land for residential accommodation the Ministry of Defence simultaneously surrendered Admiralty Lot No. 13 at Mount Austin, Hong Kong, to the Govern- ment by Deed of Renunciation.

Acquisition of Land by Charities

60. The Charities (Land Acquisition) Ordinance provides that land shall not be assured to or for the benefit of or acquired or possessed by or on behalf of or for the benefit of any charity as defined in the Ordinance or assured, acquired or possessed for any charitable pur- pose, otherwise than under the authority of a licence granted by the Governor. The power to sign such licences was delegated by the Governor to the Registrar General in 1959, and in 1969 was in addition delegated to the Assistant Registrar General in charge of the Land Office. 57 licences were granted during the year, eight to welfare bodies, and 49 to religious bodies, including 28 to Protestant bodies, five to Roman Catholic bodies, 14 to Buddhist bodies and two to Taoist bodies. 42 licences were in respect of flats or floors in buildings in urban areas; one in respect of a floor in a building in the New Terri- tories; four in respect of lots in urban areas totalling 46,170 sq. ft; and 10 in respect of lots in the New Territories totalling 2,261,146 sq. ft. Table VII gives an analysis of the licences granted (a) for the year and

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