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LAND AND HOUSING

During the year work was completed on the preparation of the draft Colony Outline Plan based upon the deliberations of six inter-departmental working committees. The plan provides guide- lines for a more balanced approach to the preparation of statutory, outline development and detailed layout plans. It also provides a basis for the formulation of land development programmes and the reappraisal of transportation proposals. The plan is a conceptual document, and as such, will require periodic reviews to maintain its effectiveness as a guide.

LAND OFFICE

The Land Office, which is a branch of the Registrar General's Department, is responsible for the registration of all instruments affecting land; the settling and registration of conditions of sale, the grant and exchange of Crown land; the issue, renewal, variation and termination of Crown leases; the granting of mining leases; and advice to the Government generally on matters relating to land.

The system of registration, introduced in 1844, is broadly similar to that in the Yorkshire Deeds Registries in England. The Land Registration Ordinance provides that all deeds and instruments registered under it shall have priority according to their respective dates of registration, and that deeds and instruments not registered (other than bona fide leases at rack rent for any term not exceeding three years) shall be absolutely null and void as against any sub- sequent bona fide purchaser or mortgagee for valuable considera- tion. Registration is therefore essential to the protection of title, but does not guarantee it.

The number of instruments registered during the year rose by 26.7 per cent from last year's total of 55,482 to 70,278. The figure included 1,546 assignments of whole buildings or sites (against 1,238 in 1969), 24,866 assignments of flats and other units in multi-storey buildings (against 22,050), 10,252 agreements for sale of such flats and units (against 4,896), and 16,343 mortgages (against 12,479). As a consequence of the increase in new building projects, the number of building mortgages registered during the year rose from 121 in 1969 to 145, and the number of orders excluding premises from the Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, which usually have to be obtained prior to redevelopment of the sites of old buildings,