CHECK TITLES BEFORE BUYING LAND REVISED FEES
warning to the public emphasis- ing the importance of checking title to land before purchasing or erecting any building has been issued by Hong Kong's Acting Director of Public Works, Mr. J.J. Robson.
He said that in the past many per- sons have bought land without taking sufficient care to check that the lease conditions affecting the land in ques- tion had been complied with.
As a result, many purchasers dis- covered they could nol erect
the buildings they intended or use the land or buildings for the purposes they wanted: but by this time they had usually either paid for the pro- perty or given a substantial deposit. In other cases, the mistake was only discovered after a purchaser had actually started on construction work.
The conditions governing any par- ticular lot could always be checked at the Land Office in the Central Government Offices or in the case of Survey District Lots in New Kowloon or Demarcation Lots in the New Kowloon or Demarcation Lots in the New Territories at the relevant New Territories District Offices.
Vendor's Title
Before acquiring any land, pur- chasers should ensure that the person selling it to them has a title which can be transferred and one which allows the land to be used for the purpose proposed.
"There have been instances of Crown land held on permit being rented or supposedly purchased by persons wishing to erect buildings either in complete ignorance of the permit conditions or with complete disregard for them," he said.
"It cannot be too strongly stressed that the sub-letting or purported sale of permit areas is a contravention of the conditions on which the permit is issued. Members of the public are warned, therefore, not to rent or pay what they think is purchase money for such areas.
"The use of any buildings erected on land is, of course, controlled by the conditions of the Crown Lease.
use
to
Mr. Robson said that most land in the Colony was subject to various restrictions concerning the which the land can be put. In many cases, the lease conditions prohibited the erection of any buildings whatso- ever, as in the case of land restricted to agricultural use.
"It is often this land which impru- dent purchasers or new-comers to the Colony are persuaded to buy in the belief that they are getting a bargain. In fact, they are often buying some- thing which is useless to them.
"Many buildings can only be used for residential purposes, others only for industrial purposes, and the con- travention of conditions of this type also can lead to the whole building being re-entered by Government or to an injunction to restrain the occu- pant from continuing the offending use. Either course may involve pur- chasers in heavy expense.
Re-entry
"All persons proposing to purchase or lease buildings or parts of build- ings, such as flats, garages, shops, workshops, should check the condi- tions of Crown Lease to ensure that what they wish to do within the building will comply with the con- ditions, for instance, many garages or car ports have been provided in ac- cordance with Crown Lease condi- tions and use for any other purpose such as a shop or workshop is pro- hibited.
"Prospective purchasers of flats are also warned of the dangers of taking a flat in a building unless all owners are bound to contribute to the repair, maintenance and management of the property, including the roof and ex- terior walls, staircase, lobbies, land- ings and other common parts, and lifts, water supply, drainage and dis- posal of refuse, and other services. Neglect of these matters may not only lead to great inconvenience but can, in certain circumstances, render the property liable to re-entry by the Crown for failure to maintain it.
"Many Crown Leases are nearing their expiry or renewal dates. Pur- chasers should always check on this before purchase, and ascertain the liability of the purchaser to contribute towards a premium or increased Crown Rent for a regrant or renewal of the Crown Lease.
Mr. Robson also warned purchas- ers not to jump to the conclusion that because from the inspection of title in a Land Registry the area of a section of a lot is given as so many square feet, there are actually that number of square feet on the ground. An on-the-spot check should always be made before buying.
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER-VOLUME 19, NUMBER 3
REVISED fees for tests carried out
by the Material Testing Labora- tory, Public Works Department, Hong Kong, as notified in the Government Gazette.-
Item
TESTS FOR CONCRETE:-
beam by concrete coring
machine
1.11 Examination,
3.9
3888
Nature of Test
Fees
1.6
Modulus of elasticity
$45
1.7
Drying shrinkage
45
1.8
Slump test
25
1.9
Compacting factor
55
1.10
Drilling of concrete slab or
70
caping and
testing of concrete core 25
2
TESTS FOR CEMENT:-
2.1
Fineness
50
2.2
Setting time
60
2.3
Soundness
30
2.4
Compressive strength
50
3
TESTS FOR AGGREGATE:-
3.8
Impact value
50
Absorption
25
3.10 Moisture content
15
3.11
Angularity number
55
3.12
Void test ...
10
3.13
Crushing strength of all
sizes of aggregate
3.14
Crushing value of aggre-
gate above 3/4"
4
TESTS FOR STEEL AND
OTHER METALS:
4.5
Impact test
40
4.6
Proof test
45
4.7
Young's modulus of
elasticity
45
7
TESTS OF BITUMINOUS
MATERIALS:—
7.1
Density
15
TESTS FOR soils
10
Moisture content
15
8
8.15 Bulk density
8.16
11 TESTS FOR WOODWOOL
8 = suces
10
50
58
22
11.1 11.2
SLABS:- Weight
10
12
12.3
Measurement of dimension
DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT IN AGGREGATE, SOIL, TIMBER, ETC.: Moisture content
25
15
13 TESTS FOR BUILDING
LIME:- 13.8 Volume yield 13.9
25
33
Content of carbon dioxide 25
15 TESTS FOR CONCRETE
15.3
15.4
16
CYLINDRICAL PIPES:- Hydraulic test
Measurement of dimension TESTS FOR SALT-GLAZED
WARE PIPES:-
16.4 Hydraulic test.
155
50
20
50
85