504 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, OCTOBER 28, 1910.
Supreme Court may enforce
Chinese
customs.
Registration
25. In any proceedings in the Supreme Court in rela- tion to land in the New Territories the Court shall have power to recognise and enforce any Chinese custom or customary right affecting such land.
26. The Land Officer shall on judgment being given of judgment. in respect of any land forthwith enter a memorandum of such judgment in the Land Register. No fee shall be payable for such entry.
Registration of Managers of " t'ongs &c.
Exemption
of certain
#1
elans from the Com-
panies' Ordinances.
Registration
of successor to decensed landholder where no Probate granted.
27. Whenever any land is held from the Crown under Lease or other grant, agreement or licence in the name of a clan, family or t'ong, such clan, family or tong sball appoint a Manager or Managers to represent it, and may from time to time appoint a new Manager. Every such appointment and change shall be reported at the appro- priate office, and the Land Officer on receiving such proof as he may require of such appointment, shall, if he ap- proves thereof, register the name of the said Manager or Managers; the said Manager or Managers thereupon shall after giving such notices ns may be prescribed have full power to dispose of or in any way deal with the said land as if he or they were sole owner thereof, subject to the consent of the Land Officer, and shall be personally liable for the payment of all rents and charges and for the observance of all covenants and conditions in respect of the said land. Every instrument relating to land held by a elan, family or t'ong which is executed or signed by the registered Manager or Managers thereof in the presence of the Laud Officer and is attested by him, shall be as effectual for all purposes as if it had been executed or eigned by all the members of the said clan, family or t'ong. The Land Officer may on good cause shewn cancel the appointment of any Manager and select and register a new Manager in his place. If the members of any clan, family or t'ong holding land shall not within three months after the coming into operation of this Ordinance, or after the acquisition of the land if acquired after the coming into operation of this Ordinance, make and prove the appointment of such Manager or Managers as aforesaid, or within three months after any change of Manager prove the same as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the Crown to re-enter upon the land held by such clan, family or t'ong which shall thereupon become forfeited to the Crown. Such re-entry shall be effected by the registration of a memorandum thereof in the appropriate office.
28. Any clan, family or t'ong owning land in the New Territories at the date of the coming into operation of this Ordinance in respect of which a Maunger shall have been duly registered under this Ordinance, shall not, so long as such land is certified by the Land Officer as being used for agricultural, religions, educational, or charitable pur- poses, or such other usos of a similar nature as are re- cognised by established local custom, or for dwelling houses occupied by bona fide members of the clan, family or toug be required to be registered under the Companies' Ordin- ances, although such clan, family or t'ong may consist of more than 20 members.
29. In the event of the death of any person in whose name any land is registered otherwise than as a Manager, if no grant of Probate or Administration of the estate of the deceased is made by the Supreme Court within three months after such death (or, if the death occurred before the commencement of this Ordinanee, within three months after such commencement) the Land Officer, on ascertaining the name of the person who is entitled to such land in succession to the deceased person (hereinafter described as "the successor "), shall register the name of the successor, and upon such registration being effected the said land shall vest in the successor for all the estate and interest of the deceased person therein, or for such estate and interest as shall be entered on the Register by the Land Officer against the entry of the name of the successor. On the registration of a successor the fees to be fixed by regulations hereafter shall be paid to the Land Officer by the succes- sor, but no Probate Fees or Probate Duties shall be payable. The registored successor shall be liable to the debts of the deceased in the same mauner and to the same extent as if a grant of Probate or Administration had been
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