Registration of Managers of " t'ongs" &c.
Exemption
of certain
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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 tong, such clan, family or tong shall 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 as may be prescribed have full power to dispose of or in any way deal with the sail 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 clan, family or tong which is executed or signed by the registered Manager or Managers thereof in the presence of the Land Officer and is attested by him, shall be as effectual for all purposes as if it had been executed or signed by all the members of the said clan, family or tong, 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 clau, family or t'ong holding land shall not the within three month's 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 toug 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.
23. Any clan, family or tong owning land in the New Territorios at the date of the coming into operation of this clans from
Ordinance in respect of which a Manger shall have been the ('om- panies'
duly registered under this Ordinance, shall not, so long as Ordinances, such land is certified by the Land Officer as being used for agricultural, religions, educational, or charitablë pur- poses, or such other uses of a similar nature as are re- cognised by established local custom, or for dwelling houses occupied by bonâ fide members of the clan, family or tong be required to be registered under the Companies' Ordin- ances, although such clan, family or tong may consist of more than 20 members.
Registration of successor
to deceased landholder where no Probate granted.
On the
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 e-rate 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 Ordinance, within three mouths 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 laud 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. registration of a successor the fees to be fixed by regulations hereafter shall he paid to the Land Officer by the succes- sor, but no Prob.te Fees or Probate Duties shall be payable. The registered successor shall be liable to the debts of the deceased in the same manner and to the same extent as if a grant of Probate or Administration had been made to him. This section shall apply in the case of a death whether occurring before or after the commencement of this Ordinance. Provided always that if a grant of Probate or Administration of the estate of the deceased shall be made by the Supreme Court within the period above specified the grantee therein named shall be register ed as the successor and the fees in this section prescribed shall not be payable.