946
Power to do work ... land.
Taking possession of land.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 25, 1940.
51.-(1) Any member of His Majesty's forces acting in the course of his duty as such, and any person authorized by a competent authority to act under this regulation, may, for any purpose connected with defence, the prosecution of the war, the securing of the public safety or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, do any work on any land or place anything in. on or over any land.
(2) A competent authority, if it appears to that authority to be necessary or expedient so to do in the interests of public safety, defence, the efficient prosecution of the war or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, may by order provide for prohibiting or restricting the doing on any particular land of any such work as may be specified in the order.
(3) No person (other than a servant of His Majesty or police constable acting in the course of his duty as such) shall, except with permission granted by or on behalf of a .competent authority, remove, alter or tamper with any work done, or thing placed in, on or over any land in pursuance of this regulation.
(4) For the purpose of this regulation, the doing of work shall, in relation to any land, be deemed to include the demolition, pulling down, destruction or rendering useless of anything placed in, on or over that land, the maintenance of any work or thing in, on or over the land. and the removal from the land of anything so placed, demolished or pulled down in pursuance of this regulation.
52.-(1) A competent authority, if it appears to that authority to be necessary or expedient so to do in the interests of public safety, defence or the efficient prosecution of the war, or for maintaining supplies and services essential to the life of the community, may take possession of any land, and may give such directions as appear to the competent authority to be necessary or expedient in connexion with taking posses- sion of that land.
(2) While any land is in the possession of a competent authority by virtue of this regulation, the land may, notwith- standing any restriction imposed on the use thereof (whether by any Ordinance or other instrument or otherwise), be used by, or under the authority of, the competent authority for such purpose, and in such manner, as that authority thinks expedient in the interests of public safety, defence or the efficient prosecution of the war, or for maintaining supplies and services essential to the life of the community; and the competent authority, so far as appears to it to be necessary or expedient in connexion with the taking of possession or use of the land in pursuance of this paragraph-
(a) may do, or authorize persons using the land as afore- said to do, in relation to the land, anything which any person having an interest in the land would be entitled to do by virtue of that interest, and
(b) may by order provide for prohibiting or restricting the exercise of rights of way over the land, and of other rights relating thereto which are enjoyed by any person, whether by virtue of an interest in land or otherwise.