rents in certain domestic premises for a limited period. Among the types of premises specifically excluded from the application of the Ordinance were premises let for a fixed term of 3 years or more and premises of which the rateable value is $15,000 or more. It is provided in section 24 that the Ordinance will expire on 31st May 1972. On 9th June 1970, the Chief Justice, pursuant to powers contained in section 21 of the Ordinance, made Rules dealing with the procedure and forms to be used in the District Court and setting out the fees payable.
196. The Streets (Alteration) Ordinance 1970, which repealed and replaced the existing Streets (Alteration) Ordinance, provided for pro- cedural matters connected with the closure and substantial alteration of public streets. Objection to any proposed undertakings and claims for compensation may be lodged with the Director of Public Works and are then considered by the Governor in Council. The Governor in Council has power to authorize an undertaking, with or without any modification thereof, or to refuse to authorize it, and may now defer for further consideration any objection to a proposed undertaking until any claim for compensation in respect thereof has been determined by a tribunal.
197. The Law of Property Amendment (Amendment) Ordinance 1971 reinserted in the principal Ordinance words which had been repealed by the Law Revision (No. 2) Ordinance 1911. It had been suspected by a judge in a recent case in the Supreme Court that the words had been repealed by an oversight, and he had pointed out that the result of the repeal was to limit a long-standing rule of equity concerning relief against forfeiture for breach of covenant.
Companies
198. The Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance 1970 increased from $3,000 to $6,000 the limit on the arrears of wages payable to an employee in priority to other debts when a company is wound up. The Ordinance also amended the existing law as to the respective priority of Crown debts and employees' arrears of wages. Previously Crown debts which had become due and payable within twelve months before a winding-up, and arrears of wages owing to employees for the four month period preceding a winding-up, had equal priority over all other debts. The Ordinance provides that arrears of wages will now have priority over all non-statutory Crown debts. Statutory Crown debts will continue to rank equally with arrears of wages, but power is
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