1836
Payment
of rent in
money instead of in produce.
Redemption of perpetual rent in
produce or substitution of annual rent in
money.
*
Land Officer to decide questions relating to land summarily.
Powers of
Land Officer.
No. 34 of 1910. NEW TERRITORIES REGULATION.
18. In any case where land is held under an agreement to pay rent in produce, it shall be lawful for the tenant of such land to pay rent in money instead thereof according to a rate which shall be fixed each year by the Governor in Council to be published in the Gazette as the fair commutation of such produce.
19. In any case where land is held under an agreement to pay rent in produce in perpetuity, it shall be lawful for the person who is liable to pay such rent either to pay an annual rent in money instead of in produce at a rate to be fixed in the manner provided by section 18, or with the consent of the Land Officer to redeem his liability to pay such rent by paying to such person as the Land Officer may direct such capital sum of money as he may in all the circumstances of the case consider to be fair and reasonable.
20. The Land Officer shall have power to decide in a summary way all questions and disputes in connexion with, or in anywise arising out of, or regarding any land, and he may, within three months from giving his decision, re-open and re-hear the case upon such grounds as he shall in his discretion deem sufficient, and reverse, vary, or confirm the previous decision or judgment. The Land Officer shall have power to recognise and enforce any Chinese custom or customary right in relation to land, and the decision or judgment of the Land Officer shall be binding on all parties concerned unless the same is varied or set aside as hereinafter provided: Provided that the Land Officer shall not have power to decide any question or dispute to which the Crown is a party unless the Governor consents in writing to his so doing; and further the Land Officer shall not have power to decide any question or dispute in respect of any land having a capital value exceeding five thousand dollars, or an annual value exceeding five hundred dollars, unless with the written consent of the parties to such question or dispute.
21.-(1) For the purpose of this Ordinance, the Land Officer shall have powers similar to those vested in the Supreme Court in respect of the following matters:-
(a) examining witnesses upon oath, or otherwise:
* As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1924.