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Wednesday, January 17, 1973
SURRENDING PRIVATE STREET LAND TO THE CROWN
New Law In Advanced Stage Of Drafting
The Government may, in future, obtain possession of any land in
the private streets where there is no obligation under the lease for the
owner to surrender the land to the Government.
Disclosing this at the Legislative Council today, the Director of
Public Works, the Hon. J.J. Robson, said legislation giving the Government this
power "is now in an advanced stage of drafting."
He was replying to a question by the Hon. T.K. Ann whether any progress
was being made in vesting private streets in the Crown, now that the Crown
Land Ordinance had been enacted.
The Crown Land Ordinance 1972 and associated Regulations, which
became effective on October 1, 1972, provide for Government taking over private
streets where there is provision in the lease that the lessee shall, when required,
surrender the land needed for this purpose.
Mr. Robson said: "There are about 300 private streets in the Colony
and checking the Lease Conditions of all the lots fronting these streets to
see whether they contain such provision will be a lengthy task."
"First priority," he said, "has therefore been accorded to 16 roads
which are used as traffic thoroughfares so that, wherever the Lease Conditions
permit, early action can be taken to obtain surrender of the land occupied
by the road."
He added it was planned to deal next with roads now so blocked by
hawkers or parked cars that fire appliances could not get access to buildings
and fire hazards had been created.
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