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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1979
CROWN LAND (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CROWN LAND ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE GREATER CONTROL OVER UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION OF UNLEASED LAND AND TO PROVIDE A SUMMARY REMEDY IN CASE OF UNLAWFUL CONVERSIONS OF AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES.
THE CROWN LAND (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979 GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY) WOULD ALSO WIDEN THE EXISTING POWER OF ENTRY AND INSPECTION, CREATE A NEW CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN RESPECT OF FALSE STATEMENTS AND CONFER BROADER POWERS ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE AMENDING LEGISLATIONS WERE DIRECTED AT TWO MAIN PROBLEM AREAS THE UNAUTHORISED CHANGE OF USE OF STRUCTURES LAWFULLY ERECTED ON LAND LEASED FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES AND THE UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION OF UNLEASED CROWN LAND.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT UNDER THE CROWN LAND ORDINANCE, THE AUTHORITY MIGHT, BY NOTICE, REQUIRE AN UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION OF UNLEASED LAND TO CEASE AND FAILURE TO COMPLY WOULD BE AN OFFENCE.
IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE STRUCTURE AND DEMOLISH IT.
+HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE DELAY INVOLVED IN USING THIS PROCEDURE SOMETIMES PREVENTS ACTION BEING TAKEN WHEN THE AUTHORITIES DISCOVER AN ILLEGAL STRUCTURE IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION OR HAS BEEN NEWLY BUILT BUT NOT OCCUPIED.
+EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT MANY OF THESE STRUCTURES ARE BUILT BY RACKETEERS FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
HE SAID THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD ENABLE AN UNLAWFUL STRUCTURE TO BE DEMOLISHED WITHOUT NOTICE IF IT WAS EITHER IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION OR NOT BEING HABITUALLY AND BONA FIDE USED.
IT WOULD FURTHER MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON TO BE ENGAGED IN THE BUILDING OF AN UNLAWFUL STRUCTURE ON UNLEASED · LAND OR FOR ANY PERSON TO ARRANGE OR DIRECT SUCH BUILDING WORKS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO AMEND THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE, WHICH EMPOWERED THE AUTHORITY TO DEMOLISH, AFTER GIVING NOTICE, UNLAWFUL STRUCTURES BUILT ON LEASED LAND, SO AS TO EXTEND THE PROVISION TO COVER THE UNLAWFUL CHANGE OF USE OF AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES.
/HE SAID: