WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1984
26
+ IN 1885, FOR INSTANCE, A VERY LIMITED MEASURE IN THE SHAPE OF A CONVEYANCING BILL WAS PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY A NUMBER OF PROMINENT LAWYERS AND BUSINESSMEN OF THE DAY BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS IT DID NOT PASS INTO LAW.
+ATTEMPTS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IN 1966 AND AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE 1970S TO BRING OUR LAW UP-TO-DATE IN THIS RESPECT BUT ALL THESE ATTEMPTS FOUNDERED BECAUSE NO CONSENSUS COULD BE REACHED WITHIN THE LEGAL PROFESSION AS TO WHAT PRECISELY WAS REQUIRED.
MR GLEESON SAID THAT IN OCTOBER 1982, A WORKING PARTY UNDER HIS CHAIRMANSHIP, AND HAVING AS ITS MEMBERS ONE OF HIS LEGAL OFFICERS, FOUR PRACTISING CONVEYANCING LAWYERS (COMPRISING THE CONVEYANCING SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LAW SOCIETY) AND THE DEPUTY LAW DRAFTSMAN FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WAS FORMED AND BEGAN CONSIDERATION OF DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR A COMPLETELY NEW BILL.
THIS GROUP WAS LATER JOINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL LEGAL EDUCATION OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY'S FACULTY OF LAW AND A MEMBER OF HIS ACADEMIC STAFF. THE WORKING GROUP MET 35 TIMES, HOLDING ITS FINAL MEETING ON MARCH 26 THIS YEAR,
+ THE WORK ING GROUP TOOK ACCOUNT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM LAW OF PROPERTY ACT 1925 BUT WAS CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THAT ACT CONTAINED MANY PROVISIONS WHICH WERE NOT RELEVANT TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG AND DID NOT CONTAIN MANY
PROVISIONS THAT WERE.
+ IT WAS DESIRABLE ALSO TO BRING THE LAW UP TO DATE.
+ THE WORKING GROUP CONCENTRATED ON WHAT WAS RELEVANT TO AND REQUIRED FOR HONG KONG BOTH AT THE PRESENT TIME AND IN THE FUTURE.
+THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONVEYANCING AND PROPERTY ORDINANCE THEREFORE, DIFFERED IN A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT RESPECTS FROM THE LAW RELATING TO PROPERTY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, PARTICULARLY IN THE FORMS OF CONVEYANCING THAT ARE PRESCRIBED AND THE COVENANTS AND CONDITIONS THAT ARE IMPLIED IN CONVEYANCING, + HE SAID.
IN JULY 1983, A BILL WAS PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES, AND THE WORKING GROUP THEREAFTER CONSIDERED MANY REPRÉSENTATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED FOLLOWING PUBLICATION.
AN AMENDED BILL WAS PRINTED AND CIRCULATED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR AND WAS FOLLOWED ON FEBRUARY 15 WITH A SEMINAR ON THE BILL AT THE HILTON HOTEL, ATTENDED BY MANY LAWYERS, BANKERS AND OTHER PARTIES.
AFTER THE SEMINAR, THE WORKING GROUP CONSIDERED AND AGREED TO YET FURTHER AMENDMENTS WHICH WERE THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE BILL.
MR GLEASON.