FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1986
5
SYSTEM NEEDED TO RECTIFY INCORRECT LAND BOUNDARIES
*****
THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR JOHN TODD, HAS CALLED FOR THE SETTING UP OF A SYSTEM TO DEAL WITH INCORRECT OR DISPUTED LAND BOUNDARIES.
+ FEEL THAT SOME SUCH SYSTEM IS NECESSARY TO ENABLE US TO PUT OUR LAND ADMINISTRATION ON A FIRM BASIS, TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM WHICH WOULD ASSIST IN THE TRANSITION OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997 AND WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE CERTAINTY OF TITLE ON WHICH OUR LAND SYSTEM DEPENDS, HE SAID.
PRESENTING A PAPER, +LAND ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOUNDARY PROBLEMS+, AT A SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF LAND SURVEYORS AND THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF SURVEYORS, TODAY (FRIDAY). HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL AWARE THAT CERTAINTY OF TITLE WAS A BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR A SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM OF LAND
ADMINISTRATION.
MR TODD, WHO UNTIL HIS RECENT APPOINTMENT WAS DIRECTOR OF LANDS, POINTED OUT THAT IN ANNEX II OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG GREAT EMPHASIS HAD BEEN PLACED ON RIGHTS CONCERNING THE OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY, CONDITIONS ON WHICH NEW LEASES COULD BE GRANTED AND HOW EXISTING LEASES COULD BE EXTENDED.
+IN VIEW OF ALL THIS EMPHASIS ON CERTAINTY IT IS THEREFORE VERY SURPRISING TO REALISE THAT DESPITE THE CARE TAKEN TO FRAME LEASE CONDITIONS AND TO RECORD LAND TRANSACTIONS THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR AN ACCURATELY SURVEYED PLAN TO FORM PART OF THOSE CONDITIONS.
+YOU CAN THEREFORE BE SATISFIED AS TO OWNERSHIP AND THE DETAILED USE TO WHICH THE LAND MAY BE PUT, BUT HAVE NO GUARANTEE AS TO THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE SITE,+ HE ADDED.
MR TODD SAID THE POSITION WAS NOT SO CHAOTIC AS THIS DESCRIPTION MAY TAKE IT SOUND AS VERY MANY LAND REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS WERE SUPPORTED BY ACCURATE SURVEY PLANS.
THIS WAS PARTICULARLY TRUE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAS, BUT IN OLDER AND RURAL AREAS THE POSITION WAS MUCH LESS SATISFACTORY.
WHILE INACCURACIES OR DISPUTES ABOUT BOUNDARIES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SO IMPORTANT WHEN RURAL LAND VALUES WERE LOW, WITH THE SPREAD OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASED INTEREST IN RURAL LAND +WE ARE NOW FACED WITH AN INCREASING PROBLEM,+ MR TODD SAID.
+NOT ONLY ARE WE FACED WITH THE PROBLEM, BUT WE HAVE NO EFFICIENT WAY OF DEALING WITH IT.
/+WHEN GOVERNMENT