XN000022-1982-03-28 — Page 2

SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 1982

LANDS DEPARTMENT DUTIES ANNOUNCED

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THE NEW LANDS DEPARTMENT WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LAND ADMINISTRATION THROUGHOUT HONG KONG FROM APRIL 1.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (SUNDAY), A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE DIRECTOR OF LANDS, MR JOHN TODD, WOULD BECOME THE LAND AUTHORITY FOR BOTH THE URBAN AREA AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE A HEADQUARTERS AND 12 DISTRICTS FOUR IN THE URBAN AREA AND EIGHT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE HEADQUARTERS, BASED IN MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD, WILL HAVE THREE MAIN FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONS: LANDS, SURVEY AND TOWN PLANNING, SUPPORTED BY AN ADMINISTRATION DIVISION.

THE DUTIES OF THESE DIVISIONS WILL BE

LANDS TO UNDERTAKE THE DISPOSAL, ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT OF LAND AND TO KEEP LAND ADMINISTRATION POLICY UNDER REVIEW.

SURVEY, TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LAND SURVEY, MAPPING AND DRAWING OFFICE SERVICES.

TOWN PLANNING TO UNDERTAKE STRUCTURE PLANNING, STATUTORY PLANNING AND PLANNING STUDIES TO PROVIDE PLANNING DATA AND TO CO-ORDINATE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF TOWN PLANNING.

ADMINISTRATION: TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FINANCE- SUPPLIES AND TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION.

THE FOUR DISTRICTS IN THE URBAN AREA ARE HONG KONG ISLAND NORTH, HONG KONG ISLAND SOUTH, KOWLOON EAST AND KOWLOON WEST,

IN EACH DISTRICT, THE SURVEY DIVISION WILL CARRY OUT SURVEY WORK AND CONTROL DRAWING OFFICES. THE REGISTRAR GENERAL WILL PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES. THIS WILL BE DONE ON A DISTRICT BASIS, EXCEPT FOR LAND REGISTRATION, WHICH WILL BE HANDLED BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL THROUGH THE LAND OFFICE IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES (WEST WING).

IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE EIGHT DISTRICT OFFICES WILL BE: TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG, TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, NORTH, TAI PO, SHA TIN, SAI KUNG AND ISLANDS.

SURVEY AND LEGAL WORK WILL BE DONE ON A DISTRICT BASIS, AS IN THE URBAN AREA. EACH DISTRICT WILL HAVE ITS OWN LAND REGISTRY.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WOULD CARRY OUT THE DISTRICT ACTION PLANNING. IN THE URBAN AREA, THIS WOULD INITIALLY BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LANDS DEPARTMENT, BUT IN THE NEAR FUTURE THE URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT OFFICE WOULD TAKE OVER THIS TASK.