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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1993

"WHEN THE PROPERTY IS SOLD, IT IS A MATTER FOR THE PURCHASER'S SOLICITOR TO SATISFY HIMSELF THAT THE TITLE OF THE PROPERTY IS GOOD. I HAVE NO DOUBT PRIVATE SOLICITORS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR USUAL HIGH-PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, HE SAID.

ᎨᏐ

MR

SUEN SAID HE KNEW OF VERY FEW PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE NTO SINCE ITS ENACTMENT IN 1910 AND PROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD NOT BE UNDULY WORRIED.

IN ANY CASE, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SPECIFIC DECISION BY A COURT AS TO WHETHER CUSTOMARY LAW WOULD APPLY TO AN OWNER OF PROPERTY, WHETHER OR NOT HE IS AN INDIGENOUS RESIDENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE ONLY AUTHORITATIVE COURT DECISION IN RESPECT OF THE APPLICATION OF CHINESE CUSTOMARY LAW TO LAND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS MADE IN 1970 AND THEN IT WAS ONLY MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF LAND HELD BY A TSO A PARTICULAR CUSTOMARY CHINESE ORGANISATION.

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'CERTAINLY, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY DECISION BY THE COURTS ON WHETHER SUCH CUSTOMARY RULES WOULD BE MANDATORY IN THE CASE OF MODERN MULTI-STOREY DEVELOPMENTS, MR SUEN SAID.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONTINUING TO EXAMINE VARIOUS OPTIONS TO ALLAY PUBLIC ANXIETY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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AIRPORT PROJECT BIGGEST SINCE BUILDING PYRAMIDS: CS

THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT IS NO LESS THAN A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE

THE

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON OF THE BELGIAM BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, SIR DAVID SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE HAD BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE BIGGEST PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT SINCE THE BUILDING OF THE PYRAMIDS.

"IT IS AN ADVENTUROUS PROJECT. BUT IT IS ONE WORTH COMMITTED TO," HE SAID.

IN BUILDING A NEW AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP кок, A BRAND NEW TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE PRODUCED.

THIS INFRASTRUCTURE WILL OPEN UP THE WHOLE OF NORTH LANTAU FOR DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEVE ALL THE CONGESTION ON NATHAN ROAD AS WELL AS PROVIDING NEW LINKS TO CHINA THROUGH THE HUGE PROJECT OF ROUTE THREE.

TOO,

THE STRATEGY WILL HELP HONG KONG OPEN UP PORT DEVELOPMENT HE SAID.

THE LAND TO BE RECLAIMED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS WILL HALF AS

MUCH RECLAMATION CREATED IN THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG'S

AMOUNT

TO

HISTORY.

SIR DAVID ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE EUROPEAN CONTRIBUTION TO THE AIRPORT PROJECT.

/HE SAID