XN000022-1994-11-16 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1994

IN SUPPORTING THE FAMILY I CANNOT SUPPORT THE WORDING OF THE MOTION CALLING ON GOVERNMENT TO FORMULATE A FAMILY POLICY IN HONG KONG, WE HAVE CONSULTED OVERSEAS EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT. AS ADVISED BY THE WORLD RECOGNISED EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD, PROFESSOR $ KAMERMAN AND PROFESSOR A KAHN. I NOW QUOTE: "TO WRITE A FORMAL FAMILY POLICY REQUIRES CONFRONTING VALUE DIFFERENCES AND MAY GENERATE CONSIDERABLE VALUE DEBATE AROUND SYMBOLIC ISSUES WHICH CAN BE AVOIDED BY MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT CONCRETE BENEFITS AND PROGRAMMES." THEY HAVE OBSERVED THAT COUNTRIES DO WELL WITHOUT A FAMILY POLICY. I BELIEVE THAT WE TOO CAN DO WELL AS WE ARE COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTING CONCRETE PROGRAMMES TO HELP PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY.

THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.

LAND TITLES BILL INTRODUCED

FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR CANICE MAR, IN MOVING THE LAND TITLES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

BILL

MR PRESIDENT,

I MOVE THE SECOND READING OF THE LAND TITLES BILL.

THE

A

THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF LAND DEEDS REGISTRATION GOVERNS ONLY PRIORITY OF REGISTERED DEEDS. REGISTRATION PER SE DOES NOT CONFER ON A DEED ANY VALIDITY IT DOES NOT OTHERWISE HAVE. THEREFORE, EVEN IF PERSON IS REGISTERED IN THE LAND REGISTRY AS OWNER OF A PROPERTY, MAY NOT BE THE LEGAL OWNER BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME UNCERTAINTY HIS TITLE TO THE PROPERTY OR HIS TITLE MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE CLAIM SOME OTHER PERSON WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE LAND REGISTER KEPT THE LAND REGISTRY.

HE

IN

OF

BY

DEEDS

AND MATTERS

THE LAND TITLES BILL SEEKS TO CONVERT THE PRESENT LAND REGISTRATION SYSTEM TO A TITLE REGISTRATION SYSTEM. UNDER THE PROPOSED SYSTEM, THE LAND REGISTER WILL BE CONCLUSIVE AS ΤΟ TITLE OF THE PROPERTY. REGISTRATION OF A PERSON AS OWNER WILL CONFER FULL ABSOLUTE TITLE TO THE PROPERTY CONCERNED SUBJECT ONLY TO ANY REGISTERED ON THE LAND REGISTER, CERTAIN OVERRIDING INTERESTS RECTIFICATION BY THE HIGH COURT. IN PRACTICE, A STATE OF TITLE CERTIFICATE WILL CERTIFY THE STATE OF THE LAND REGISTER AT THE TIME

CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED. IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY FOR SOLICITOR TO LOOK BEHIND THE LAND REGISTER INVESTIGATE THE TITLE BY READING THROUGH ALL THE DEEDS.

THE

CONVEYANCING

AND

THE

AND

/SINCE NOT