XN000022-1997-03-27 — Page 16

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The construction industry and related professional organisation were consulted on the proposed control.

The Bill, which was endorsed by the Advisory Council on the Environment, will be introduced into the Legislative Council on April 9.

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Amendment Rules under Probate & Administration Ordinance

The Non-Contentious Probate (Amendment) Rules 1997 and Official Administrator's Accounts (Interest) (Amendment) Rules 1997 were gazetted today (Thursday).

"The Amendment Rules were made consequent upon an amendment to Section 15(1) of the Probate and Administration Ordinance by Legislative Councillor Bruce Liu Sing-lee. The amendment was passed by the Legislative Council last year, raising the ceiling on the size of the estates eligible for summary administration from $50,000 to $150,000," a Government spokesman said.

The spokesman said that Section 15(1) of the Ordinance provides that the Registrar of the Supreme Court, in his capacity as Official Administrator, may summarily administer small estates of a value not exceeding $150,000.

"This alleviates the need to engage a solicitor in the proceedings and the financial burden of undertaking a formal administration of such estates," he added.

The Non-Contentious Probate (Amendment) Rules 1997 raised the ceiling on the size of an estate which a personal applicant can request the Official Administrator to deal with from $50,000 to $150,000.

Similarly, the Official Administrator's Accounts (Interest) (Amendment) Rules 1997 raised the ceiling not exceeding which the moneys belonging to the estate administered will not be credited interest from $50,000 to $150,000.

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