TNAG-0753-FCO40-957-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 6

FCO Dryt (

SECRET

armen B (ANNEX BY

DRAFT (28 NOVEMBER 1978)

Whereas the Governor of the Colony of Hong Kong has from

time to time granted leases of Crown land in the Colony for

various terms, including leases of land in the New Te. itories

for terms expiring in June 1997:

[And whereas it is expedient to authorize the Governor

to grant indeterminate leases of Crown land in the New Territories

(that is to say, leases that will not determine upon a specified

date or upon the expiration of a specified period of time

but unless previously determined will continue in force for

so long as the Crown shall occupy the New Territories) and to

convert existing leases of such land into indeterminate leases: ]

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue and in exercise

of the powers in that behalf in Her Majesty vested, is

pleased, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, to

order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:

Citation and interpretation:

1 −(1) This Order may be cited as the Hong Kong (Indeterminate

Leases) Order 1979.

(2) The Interpretation Act 1978 shall apply, with the

necessary adaptations, for the purpose of interpreting this

Order and otherwise in relation thereto as it applies for the

purpose of interpreting and in relation to Acts of Parliament.

Power to grant indeterminate leases

2. The Governor, acting in pursuance of Article XIII of the

Hong Kong Letters Patent 1917, as amended by the Hong Kong

Letters Patent 1960, may, if he shall think fit and notwith-

standing any rule of law to the contrary, grant in respect of

/any

PAHNBR