ENG-1994 — Page 285

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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Registration is essential to the protection of land title but does not guarantee it. A Land Titles Bill, proposing to change the present land registration system to one of title registration, is under consideration by a Bills Committee of the Legislative Council. The proposed title registration system will provide certainty of title to property, protect property owners and purchasers, and simplify conveyancing procedures.

Land registration statistics are at Appendix 38.

Government Conveyancing

The Legal Advisory and Conveyancing Office of the Lands Department provides professional legal services to the government for all government land transactions and associated matters. It is responsible for the issue, renewal, variation and termination of government leases as well as the drafting and completion of conditions of sale, grants and exchanges of government land, the apportionment of government rents and premia, and the recovery of outstanding rents. It provides conveyancing services for the Housing Authority in connection with the sale of flats built under the Home Ownership Scheme, and for the Financial Secretary Incorporated in connection with the extension of non-renewable government leases, the purchase and sale of government accommodation in private developments, mortgages to secure interest-free loans to private schools, the purchase of properties for government staff quarters and group housing schemes for the elderly. It is also responsible for the processing of consent applications which are governed by the rules --of the Land Authority's Consent Scheme. The scheme was amended substantially in mid- 1994 to implement the measures against speculation on residential units and to increase Hong Kong's housing stock as decided by the Task Force on Land Supply and Property Prices. During the year, 11 applications involving 7 715 residential units in the urban areas were approved and in the New Territories, 12 applications involving 10 069 residential units were approved.

Survey and Mapping

The Survey and Mapping Office of the Lands Department is responsible for defining and recording the land boundaries of all existing and new land developments; providing and maintaining the territory-wide survey control system; mapping the territory at various scales for land administration, engineering and government purposes; and managing a computerised land information system.

Geodetic control systems, which are horizontal and vertical control networks covering the whole territory, have been established and maintained to a high degree of accuracy. These systems provide the necessary origin and control points for cadastral (property boundary), topographical mapping, engineering and other surveys.

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is also used for the efficient provision of geodetic control points.

Cadastral surveying is one of the most important functions of the Survey and Mapping Office. The office provides survey services to support all government land transactions. Its staff set out boundary corners and mark out the limit of all land for sale, grant/regrant, or other methods of disposal. Plans are prepared for legal purposes, land disposals, attach- ment to government gazette notices, setting out of private land parcels, and for identi- fication purposes. The office also maintains a comprehensive record of all leasehold and

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