LAND ACQUISITION (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

6.32 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Mr Chan Sun Wing): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Land Acquisition Ordinance (Chapter 248) lays down the procedure to be followed when land is required for a public purpose. Briefly the procedure is that after the declaration under section 5 of the Ordinance that the land is needed for a public purpose or for a Company under Part VII of the Ordinance, the Collector of Land Revenue causes notices to be posted at convenient places on or near the land to be taken, stating that the Government intends to take possession of the land and that claims to compensation for all interests therein may be made to him. This notice under section 8 (1) of the Ordinance fixes a date for the enquiry, not earlier than 21 days after publication of the notice. Possession of the land can only be taken after this enquiry is held and an award made under section 10 of the Ordinance.

However, section 17 (1) of the Ordinance provides that in cases of urgency when the Minister so directs, the Collector, though no such award has been made, may on the expiration of 15 days from the publication of the notice under section 8 (1), take possession of any waste or arable land needed for public purposes or for a Company. Thus this section, which seeks to provide for a more expeditious acquisition procedure in cases of urgency, nevertheless has been rendered virtually meaningless, by limiting this power to only waste or arable land.

In view of the increased expansion of public works, e.g. housing, community centres, schools, roads and industrialisation, it is considered that this power to take possession in cases of urgency should not be limited. This Bill will provide for expeditious action in all cases of urgency.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.- [Mr Chan Sun Wing].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.