LC Paper No. LS 196/98-99

Members may recall that the Legal Service Division made its report on the Bill (LegCo Paper No. LS 65/98-99) to the House Committee on 20 November 1998. Annexes A and B of the report are attached for Members' ease of reference.

2. All of the proposed adaptations in the New Territories Land (Exemption) Ordinance (Cap. 452) relate to the power of the Governor in exempting land from Part II of the New Territories Ordinance (Cap. 97) ("the Related Ordinance") under section 7 of that Ordinance. Since the term "Governor" has not been adapted in the Related Ordinance, the House Committee agreed to defer consideration of the Bill until the introduction of the bill to effect such adaptation.

3. On 19 May 1999, the Secretary for Home Affairs presented the Adaptation of Laws (No. 14) Bill 1999 ("the Related Bill") to the Legislative Council. The Related Bill proposes to adapt references to "Governor" with "Chief Executive" in section 7 of the Related Ordinance. At the meeting of the House Committee on 21 May 1999, Members supported resumption of the Second Reading debate of the Related Bill.

4. Since the proposed amendments in the present Bill follow those of the Related Bill, the Bill is ready for resumption of the Second Reading debate. The Administration has been advised that the remaining legislative proceedings on the Bill should not precede those on the Related Bill.


Encl


Prepared by


Wong Sze-man, Bernice
Assistant Legal Adviser
Legislative Council Secretariat
25 May 1999


Bill-further/LS/B/23/98-99

Annex A

Notes

1.Reference to "Governor in Council" is made in the New Territories Leases (Extension) Ordinance (Cap. 150).

2. References to "Governor" are made in the New Territories Land (Exemption) Ordinance (Cap. 452).

Annex B

Item No.	Ordinances
1.	New Territories Leases (Extension) Ordinance (Cap. 150)
2.	New Territories Land (Exemption) Ordinance (Cap. 452)