Clause 20

If any street, not being a public street, is levelled, channelled and drained and either paved, metalled or flagged to the satisfaction of the Director, he may, whether at the request of the owners of premises fronting, adjoining or abutting on such street or otherwise, if he thinks fit, by writing under his hand, declare that at the expiration of one month from the date thereof the said street shall become a public street.

A copy of such declaration shall be forthwith posted up in some part of the said street.

At the expiration of the said period, unless the owners of the premises fronting, adjoining or abutting on such street or the owners of such premises having the greater part in value shall have, by notification to the Director in writing under their hands, objected thereto, the said street shall become a public street and shall vest in the Government and for ever afterwards be repaired by the Government.

Such declaration shall be published in the Gazette.

Where the street which has been declared to be a public street and has become vested in the Government under the provisions of this section is comprised of premises included in separate lots already set aside as part of a street, the declaration shall be registered against such lots under the provisions of the Land Titles Ordinance, 1956 (Ord. 21 of 1956), in respect of registered land and under the provisions of the Registration of Deeds Ordinance (Cap. 255) in respect of other land.

Where the street which has been declared to be a public street and has become vested in the Government under the provisions of this section, is comprised of premises included in an existing lot or existing lots, the premises forming such street shall be excised from the existing lot or lots and the declaration shall be registered in respect of such excised portions under the provisions of the Land Titles Ordinance, 1956, in respect of registered land and under the provisions of the Registration of Deeds Ordinance in respect of other land.

Upon such registration the premises forming such street shall vest in the Government free from all incumbrances and where such premises are held under a Statutory Land Grant, such vesting shall not be deemed to create a subdivision within the meaning of the Crown Lands Ordinance (Cap. 244).