Land Disputes Settlement Act 1975
Chapter 45.
Land Disputes Settlement Act 1975.
Certified on: / /20 .
INDEPENDENTSTATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
Chapter 45.
Land Disputes Settlement Act 1975.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
1. Purpose of this Act.
2. Interpretation.
3. Application.
4. Exception of certain disputes.
5. Establishment of ProvincialLand Disputes Committees.
6. Meetings of Committees.
7. Powers and functions of Committees.
8. Directions by Minister.
9. Declaration of Land Mediation Areas.
10. Declaration of Land Mediation Divisions.
11. Appointment of Land Mediators.
12. Conditions of employment.
13. Tenure of office.
14. Notification and promulgation of appointments.
15. Powers and functions of Land Mediators.
16. Appointment of ad hoc mediators.
Subdivision A – Mediation.
17. Mediation.
Subdivision B – Agreements.
18. Agreements.
19. Approval of agreements.
20. Effect of agreements.
21. Establishment of LocalLand Courts.
22. Appointment of LocalLand Magistrates.
23. Constitution of LocalLand Courts.
24. Clerks of LocalLand Courts.
25. Time and place of sittings.
26. General jurisdiction of Local Land Courts.
27. Limitations of jurisdiction.
28. Power to mediate.
29. Disputes, etc., inextricably involved with land disputes.
30. Temporary orders by Magistrates.
31. Applications.
32. Power of Provincial Land Court to direct Local Land Court to proceed to hearing.
33. Transfer of proceedings.
34. Change of membership.
35. Practice and procedure of Local Land Courts.
36. Inspection of land in dispute.
37. Witnesses.
38. Records and returns of cases.
39. Orders generally.
40. Orders relating to return of former interests.
41. Reasons for and terms of orders to be explained to parties.
42. Visit to land after order.
43. Effect of orders.
44. Variation of orders.
45. Establishment of ProvincialLand Courts.
46. Appointment of ProvincialLand Magistrates.
47. Constitution of ProvincialLand Courts.
48. Clerks of ProvincialLand Courts.
49. Time and place of sittings.
50. Practice, procedure and powers of Provincial Land Courts.
51. Witnesses.
52. Records.
53. Jurisdiction.
54. Appeal against decision of Local Land Court.
55. Notice of appeal.
56. Action on receipt of notice.
57. Deposit on appeal.
58. Grounds for appeal.
59. Powers on appeal.
60. Effect of decision on appeal.
61. Prosecution of offences.
62. Contempt of Court.
63. Removing marks, etc.
64. Failure to comply with orders.
65. Orders for compensation.
66. Jurisdiction of Land Titles Commission.
67. Presumption as to vesting of interests.
68. Determination of custom.
69. General law to be applied.
70. Judicial notice.
71. Service of notices, etc.
72. Representation.
73. Inspections by ProvincialLand Magistrates.
74. Indemnity.
75. Regulations.
INDEPENDENTSTATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA.
AN ACT
entitled
Land Disputes Settlement Act 1975,
Being an Act to provide for the settlement of disputes in relation to interests in customary land, and for related purposes.
PARTI. – PRELIMINARY.
1. PURPOSE OF THIS ACT.
The purpose of this Act is to provide a just, efficient and effective machinery for the settlement of disputes in relation to interests in customary land by–
(a) encouraging self-reliance through the involvement of the people in the settlement of their own disputes; and
(b) the use of the principles underlying traditional dispute settlement processes.
2. INTERPRETATION.
In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears–
“agreement” means an agreement between the parties to a dispute that has been recorded under Section 18(1)(b);
“dispute” means a dispute to which, in accordance with Section 3, this Act applies;
“Division” means a Land Mediation Division;
“interest” includes any interest in land of whatsoever nature that is recognized by the custom of the people of the area in which the land is located;
“land” means customary land, and includes–
(a) a reef or bank; and
(b) a house or other structure built on land or over water; and
(c) things growing on land or in water over land, earths and minerals on or under land; and
(d) an interest in land;
“Land Mediation Area” means an area declared to be a Land Mediation Area under Section 9;
“Land Mediation Division” means an area declared to be a Land Mediation Division under Section 10;
“Land Mediator” means a Land Mediator appointed under Section 11;
“Local Land Court” means a Local Land Court established under Section 21;
“Local Land Magistrate” means a Magistrate of a Local Land Court appointed under Section 22;
“party” means a party to a dispute to which this Act applies, and includes–
(a) a customary kinship group; and
(b) a customary descent group; and
(c) a customary local group or community;
“Provincial Land Court” means a Provincial Land Court established under Section 45;
“Provincial Land Disputes Committee” means a Provincial Land Disputes Committee established under Section 5;
“Provincial Land Magistrate” means a Provincial Land Magistrate appointed under Section 46;
“the regulations” means any regulations made under this Act;
“this Act” includes the regulations;
“Village Peace Officer ” means a Village Peace Officer appointed under the Village Courts Act 1989.
3. APPLICATION.
(1) Subject to Subsection (2) and to Section 4, this Act applies to disputes as to interests in customary land, or as to the position of boundaries of any customary land.
(2) Nothing in this Act applies to a dispute–
(a) as to whether land is or is not customary land; or
(b) to which Part IV. of the Land Groups Incorporation Act 1974 applies.
4. EXCEPTION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES.
(1) Where the Head of State, acting on advice, is of the opinion that special circumstances exist that require a dispute to be settled by means other than those provided by this Act, the Head of State, acting on advice, may, by notice in the National Gazette, declare that this Act does not apply to the dispute.
(2) Without limiting the generality of Subsection (1), the matters that may be taken into account in determining whether special circumstances exist within the meaning of that subsection include the following:–
(a) that the dispute is of long standing and that previous attempts at mediation have failed;
(b) that the dispute has already resulted in serious breaches of the peace;
(c) that there is no possibility of agreement being reached between the parties to the dispute;
(d) that it is in the national interest that the dispute be settled in some other manner.
(3) The Head of State, acting on advice, may, by regulation, determination or order, make provision for the settlement of a dispute to which Subsection (1) applies.
PART II. – PROVINCIALLAND DISPUTES COMMITTEES.
5. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROVINCIALLAND DISPUTES COMMITTEES.
(1) A ProvincialLand Disputes Committee is hereby established for each province.
(2) A ProvincialLand Disputes Committee shall consist of–
(a) the senior Provincial Land Magistrate in the province, who shall be Chairman; and
(b) the Provincial Administrator, or a Deputy Provincial Administrator nominated by the Provincial Administrator; and
(c) an officer of the Department appointed by the Departmental Head; and
(d) two persons appointed by the Provincial Government.
(3) The Provincial Government shall cause a notice of the appointment of members under Subsection (2)(d) to be published in the National Gazette.
(4) Before a Provincial Government appoints an officer to the Provincial Land Disputes Committee, it must obtain the written approval of his Departmental Head.
(5) A Departmental Head may withdraw an approval given by him under Subsection (4), and thereupon the officer concerned ceases to be a member of the Committee.
(6) Subject to Subsection (5), a member of a Committee appointed under Subsection (2)(d) holds office during the pleasure of the authority.
6. MEETINGS OF COMMITTEES.
(1) A ProvincialLand Disputes Committee shall meet at such times and places, as in the opinion of the Chairman, are necessary for the efficient conduct of its affairs.
(2) At a meeting of a Committee–
(a) three is a quorum; and
(b) the Chairman, or in his absence, a member elected by the members present shall preside; and
(c) all matters arising shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting; and
(d) the person presiding has a deliberative and, in the event of an equality of votes on matters, also a casting vote.
(3) A Committee shall cause minutes of its meetings to be kept.
(4) The exercise or the performance of any function of a Committee shall not be invalidated by reason only of a vacancy in the membership of the Committee.
(5) Subject to this Act, the procedures of a Committee are as determined by the Committee.
7. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEES.
(1) Subject to Section 8, the functions of a Provincial Land Disputes Committee are–
(a) to declare Land Mediation Areas; and
(b) to declare Land Mediation Divisions; and
(c) to appoint Land Mediators; and
(d) to approve the appointment of Local Land Magistrates under Section 22(2).
(2) Subject to this Act, a Committee has power to do all things that are necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions.
8. DIRECTIONS BY MINISTER.
(1) The Minister may give directions and may issue written guidelines to any or all Provincial Land Disputes Committees relating to–
(a) the declaration of Land Mediation Areas; and
(b) the declaration of Land Mediation Divisions; and
(c) the number of, manner of and qualifications for appointment of, Land Mediators,
and a Committee shall comply with any directions so given.
(2) Where an appointment or declaration is made contrary to a declaration under Subsection (1), the appointment or declaration is void.
PART III. – MEDIATION OF LAND DISPUTES.
Division 1.
Land Mediation Areas and Land Mediation Divisions.
9. DECLARATION OF LAND MEDIATION AREAS.
(1) A ProvincialLand Disputes Committee may–
(a) after receiving a request from a Local-level Government or other body representative of a majority of the people of the area concerned; and
(b) after consultation with such persons, groups of persons or bodies as it considers necessary to establish the need for a Land Mediation Area; and
(c) if it is satisfied that there exists a real need in the area for such a declaration,
by notice in the National Gazette, declare an area within its province to be a Land Mediation Area.
(2) In determining whether there exists in an area a real need for a declaration under this section, a Committee shall consider–
(a) whether there are land disputes in existence in the area; and
(b) whether the mediation process established by this Act may assist in the settlement of those disputes or some of them; and
(c) whether some of the land disputes in existence could lead to breaches of the peace; and
(d) whether or not an effective customary dispute-settlement authority exists in the area.
10. DECLARATION OF LAND MEDIATION DIVISIONS.
(1) A ProvincialLand Disputes Committee may, by notice in the National Gazette–
(a) divide a Land Mediation Area into Land Mediation Divisions; or
(b) declare the whole of a Land Mediation Area to be a single Land Mediation Division.
(2) A Committee shall not declare an area to be a Land Mediation Division unless it has first consulted with–
(a) any Local-level Government in whose area the area or part of the area of the proposed Division is situated; and
(b) any Village Court in whose area the area, or part of the area, of the proposed Division is situated; and
(c) any other person or group of persons with whom it thinks it desirable to consult,
in order to ensure, as far as practicable, that–
(d) the area of the Division is acceptable to the people residing in it, or having interests in land in it; and
(e) there is a real need by those people to have a Division declared.
Division 2.
Land Mediators.
11. APPOINTMENT OF LAND MEDIATORS.
(1) A Provincial Land Disputes Committee shall, at the same time as it declares an area to be a Land Mediation Division or as soon as possible after, and may from time to time, appoint Village Magistrates or other persons to be Land Mediators for the Division.
(2) There shall be at least one and not more than three Land Mediators for each Division.
(3) A Provincial Land Disputes Committee shall not appoint a person to be a Land Mediator unless it has first consulted with–
(a) any Local-level Government in whose area the area, or part of the area, of the Land Mediation Division in respect of which the Land Mediator is to be appointed is situated; and
(b) any Village Court in whose area the area, or part of the area, of the Land Mediation Division in respect of which the Land Mediator is to be appointed is situated; and
(c) the person to be appointed; and
(d) any other bodies or persons or groups of persons, whom it thinks it desirable to consult,
in order to ensure, as far as practicable, that the person to be appointed–
(e) consents to act; and
(f) is acceptable to the people residing in, or having land in, the Division or Divisions for which he is to be appointed.
12. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.
The terms and conditions of employment of Land Mediators are as determined from time to time by the Minister.
13. TENURE OF OFFICE.
(1) The appointment of a Land Mediator shall be reviewed at or before the end of each period of three years after the appointment, and may be revoked at the end of any such period by the Provincial Land Disputes Committee.
(2) The Committee may revoke the appointment of a Land Mediator at any time where it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that–
(a) he has become incapable of performing his duties; or
(b) he is guilty of misconduct in relation to his duties; or
(c) he is no longer acceptable to the people of the Division or Divisions for which he is appointed.
14. NOTIFICATION AND PROMULGATION OF APPOINTMENTS.
(1) The ProvincialLand Disputes Committee shall notify each Land Mediator in writing of–
(a) his appointment; and
(b) the Land Mediation Division or Divisions for which he is appointed; and
(c) the terms and conditions of his appointment; and
(d) his powers, functions, duties and responsibilities under this Act.
(2) The name of each Land Mediator, the Division or Divisions for which he is appointed and his powers and duties under this Act shall be–
(a) publicly promulgated by the Committee in such manner as it thinks most likely to ensure that they are generally known and understood by the people residing in the Land Mediation Area; and
(b) communicated in writing by the Committee to–
(i) the Provincial Government; and
(ii) all Local-level Governments in whose area, or in part of whose area, a Land Mediation Area is situated.
15. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF LAND MEDIATORS.
(1) The primary function of a Land Mediator is to assist in the attainment of peace and harmony in the Land Mediation Division or Divisions for which he is appointed by mediating in, and endeavouring to obtain the just and amicable settlement of, disputes.
(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent–
(a) a Land Mediator from mediating a dispute relating to interests in customary land situated in a Land Mediation Area or Division other than the Area or Division for which he is appointed, if he is requested to do so under Section 17(2); or
(b) two or more Land Mediators from jointly mediating a particular dispute.
(3) A Land Mediator shall, where he considers it appropriate to do so, seek the assistance of any customary dispute-settlement authority that, in his opinion, has customary jurisdiction in relation to the dispute.
(4) For the purposes of this section, a Land Mediator may–
(a) appoint a time and place at which mediation is to occur; and
(b) request the presence of any person or group of persons at the mediation; and
(c) adjourn the mediation where he is of opinion that by doing so a just and amicable settlement of the dispute may be arrived at by the parties to the dispute.
16. APPOINTMENT OF AD HOC MEDIATORS.
(1) Where a Local Land Magistrate is of opinion that a dispute to which this Act applies is of such a nature that it can most effectively be mediated by a person other than a Land Mediator or a Local Land Court, the Magistrate may appoint a person to mediate the dispute.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person appointed under Subsection (1) has, in relation to the dispute for which he is appointed, the same powers, functions and duties as a Land Mediator.
Division 3.
Mediation and Agreement.
Subdivision A. – Mediation.
17. MEDIATION.
(1) Where he is of opinion that–
(a) a dispute exists as to interests in land situated wholly or partly within the area of the Land Mediation Division or Divisions for which he is appointed; and
(b) mediation as a means of settling the dispute may be successful,
a Land Mediator may mediate the dispute if no other Land Mediator has been appointed, or has commenced, to mediate the dispute.
(2) Subject to Subsections (4), (8) and (10), a Land Mediator shall mediate a dispute in any Land Mediation Area when requested to do so, orally or in writing, by–
(a) a party to the dispute; or
(b) a Village Court or Village Magistrate; or
(c) a Local Land Court or a Local Land Magistrate; or
(d) [Repealed.]
(e) a Magistrate of a District Court; or
(f) a Provincial Land Court; or
(g) a Provincial Administrator, a Deputy Provincial Administrator, a District Officer (Lands) or an officer in charge of a Subdistrict, Patrol Post or Base Camp.
(3) Where any of the persons or bodies referred to in Subsection (2)(b) to (g) (inclusive) requests that a dispute be mediated he or it shall, as soon as practicable, forward the request to the Local Land Magistrate located nearest to the land, and the Magistrate shall decide which Land Mediator shall mediate the dispute and forward the request to him.
(4) A request under Subsection (2) shall be made to a Land Mediator for the Land Mediation Division within which the land in dispute is wholly or partly situated unless the Local Land Magistrate located nearest to the land is of the opinion that special circumstances exist that make it more appropriate for a Land Mediator from another Land Mediation Division to mediate the dispute.
(5) Without limiting the generality of Subsection (4), the matters that may be taken into account in determining whether special circumstances exist include the following:–
(a) that the parties to the dispute prefer a Land Mediator from another Land Mediation Division;
(b) that the Land Mediator appointed for the Land Mediation Division is personally interested or involved in the dispute;
(c) that no Land Mediator appointed for the Division is available;
(d) that the nature of the dispute is such that in all the circumstances it would be preferable to have the dispute mediated by a Land Mediator from another Land Mediation Division.
(6) This section does not prevent two or more Land Mediators being requested to mediate jointly a dispute if there exist special reasons for doing so.
(7) Where a Land Mediator–
(a) decides to mediate a dispute under Subsection (1); or
(b) is requested to mediate a dispute under Subsection (2),
he shall, as soon as practicable, inform the Local Land Magistrate located nearest to the land in dispute.
(8) Subject to Subsection (6), where a Local Land Magistrate is aware that a dispute has been referred for mediation to two or more Land Mediators individually, he shall, where there is no agreement between the mediators themselves as to who will mediate the dispute, request one of the Mediators to mediate the dispute and the other Mediator or Mediators not to mediate the dispute.
(9) After mediation of a dispute has commenced under this Act–
(a) the Land Mediator mediating the dispute; or
(b) the parties to the dispute or any of them,
may apply to a Local Land Magistrate for an order requesting another Land Mediator to continue the mediation.
(10) A LocalLand Magistrate who has received an application under Subsection (9) may, where he is of the opinion that any of the special circumstances specified in Subsection (5) exist, request another Land Mediator to continue the mediation.