Legislation, Legislation In force, South Australian Legislation
Real Property Act 1886 (SA)
An Act to consolidate and amend the Real Property Act 1861, the Real Property Act Amendment Act 1878 and the Rights-of-Way Act 1881, and for other purposes.
South Australia
Real Property Act 1886
An Act to consolidate and amend the Real Property Act 1861, the Real Property Act Amendment Act 1878 and the Rights-of-Way Act 1881, and for other purposes.
Contents
Part 1—Preliminary
1 Short title
3 Interpretation
4 Repeal
5 Savings
6 Laws inconsistent not to apply
6A Effect of section 6
7 Lands under previous Acts to be under this Act
8 Land not to be withdrawn
Part 2—Objects of this Act
10 Objects
11 Construction
Part 3—The Lands Titles Registration Office
12 Lands Titles Registration Office to be at Adelaide
13 Administration of Act
16 Exercise of powers of Registrar-General
17 Delegation
19 Solicitor not to engage in private practice
21 Seal of office
22 Fees etc
23 Accounts of Registrar-General and payment of moneys
23A Payment of moneys received in trust
24 Registrar-General not to be liable for acts done bona fide
Part 4—The bringing of land under the Act
25 Land in two classes
26 Land on alienation from Crown to be under Act
27 Lands granted prior to the day on which this Act comes into operation may be brought into operation under this Act
28 Undivided shares and mortgaged land may not be brought under Act except upon conditions
29 Provisions as to surrender of documents etc
30 Statements to be verified by declaration
31 Application, how to be dealt with
32 Titles in three classes
33 Procedure under second class
34 Procedure under third class
35 Notice of application to be published
36 Second and third classes brought under this Act
37 How land to be brought under Act
38 Action to be taken on return of notices or failure of personal service
39 Caveat against bringing land under Act
40 If caveat be received within time limited, proceedings stayed
41 Applicant may withdraw his application
42 Documents of title, if they include other property, to be returned to applicant
43 Certificate to issue in name of deceased applicant proprietor or his nominee
44 Proceedings under caveat
45 Lapse of caveat
46 Reversion expectant on lease not to be extinguished
Part 5—Registration of title
Division 1—Registration of title in the Register Book
47 Registration of title in the Register Book
49 Folios in Register Book
51 Requirements of memorial
51A Evidentiary
Division 2—Registration of title by other methods
51B Registration of title electronically etc
51C Issuing certificates of title
51D Evidentiary
Division 2A—Boundaries of registered land
51E Coordinated cadastre
Division 3—General
52 Record of registration
53 Retention of records
54 Form of instruments and manner of lodgement
55 Non-compliant documents may be registered or recorded
56 Priority of instruments
56A Registration
57 Effect of registration or recording of instruments
59 Provision for registration in case of death of person
64 Power of court to direct cancellation of certificate or entry
65 Search allowed
66A Lodgement of land grant
Part 6—The title of registered proprietors
67 Instruments not effectual until registration
69 Title of registered proprietor indefeasible
70 In other cases title of registered proprietor shall prevail
71 Saving of certain rights and powers
72 Knowledge of trust not evidence of want of bona fides
Part 7—Certificates of title
74 Joint tenants and tenants in common
75 Certificates for remainder and reversions
76 Mode of inheritance or succession shall be implied
77 Memorials on certificates
78 Issue of new certificate on application
78A Issue of new certificate on alteration etc
Part 7A—Title by possession to land under this Act
80A Application for certificate based on possession
80B Application requirements
80C Application how dealt with
80D Requisitions
80E Notice of application
80F Caveats
80G Power to issue certificates
80H Cancellation of instruments
80I Fees
Part 8—Easements
81 Certificates may contain statement of right-of-way or other easement
82 Description of easement
83 Registered proprietor not to be subject to rights-of-way not mentioned in certificate
84 Easement not binding on registered proprietor subsequently acquiring land bona fide for value unless entered on certificate of title
85 Land to be held free of rights-of-way
86 Public rights-of-way etc not within this Act
87 Certificates heretofore issued conclusive evidence of right-of-way therein described
88 Entry as to easement to be made on certificates of title
89 Short form of describing right-of-way
89A Incorporation of long forms of easements in instruments
90 Deposit of plan showing rights-of-way
90A Application of sections 90B, 90C, 90D, 90E and 90F
90B Variation and extinguishment of easements
90C Easement and servient land may be vested in same person
90D Survey of easement
90E No private right-of-way over public street or road
90F Easement subject to existing mortgage etc
Part 9—Crown leases
90G Interpretation
91 Interpretation of Crown lease
92 Person now holding under lease or agreement may surrender
93 Execution and registration of Crown Lease
94 Forfeiture etc of Crown Lease
95 Indefeasibility of title under Crown lease
95A Evidentiary
95B Operation of Part in relation to Crown leases and other instruments subject to other Acts
Part 10—Transfers
96 Transfers
96AA Creation of easements by reservation
97 Transferee of land subject to mortgage or encumbrance to indemnify transferor
102 Memorial of order for sale of land for non-payment of rates
103 Registration of transfer hereunder
104 Discharge of memorial
105 Sale under writ of fieri facias or decree, warrant or order of court
106 Transfer not to be valid against purchaser until entry of writ
107 Transfer on sale under writ, warrant, decree or order
109 Satisfaction of writ, warrant, decree, or order
110 Lapse of writ, decree, warrant, or order
111 Transfer by registered proprietor to spouse etc
115A Issue of certificate where land is vested by operation of law
Part 11—Leases and surrenders
116 Leasing of land
117 Contents of lease
118 Leases not to bind non-consenting mortgagees or encumbrancees
119 Lease for 1 year need not be registered
119A Standard terms and conditions of lease
120 Lease may be surrendered by separate instrument
121 Registrar‑General may record surrender
122 Effect of entry of surrender
123 Surrender where lease subject to mortgage or under-lease
124 Covenants to be implied in every lease against the lessee
125 Powers to be implied in lessor
126 Registrar-General to note particulars of re-entry in Register Book
Part 12—Mortgages, encumbrances, and discharges
128 Mortgage of land
128A Obligations of mortgagee
128B Encumbrance of land
129 Contents of mortgage or encumbrance
129A Standard terms and conditions of mortgage or encumbrance
130 Covenant to be implied in every mortgage
130A Implied covenant in encumbrance
131 Subsequent mortgagees or encumbrancees, may redeem prior mortgages etc
132 Nature of mortgage and encumbrance, and procedure in case of default
133 Power of sale
134 Mortgagee's receipt to discharge purchaser
135 Appropriation of proceeds
135A Mode of payment of encumbrance
136 Transfer upon sale by mortgagee or encumbrancee
137 Power of mortgagee to enter, take possession, distrain, let, or bring action for recovery of land
138 Power of mortgagee to distrain on tenant or occupier for arrears not exceeding the amount of rent due
139 Duty of mortgagee of leasehold entering into possession of rent and profits to account
140 Application by mortgagee to Registrar-General for foreclosure
141 Procedure on foreclosure application
142 Effect of order for foreclosure
142A Provision for case where mortgagee or encumbrancee refuses to join in proceedings on default
143 Discharge of mortgages and encumbrances
144 Partial discharge of mortgage or encumbrance on grant of easement
145 Entry of satisfaction of annuity
146 Discharge of mortgage by Minister in certain cases
147 Cancellation of registration of mortgage by Registrar‑General
148A Entry in Register Book where rights of mortgagee barred by Statute
150 Transfer of mortgage, lease and encumbrance
151 Effect of such transfer
152 Covenants implied in transfer of lease
152A Obligation of transferee if mortgage transferred
Part 13—Extensions
153 Renewal or extension of mortgage etc
153A Requirements for renewal or extension of mortgage
153B Obligations of mortgagee
Part 13A—Priority notices
154A Person who intends to lodge instrument may lodge priority notice
154B Effect of priority notices
154C Registration of instruments identified in priority notice
154D Lodging party need not be informed that instrument cannot be registered or recorded
154E Withdrawal of priority notice
154F Cancellation of priority notice by Registrar-General
154G Cessation of priority notice
154H Registration of instruments after priority notice is no longer in force
154I Civil liability
Part 14—Powers of attorney
155 Power of attorney
156 Deposit of duplicate or attested copy
157 Revocation of power of attorney
158 Power of attorney heretofore given
159 Entry of death of grantor
160 Instruments executed before entry of revocation or death to be valid
160A Note of revocation or death may be made on electronic copy of power of attorney
Part 15—Trusts and transmissions
161 Trusts contained in grant from the Crown to be inserted in certificate as in original grant
162 No particulars of trust to be entered in Register Book but trust instrument may be deposited
163 Insertion of the words "with no survivorship" in instruments
164 Trustees may authorise insertion of "with no survivorship"
165 Effect of record
166 Court may direct notice to be published before order is made
167 Court may protect persons interested
168 Survivors may perform duties or transfer to new trustees
169 Disclaimers
170 Transmission by bankruptcy or statutory assignment
171 Transmission to be recorded in Register Book
172 Proceedings in case assignment declared void
173 Bankruptcy or assignment of lessee
174 Entry of surrender or foreclosure not to prejudice cause of action
175 Transmission of estate of deceased persons
176 Application to be made in such case
177 Particulars of application to be recorded
178 Effect of such entry
179 Where 2 or more executors or administrators, all must concur
180 Person registered in place of deceased, bankrupt, or assigning proprietor, to be proprietor of land for purpose of dealing
181 Proceedings when executor etc refuse to transfer
182 Court may order transfer to person entitled
183 Court may decide question of title etc
184 Order of Court vesting land
185 Action may be brought by person claiming beneficial interest in name of trustee
186 Purchases from registered proprietor not to be affected by notice
187 Except in case of fraud
188 Registration of survivor of joint proprietors, and of remainder-man entitled to estate in possession
Part 16—Caveats
191 Caveats
Part 17—Ejectment
192 Summons to give up possession
193 Summons to contain description of land
194 Orders on non-appearance to summons
195 Orders on appearance to summons
196 Dismissal of summons not to prejudice other rights
197 Effect of order for possession
198 Writ of habere facias unnecessary where no one is in possession, or the land is surrendered voluntarily
199 Existing rights preserved
Part 18—The Assurance Fund
201 The Assurance Fund
203 Party deprived of land may sue for compensation
204 Exoneration of proprietor after transfer for value, except in certain cases
205 Proceedings against the Registrar-General, as nominal defendant
207 Purchasers etc protected
208 Proceedings against the Registrar-General as nominal defendant
209 Value of buildings to be excluded
210 Persons claiming may, before taking proceedings, apply to the Registrar‑General for compensation
210A Value of land determined by market value
210B Registrar‑General may use Fund money
211 Assurance Fund not liable for breach of trust or improper exercise of power of sale
212 Nor for misdescription of boundaries or parcels except in certain cases
213 Procedure upon, and enforcement of claims against the Assurance Fund
214 Proceedings where same land is included in two or more grants from the Crown. Assurance Fund not liable in such case
215 Limitation of actions
216 Court to have regard to contributory negligence
217 Payments out of Assurance Fund to be deemed made on account of certain persons
218 Moneys paid out of the Assurance Fund may be recovered
219 Judgment may be entered by Registrar-General for amount paid on account of absent persons
Part 19—Special powers and duties of Registrar-General
220 Powers of Registrar-General
220A Registrar-General may require production or verification of documents or information
221 Reviews
223 Registrar-General may refer question of law
Part 19A—Rectification of certificates
223A Applications for amendment
223B Notices to be given
223C Power of Registrar-General to reject
223D Caveats
223E Grant of application
223F Alterations of certificate in bringing land under this Act
223G Amendment of title
223H Notice of amendment of title
223J Rectification by consent
223K Saving of other powers
223L Operation of corrections
Part 19AB—Division and amalgamation of allotments
Division 1—Preliminary
223LA Interpretation
223LB Unlawful division of land
223LC Application of this Part
Division 2—General procedures to be observed in relation to division of land
223LD Application for division
223LDA Application may deal with statutory encumbrances
223LE Deposit of plan of division in Lands Titles Registration Office
223LF Streets, roads etc
223LG Service easements
223LH Consent to plans of division
223LI Assessment of stamp duty
Division 3—Amalgamation
223LJ Amalgamation
Division 5—Miscellaneous provisions
223LP Regulations
Part 20—Procedure and penalties
226 Forms of summons by Registrar-General
227 On refusal or neglect of person summoned, Registrar-General may apply to Judge
228 Declarations
229 Offences
230 Perjury
232 Certifying incorrect documents
232A Offences relating to verification of identity
232B Offences relating to verification of authority
233 Other offences
234 Certificate etc procured by fraud to be void
240 Conviction not to affect civil remedy
Part 20A—Client authorisation
240A Client authorisation
240B Effect of client authorisation
240C Termination of client authorisation
240D Instruments to be executed by natural persons
240E Client authorisation may be given by Crown or statutory corporation
240F Legal practitioner and registered conveyancer must obtain authorisation
240G Retention of client authorisation
Part 21—Miscellaneous
241 Plans and maps
242 Diagrams of land in certificates of title
242A Cases where measurements not required
244 Provision for person under disability of infancy or mental incapacity
245 Court may appoint guardian
246 Unregistered instruments to confer claim to registration
247 Informal documents may be registered
248 Memorial to be entered
249 Equities not abolished
250 Lis pendens not to be registered
251 No title by adverse possession
252 Corporations and district councils to furnish Registrar-General with plans of new streets etc
253 Surveyor-General to furnish Registrar-General with particulars of orders confirming opening of new roads etc
254 Alteration of plans
255 Confused boundaries
258 Reference to Real Property Acts
259 General powers of Court not affected
260 Valuable consideration may be proved by prior instruments
261 General covenants to be implied in instruments
262 Implied powers and covenants may be modified or negatived
263 In action for breach, party may be proceeded against as if he had covenanted in express words
264 Implied covenants to be joint and several
265 Short forms of covenants in mortgages and leases
266 Short form for expressing exception of mines and minerals
267 Witnessing of instruments
268 Improper witnessing
270 Execution of instrument by corporation
273 Authority to register
273AA Proof of authority of unrepresented parties to enter into transaction
273A Verification of identity requirements
273B Verification of authority guidelines
274 Solicitors and conveyancers to be generally entitled to recover fees for work done under this Act
275 Forms in Schedules
276 Service of notices
276A Evidence of instruments lodged electronically
277 Regulations
Schedule 1—Transitional provisions
Schedule 2—Application to bring land under the provisions of the Real Property Act 1886
Schedule 3—Caveat forbidding lands to be brought under the Real Property Act 1886
Schedule 5—A free and unrestricted right‑of‑way
Schedule 6—Short forms of easements and their interpretation
Schedule 16—Short forms of covenants and their interpretation
Schedule 17—Short form of exception of mines and minerals and its interpretation
Schedule 22—Summons by Registrar-General
Legislative history
The Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:
Part 1—Preliminary
1—Short title
This Act may be cited for all purposes as the Real Property Act 1886.
3—Interpretation
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—
allotment includes—
(a) a community lot, a development lot and common property created by division under the Community Titles Act 1996; and
(b) a unit and common property created by division under the Strata Titles Act 1988;
appropriate form means a form, which may be an electronic form, approved by the Registrar-General;
the Assurance Fund means the Real Property Act Assurance Fund constituted under this Act;
caveatee means any person against whose application for any purpose a caveat has been lodged, and shall include the registered proprietor of any land in respect of which a caveat has been lodged;
caveator means any person lodging a caveat;
certificate means a certificate of title issued under any of the Real Property Acts, or any grant from the Crown issued after the passing of the Real Property Act No. 15 of 1857 and before the commencement of the Real Property (Witnessing and Land Grants) Amendment Act 1995, and includes all plans and entries on the certificate of title;
client authorisation—see section 240A;
Court means—
(a) the Supreme Court; and
(b) in sections 52, 64, 71, 80, 87, 105, 108, 110, 142A, 154I, 165, 166 and 167 of this Act includes any other court or tribunal constituted under the law of this State or the Commonwealth; and
(c) in section 191 and Part 17 includes the District Court;
document includes a document in electronic form;
document of title means a document evidencing or relating to the title of land not under the provisions of any of the Real Property Acts;
dominant land means any land having a right-of-way or other easement appurtenant thereto or annexed to the ownership thereof;
easement includes a profit à prendre;
encumbrancee means the registered proprietor of an encumbrance;
encumbrancer means the registered proprietor of land subject to an encumbrance;
execution includes execution by a legal practitioner or registered conveyancer under a client authorisation;
instrument means any document capable of registration in the Lands Titles Registration Office, or in respect of which a record is under an Act directed, required or permitted to be made in the Register Book, and includes a document that may be registered or recorded in the Register of Crown Leases under section 93;
instrument of title means an instrument evidencing or relating to the title to land under the provisions of any of the Real Property Acts;
land includes all tenements and hereditaments corporeal and incorporeal of every kind and description, and every estate and interest in land;
law practice has the same meaning as in the Legal Practitioners Act 1981;
legal practitioner has the same meaning as in the Legal Practitioners Act 1981;
lessee means the registered proprietor of a lease;
lessor means the registered proprietor of land subject to a lease;
mentally incapacitated person has the same meaning as in the Guardianship and Administration Act 1993;
mortgagee means the registered proprietor of a mortgage;
mortgagor means the registered proprietor of land subject to a mortgage;
participation rules means the participation rules determined by the Registrar‑General under section 23 of the Electronic Conveyancing National Law (South Australia);
proprietor means any person seized or possessed of, or entitled to land;
registered conveyancer means a person registered as a conveyancer under the Conveyancers Act 1994;
registered proprietor means a person appearing by the Register Book to be the proprietor of an estate or interest in land registered under any of the Real Property Acts;
servient land means land subject to any easement;
sign a document or instrument—see subsection (3);
statutory assignment means any deed assigning a debtor's estate for the benefit of his or her creditors, executed under an Act;
the Real Property Acts means the Real Property Act (No. 15 of 1857), The Real Property Law Amendment Act (No. 16 of 1858), the Real Property Act of 1860 (No. 11 of 1860), the Real Property Act of 1861 (No. 22 of 1861), the Real Property Act Amendment Act of 1878 (No. 128 of 1878), the Rights-of-Way Act 1881 (No. 223 of 1881), and this Act;
transmission means the passing of title to land in any manner other than by transfer;
Tribunal means the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal established under the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013;
verification of authority guidelines—see section 273B;
verification of identity requirements—see section 273A.
(2) The description of any person as proprietor, transferor, transferee, mortgagor, mortgagee, caveator, caveatee, encumbrancer, encumbrancee, lessor, lessee, or trustee, or as seized of, having, or taking any estate or interest in land shall be deemed to extend to and include the heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns of such person.
(3) If a provision of this Act requires that an instrument or document be signed by a person, the instrument or document must be—
(a) signed by the person personally; or
(b) signed personally on behalf of the person by another person under a power of attorney.
4—Repeal
The following Acts or parts of Acts are hereby repealed:
Number|Title|Extent of Repeal|
22 of 1861|Real Property Act of 1861.|The whole.|
128 of 1878|Real Property Act Amendment Act of 1878.|The whole.|
223 of 1881|Rights-of-Way Act 1881.|The whole.|
225 of 1881|Act to amend The Probate and Succession Duty Act 1876.|The following words at the end of section 3, subsections 2 and 3: "The estate being exempt under clause 2 of this Act."|
5—Savings
Such repeal shall not affect any appointment, regulation, instrument, fund, act, matter, or thing lawfully made, done, executed, or in existence under the authority of the said Acts or any or either of them; nor prevent prosecution or punishment for any offence committed or act done in violation of the provisions of the said Acts or any or either of them; or interfere with the recovery of any penalty or of any forfeiture incurred under the said Acts or any or either of them; or with the enforcement, vindication, or recovery, of any estate, right, title, trust, covenant, contract, or interest preserved, acquired, accruing, existing or entered into under the provisions of the said Acts or any or either of them; nor shall such repeal affect or in any way interfere with any act or thing, prosecution or punishment, enforcement, vindication, or recovery saved or protection given by the said repealed Acts; and all applications, actions, suits, proceedings, instruments, registrations, and other acts, matters, and things made, commenced, pending, signed, entered, or done under the said repealed Acts or any or either of them before the passing of this Act, may be proceeded with, prosecuted, completed, and acted on in the same manner and shall be as valid and effectual as if this Act had not been passed.
6—Laws inconsistent not to apply
No law, so far as inconsistent with this Act, shall apply to land subject to the provisions of this Act, nor shall any future law, so far as inconsistent with this Act, so apply unless it shall be expressly enacted that it shall so apply "notwithstanding the provisions of the Real Property Act 1886".
6A—Effect of section 6
Section 6 has effect as if Schedule 1 Part 4 of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 2013 had never come into operation.
7—Lands under previous Acts to be under this Act
All lands subject to the provisions of any of the Real Property Acts shall, on and from the day upon which this Act shall come into operation, and all land hereafter brought under the provisions of any of the Real Property Acts, pursuant to any application commenced at the time of this Act coming into operation, shall, from the time of the issuing of the certificate for such land, be held subject to the provisions of this Act.
8—Land not to be withdrawn
No land once subject to the provisions of this Act shall ever be withdrawn therefrom.
Part 2—Objects of this Act
10—Objects
The objects of this Act are to simplify the title to land and to facilitate dealing therewith, and to secure indefeasibility of title to all registered proprietors, except in certain cases specified in this Act.
11—Construction
This Act shall always be construed in such manner as shall best give effect to the objects hereinbefore declared.
Part 3—The Lands Titles Registration Office
12—Lands Titles Registration Office to be at Adelaide
The Lands Titles Registration Office shall be continued at Adelaide for the purposes of this Act.
13—Administration of Act
(1) There is to be a Registrar-General.
(2) The Registrar-General is responsible for the administration of this Act.
(3) There are to be such deputies of the Registrar-General as may be necessary or expedient for the administration of this Act.
(4) There are to be such other persons engaged in the administration of this Act as the Registrar‑General thinks fit.
(5) The Registrar‑General and the deputies of the Registrar‑General are to be Public Service employees.
16—Exercise of powers of Registrar-General
Any power or function conferred on, or assigned to, the Registrar-General by this or any other Act may be exercised or carried out—
(a) by any Deputy Registrar-General; or
(b) by any person to whom that power or function has been delegated by the Registrar-General.
17—Delegation
(1) The Registrar‑General may delegate to a person (including a person for the time being performing particular duties or holding or acting in a particular position) a function or power under this or any other Act (except a prescribed function or power).
(2) A delegation—
(a) must be by instrument in writing; and
(b) may be absolute or conditional; and
(c) does not derogate from the power of the delegator to act in a matter; and
(d) is revocable at will.
(3) A delegated function or power may, if the instrument of delegation so provides, be further delegated in accordance with that instrument.
(4) For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this section affects—
(a) indefeasibility of title of registered proprietors as set out in section 69; or
(b) the exclusive power of the Governor to prescribe fees or charges payable for or in respect of matters under this Act as set out in section 277; or
(c) the operation of the scheme for compensation set out in Part 18.
19—Solicitor not to engage in private practice
It shall not be lawful for any person whilst holding the office of solicitor under this Act to engage in private practice as a barrister, attorney, solicitor or registered conveyancer, but this prohibition shall not apply to any acting solicitor.
21—Seal of office
The Registrar-General shall have and use a seal of office bearing the impression of the Royal Arms of England and the words "Registrar-General South Australia"; and every instrument bearing such seal, and purporting to be issued by the Registrar-General, or by a Deputy Registrar-General or a delegate referred to in section 17, shall be received in evidence, and shall be deemed to be issued by or under the direction of the Registrar-General without further proof, unless the contrary be shown.
22—Fees etc
(1) The Registrar-General may demand and receive such fees, in respect of the several matters provided for in this Act, as are prescribed.
(2) Until regulations under this Act are made prescribing fees in respect of the matters referred to in subsection (1) of this section the Registrar-General may demand and receive such fees as were payable in respect of those matters immediately before the commencement of the Real Property Act Amendment Act 1972.
23—Accounts of Registrar-General and payment of moneys
(1) The Registrar-General shall keep a correct account of all sums of money received by him in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and shall pay the same to the Treasurer.
(2) All fines and fees received under the provisions of this Act shall (subject to the provisions of Part 18 of this Act) be carried into account by the Treasurer as General Revenue.
23A—Payment of moneys received in trust
(1) Where the Minister has received moneys in trust or otherwise on account of a mortgagee or other person, and the Minister is satisfied that the moneys may be properly paid to any person the Minister may upon the application of that person and upon provision by that person of such an indemnity or indemnities, if any, as the Minister thinks fit, make payment of the moneys to that person.
(1a) Before making payment to any person under subsection (1) of this section the Minister may require the production of such evidence as he thinks fit to the effect that—
(a) succession duties that may be payable out of, or in respect of, the moneys have been paid; and
(b) any other claim to which the moneys may be liable has been satisfied.
(2) Any payment made by the Treasurer before the commencement of the Real Property Act Amendment Act 1975 of moneys of a kind referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall be for all purposes as lawful, valid and effectual as it would have been if—
(a) that subsection was enacted and in force at the time at which that payment was made; and
(b) the payment of those moneys complied in all respects with the provisions of that subsection.
24—Registrar-General not to be liable for acts done bona fide
The Registrar-General shall not individually, nor shall any person acting under his authority, be liable to any action, or proceeding for or in respect of any act or matter bona fide done, or omitted to be done, in the exercise or supposed exercise of the powers of this Act.
Part 4—The bringing of land under the Act
25—Land in two classes
For the purpose of bringing land under the provisions of this Act, it shall be regarded as divided into two classes, as follows:
(a) land hereafter alienated in fee from the Crown;
(b) land heretofore alienated in fee from the Crown.
26—Land on alienation from Crown to be under Act
As to land hereafter alienated in fee from the Crown, the same shall, immediately on alienation, be subject to the provisions of this Act.
27—Lands granted prior to the day on which this Act comes into operation may be brought into operation under this Act
As to land heretofore alienated from the Crown in fee but not under the provisions of any of the Real Property Acts (whether such land shall constitute the entire or only part of the land included in any land grant), the same may be brought under the provisions of this Act in the following manner, that is to say—The Registrar-General shall receive applications in the form of Schedule 2 hereto, or in a form to the like effect, if made by any of the following persons, that is to say—
(a) by any person claiming to be the person in whom the fee simple is vested either at law or in equity: Provided that wherever trustees, seized in fee simple, have no power to sell the land which they may seek to bring under the provisions of this Act, the persons claiming or appearing to be beneficially entitled to the said land shall consent to such application;
(b) by any person having power to appoint or dispose of the fee simple, at law or in equity, in cases where the Registrar-General shall be satisfied that the application is made for the purpose of carrying such power into effect;
(c) by any person claiming a life estate, not being a leasehold for a life or lives: Provided that all persons claiming or appearing to be beneficially entitled in reversion or remainder shall join in or consent to such application;
(d) the father, or if the father be dead, the mother or other guardian of any infant, or the administrator or committee of the estate of a mentally incapacitated person or the guardian of such a person, may make or consent to an application in the name or on behalf of the infant or mentally incapacitated person; and any perso
