Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Department of Land Settlement
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1961-1980
History
In 1897 the Waste Lands Ordinance was passed and Waste Lands Department was established. In 1903 the Waste Lands Department was converted into the Land Settlement Department and a new system was introdused to deal with land claims
The new department was kept under a Settlement Officer who was assisted by one Assistant Settlement Officer. Both of them were special Officers under the Waste Lands Ordinance. The Settlement Officer and his assistant had circuit staff.
The Central office was situated at Hill House, Mutual, Colombo and it deal with the general administration of the department. This office was moved to Edinburgh Crescent in Cinnamon Gardens in August, 1918 and was transferred to the Secretariat Building, Galle Face in November 1931.
With the establishment of the State Council in June 1931, this department was placed under the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.
The Land Settlement Ordinance, No.20 of 1931, was brought into force on October 23, 1931. The most notable improvement in tile new ordinance was the simplified form of final order. In the past, final orders were long and complicated and their preparation and checking involved and enormous expenditure of time and labour
This was amended by the Ordinance, No.22 of 1932 which carne into force on September 21, 1932. Some of the amendments were embodied in it was the machinery needed for accelerating the publication of settlement orders, provisions for the curtailment of publications cost of settlement notices, Settlement Officers were empowered to continue and to complete proceeding which were pending on the date of the repeal of the Waste Lands Ordinance.
During the second world war this office was moved to Kcgallc and from there to Kollupitiya and finally to premises in the secretariat in March 1946.
The Land Settlement Department is the custodian of all unsettled lands in Ceylon, according to section 7 of the Crown Lands (Encroachrncnt) Ordinance all forest, Waste, Chcna, unoccupied and uncultivated lands were presumed to be the property of the crown until the ownership is proved.
The Land Settlement Department investigates such claims, which are based on Sannas, ancestral village title, tax receipts and deeds. The claims arc scrutinized by officers specially trained for such work without putting the claimant to the expenses of securing legal aid. When such claims arc established, sound title is given to tile claimants in place of vague scattered and indefinite interests. The remaining lands arc finally declared to be the property of the crown and preserved for future generalisation, such lands can be protected against encroachment and unauthorised exploitation by invoking the special provisions relating to settled land in the following ordinances. (a) Land Development Ordinance (I)) Forest Ordinance (c) Crown Land Ordinance (d) Crown Landmarks Ordinance.
The new department was kept under a Settlement Officer who was assisted by one Assistant Settlement Officer. Both of them were special Officers under the Waste Lands Ordinance. The Settlement Officer and his assistant had circuit staff.
The Central office was situated at Hill House, Mutual, Colombo and it deal with the general administration of the department. This office was moved to Edinburgh Crescent in Cinnamon Gardens in August, 1918 and was transferred to the Secretariat Building, Galle Face in November 1931.
With the establishment of the State Council in June 1931, this department was placed under the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.
The Land Settlement Ordinance, No.20 of 1931, was brought into force on October 23, 1931. The most notable improvement in tile new ordinance was the simplified form of final order. In the past, final orders were long and complicated and their preparation and checking involved and enormous expenditure of time and labour
This was amended by the Ordinance, No.22 of 1932 which carne into force on September 21, 1932. Some of the amendments were embodied in it was the machinery needed for accelerating the publication of settlement orders, provisions for the curtailment of publications cost of settlement notices, Settlement Officers were empowered to continue and to complete proceeding which were pending on the date of the repeal of the Waste Lands Ordinance.
During the second world war this office was moved to Kcgallc and from there to Kollupitiya and finally to premises in the secretariat in March 1946.
The Land Settlement Department is the custodian of all unsettled lands in Ceylon, according to section 7 of the Crown Lands (Encroachrncnt) Ordinance all forest, Waste, Chcna, unoccupied and uncultivated lands were presumed to be the property of the crown until the ownership is proved.
The Land Settlement Department investigates such claims, which are based on Sannas, ancestral village title, tax receipts and deeds. The claims arc scrutinized by officers specially trained for such work without putting the claimant to the expenses of securing legal aid. When such claims arc established, sound title is given to tile claimants in place of vague scattered and indefinite interests. The remaining lands arc finally declared to be the property of the crown and preserved for future generalisation, such lands can be protected against encroachment and unauthorised exploitation by invoking the special provisions relating to settled land in the following ordinances. (a) Land Development Ordinance (I)) Forest Ordinance (c) Crown Land Ordinance (d) Crown Landmarks Ordinance.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Control area
Description identifier
LK-NA/DLS
Institution identifier
LK-NA
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAAR
Status
Final
Level of detail
Minimal
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin