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Religious Bodies Registration Act

LAWS OF FIJI

CHAPTER 68

RELIGIOUS BODIES REGISTRATION

Ordinance No. 13 of 1881

AN ACT TO REGULATE THE REGISTRATION OF RELIGIOUS BODIES
AND THEIR REPRESENTATION BY TRUSTEES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
SUITS AND FOR THE HOLDING OF LAND

[1st July, 1881]

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Religious Bodies Registration Act.

Suits to be brought by or against trustees

2. All suits and proceedings at law instituted or brought by or against any religious body shall be instituted or brought by or against the persons registered as hereinafter provided as trustees for the time being of such religious body and any such suit or proceeding shall be carried to its final termination notwithstanding any alteration in the registered trustees of such religious body while such suit or proceeding is pending.

Memorial of names of trustees to be registered

3. A memorial of the names of the trustees of any such religious body to be registered under this Act shall be recorded in the office of the Registrar of Titles in the form contained in the Schedule. Such memorial shall be signed by the principal or head of such religious body in Fiji and at least two of the ministers or priests thereof resident in Fiji or, in case there shall be less than such number of ministers or priests of any such religious body in Fiji, by the principal officer or head and at least two members of such religious body, and the names of the persons for the time being registered in either of the above cases shall be taken for all purposes as the names of the trustees of such religious body.

On death, resignation, etc., of any trustee new memorial to be effected

4. In the event of the death, resignation or removal from his trust of any trustee of a religious body, the requisite alteration in the names of the trustees of such body shall be effected by a new memorial to be signed and registered under the conditions imposed by the provisions of section 3. Until the registration of such new memorial the trustees already registered shall be treated for all purposes as existing trustees, and no trust under this Act shall in any case devolve upon the heirs or personal representatives of any trustee.

Certificates of title may be issued to trustees for grant of land issued prior to Act

5. All grants of land heretofore issued to any persons on behalf of any religious body shall be held by such persons in trust for the said religious body, and on the registration of trustees as provided in this Act, certificates of title may be issued to such trustees in lieu of any grant or certificate of title issued before the commencement of this Act, subject however to any existing leases or encumbrances affecting the land comprised in any such grant or certificate of title.

Grants hereafter to be issued to the registered trustees

6. All grants which may hereafter be issued in respect of claims to land submitted for the consideration of the Minister shall be issued to the trustees registered under this Act as trustees of the religious body to which such land shall be granted.

Trustees in dealing with land under Land Transfer Act to be deemed proprietors, etc.

7. The registered trustees of any religious body under this Act shall for all purposes of dealing with any land under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act be treated as the proprietors, lessors or otherwise according to their interest in the land intended to be dealt with:

Provided always that their interest in such land shall in no case devolve on their personal representatives.
(Cap. 131.)

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SCHEDULE
(Section 3)

Memorial of the names of trustees for Fiji of the {here name religious body} pursuant to the Religious Bodies Registration Act.

Names of Trustees

A.B. President (or Chairman or, as the case may be).

C.D.

E.F.

G.H.

Signed in the presence of

Registration fee. (Name of witness or witnesses)

Controlled by Ministry of the Attorney-General

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