Land Titles Commission Act 1962.

This Act establishes the land Titles Commission as an independent judicial tribunal for the resolution of disputes of rights in land, including an interest in land, whether arising out of and regulated by custom or otherwise, provides for judicial procedures and the extra-judicial settlement of disputes and some other matters. The Land Titles Commission for Papua New Guinea is established under section 3. The Chief Commissioner is responsible for the administration of the Commission and the co-ordination of the work of the Commissioners. The Commission has, subject to this Act, exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all disputes concerning and claims to the ownership by custom of, or the right by custom to use, any land, water or reef, including a dispute as to whether any land is or is not customary land and may make all such preliminary inquiries and investigations as it deems necessary for the purpose of hearing and determining the disputes and claims (sect. 15). However, a local court may make an Order granting certain rights to a party in a dispute in accordance with section 15A. The Chief Commissioner may, by notice in the National Gazette, declare an area to be an adjudication area for the purposes of this Act (sect. 17) and may appoint a Demarcation Committee for an adjudication area (sect. 20). The Committee shall demarcate (customary) land in the area and carry out other functions listed in section 21. Section 25 and following concerns procedures of adjudication. At any stage of a hearing, the Commission may mediate between the parties in order to effect a settlement of any matter in dispute. Disputes on whether land is customary land or not may and other specified cases may be referred to the National Court. Section 38B concerns the amicable settlement of the dispute.