Saving for Solicitors & Bankers Notice to Registrar Power to Appoint Inspector Production of Documents Entry and Search of Premises Provision for Security of Information Penalties for Documents Destruction Penalties for False Information Saving for Solicitors and Bankers Order for Inspection Ancillary Orders Disclosure or Use of Information Legal Professional Privilege Protection of Personal Data Directors of non-Private Companies Directors of Private Companies Liability for Acts of Alternates Written Record of Decision Secretary Restriction on Body Corporate Acting in Dual Capacity Qualification of Director Disposal of Company's Fixed Assets Notices of Resolutions Directors' Duty to Shareholders Provisions as to Bankrupts Validity of Acts of Directors Appointment of Directors Removal of Directors Minimum Age Limit for Directors Resignation of Director or Secretary Prohibition of Loans, etc. Excepted Transactions Consequences of Contravening 157H Criminal Penalties Register of Directors Keeping Register of Directors Duty to Make Disclosure Keeping an Index of Directors Directors with Unlimited Liability Limited Company: Special Resolution Particulars in Accounts Statements Annexed to Accounts Particulars in Accounts of Loans Further Provisions Relating to Loans General Duty to Make Disclosure Disclosure of Material Interests Management Contracts Contracts with Sole Member Payment for Loss of Office Approval of Company Requisite Director's Duty to Disclose Payment Payment of Damages in Certain Cases Supplementary Provisions Provisions as to Assignment of Office Provisions as to Liability of Officers Power to Compromise with Creditors Information as to Compromises Provisions for Reconstruction Successful Take-over Offer Alternative Remedy to Winding up Buy out by Share Repurchase Definition Application Members May Bring or Intervene Service of Written Notice Power to Strike out Proceedings Effect of Approval or Ratification General Powers of Court Protection of Personal Data Power of Court to Make Orders Discontinuance or Settlement Rules of Court Interpretation Disqualification Orders: General Conviction of Indictable Offence Persistent Breaches of Ordinance Disqualification for Fraud, etc. Disqualification of Unfit Directors Applications Under Section 168H Power to Order Public Examination Disqualification After Investigation Matters for Determining Unfitness Fraudulent Trading Criminal Penalties II Offences by Body Corporate Personal Liability for Company's Debts Application for Disqualification Order Application for Leave Under an Order Register of Disqualification Orders Regulations Transitional Modes of Winding up Liability as Contributories of Members Definition of Contributory Nature of Liability of Contributory Contributories in Case of Death Contributories in Case of Bankruptcy Jurisdiction to Wind up Companies Circumstances for Winding up Definition of Inability to Pay Debts Applications for Winding up Appearance of Official Receiver Powers of Court on Hearing Petition Hearing of Unopposed Petition Power to Stay or Restrain Avoidance of Dispositions of Property Avoidance of Attachments, &c. Commencement of Winding up Copy of Order to be Delivered Actions Stayed on Winding-up Order Effect of Winding-up Order Statement of Company's Affairs Report by Official Receiver Power to Appoint Liquidators Appointment of Provisional Liquidator Appointment, Style of Liquidators Person Other than Official Receiver General Provisions as to Liquidators Custody of Company's Property Vesting of Property of Company Powers of Liquidator Exercise of Liquidator's Powers Books to be Kept by Liquidator Payments of Liquidator into Bank Audit of Liquidator's Accounts Control of Official Receiver Release of Liquidators Meetings of Creditors&Contributories Constitution and Proceedings Powers of Court: No Committee Power to Stay Winding up Creditors' Voluntary Winding up Order under Section 209A Transitional II Settlement of List of Contributories Delivery of Property to Liquidator Debts Due by Contributory Power of Court to Make Calls Moneys Due to Company Contributory Conclusive Evidence Appointment of Special Manager Exclusion of Creditors not Proving Adjustment of Contributories Rights Inspection of Books by Creditors Power to Order Costs of Winding up Power to Summon Persons Power to Order Public Examination Jurisdiction of Registrar Power to Arrest Contributory Powers of Court Cumulative Delegation of Powers to Liquidator Dissolution of Company Otherwise Dissolution of Company: Court Order Court May Make a Regulating Order Appointment of Liquidator Compromises and Arrangements Proof of Debts Application of Ordinance Voluntary Winding up Voluntary Winding up Procedure Notice of Resolution to Wind up Commencement of Winding up Effect of Voluntary Winding up Avoidance of Transfers, &c. Certificate of Solvency Provisions Applicable to Winding up Power of Company to Appoint Power to Remove Liquidator Power to Fill Vacancy in Office Liquidator's Power to Accept Shares Duty of Liquidator to Call Creditors' Duty of Liquidator to Call Meeting Final Meeting and Dissolution Annual and Final Meetings Provisions Applicable to Creditors' Meeting of Creditors Appointment of Liquidator Appointment of Committee Fixing of Liquidators' Remuneration Power to Fill Vacancy in Office Application of Section 237 Duty of Liquidator to Call Meetings Final Meeting and Dissolution Provisions Applicable to Every Distribution of Property of Company Powers and Duties of Liquidator Appointing and Removing Liquidator Notice by Liquidator Binding on Creditors Power to Apply to Court Audit of Liquidator's Accounts Costs of Voluntary Winding up Saving for Rights of Creditors Debts of All Descriptions Application of Bankruptcy Rules Interest on Debts Extortionate Credit Transactions Preferential Payments Fraudulent Preference Fraudulently Preferred Persons Fraudulent Preference deemed to Effect of Floating Charge Disclaimer of Onerous Property Restriction of Rights of Creditor Duties of Bailiff as to Goods
Chapter: 32  COMPANIES ORDINANCE

Section Num: 152A Version Date 30/06/1997

Power of Financial Secretary to require production of documents

Inspection of Companies' Books and Papers

(1)     Where-

(a)     an application is made to the Financial Secretary under section 142 to appoint an inspector to investigate the affairs of a company;

(b)     in the case of any company, or in the case of any body corporate incorporated outside Hong Kong which is carrying on business in Hong Kong or has at any time carried on business therein, it appears to the Financial Secretary that there is good reason to do so, the Financial Secretary may give directions to the company or body corporate, as the case may be, requiring it, at such time and place as may be specified in the directions, to produce such books or papers as may be so specified, or may at any time, if the Financial Secretary thinks there is good reason so to do, authorize any person, on producing (if required to do so) evidence of his authority, to require any such company or body corporate as aforesaid to produce to him forthwith any books or papers which the authorized person may specify.  (Amended 72 of 1994 s. 6)

(2)     Where by virtue of subsection (1) the Financial Secretary or any authorized person has power to require the production of any books or papers from any company or body corporate, the Financial Secretary or authorized person shall have the like power to require production of those books or papers from any person who appears to the Financial Secretary or such authorized person to be in possession of them; but where any such person claims a lien on books or papers produced by him, the production shall be without prejudice to the lien.  (Amended 72 of 1994 s. 6)

(3)     Any power conferred by or by virtue of this section to require a company or body corporate or other person to produce books or papers shall include power-

(a)     if the books or papers are produced-

(i)     to take copies of them or extracts from them; and

(ii)    to require that person, or any other person who is a present or past officer of, or is or was at any time employed by, the company or body corporate in question, to provide an explanation of any of them;

(b)     if the books or papers are not produced, to require the person who was required to produce them to state, to the best of his knowledge and belief, where they are.

(4)     If a requirement to produce books or papers or provide an explanation or make a statement which is imposed by virtue of this section is not complied with, the company or body corporate or other person on whom the requirement was so imposed shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine and, in the case of an individual, to imprisonment; but where a person is charged with an offence under this subsection in respect of a requirement to produce any books or papers, it shall be a defence to prove that they were not in his possession or under his control and that it was not reasonably practicable for him to comply with the requirement.  (Amended 7 of 1990 s. 2)

(5)     A person is not excused from providing an explanation or making a statement under this section on the ground that providing the explanation or making the statement might tend to incriminate him but, where the person claims, before providing the explanation or making the statement that the explanation or statement might tend to incriminate him, neither the requirement to provide the explanation or make the statement nor the explanation or statement is admissible in evidence against him in criminal proceedings other than proceedings for an offence under section 36 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap 200) in respect of the explanation or statement.  (Replaced 72 of 1994 s. 6)

(6)     If a claim of tendency to incriminate is not made in advance under subsection (5), an explanation provided or statement made by a person to an authorized person in exercise of powers conferred by this section may be used in evidence against him.  (Added 72 of 1994 s. 6)

(Added 6 of 1984 s. 107)

[cf. 1967 c. 81 s. 109 U.K.]

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