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Companies Ordinance Cap 32

Section Num: 21     Version Date 01/07/2000

Power to dispense with certain words in name of charitable and other companies

(1) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Registrar that an association about to be formed as a limited company is to be formed for promoting commerce, art, science, religion, charity or any other useful object, and intends to apply its profits, if any, or other income in promoting its objects, and to prohibit the payment of any dividend to its members, the Registrar may by licence direct that the association may be registered as a company with limited liability, without the addition of-

(a) if the name of the association is in English, the word "Limited" to its name;

(b) if the name of the association is in Chinese, the expression in Chinese "有限公司" to its name; and

(c) if the name of the association is both in English and Chinese, such word and expression to its name in English and Chinese respectively, and the association may be registered accordingly and shall, on registration, enjoy all the privileges and (subject to the provisions of this section) be subject to all the obligations of limited companies.

(Replaced 3 of 1997 s. 9)

(2) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Registrar-

(a) that the objects of a company registered under this Ordinance as a limited company are restricted to those specified in subsection (1) and to objects incidental or conducive thereto; and

(b) that by its constitution the company is required to apply its profits, if any, or other income in promoting its objects and is prohibited from paying any dividend to its members, the Registrar may by licence authorize the company to make by special resolution a change in its name including or consisting of the omission of the word "Limited" or the expression in Chinese "有限公司" or both such word and expression, as the case may be, and subsections (4) and (5) of section 22 shall apply to a change of name under this subsection as they apply to a change of name under that section.  (Amended 3 of 1997 s. 9)

(3) A licence by the Registrar under this section may be granted on such conditions and subject to such regulations as the Registrar thinks fit, and those conditions and regulations shall be binding on the body to which the licence is granted, and (where the grant is under subsection

(1)) shall, if the Registrar so directs, be inserted in the memorandum and articles, or in one of those documents.

(4) A body to which a licence is granted under this section shall be exempted from the provisions of this Ordinance relating to the use of the word "Limited" or the expression in Chinese "有限公司" or both such word and expression, as the case may be, as any part of its name, the publishing of its name and the sending of lists of members to the Registrar.  (Amended 3 of 1997 s. 9)

(5) A licence under this section may at any time be revoked by the Registrar, and upon revocation the Registrar shall, where the name upon the register of the body to which it was granted is-

(a) in English, enter the word "Limited" at the end of that name;

(b) in Chinese, enter the expression in Chinese "有限公司" at the end of that name; or

(c) both in English and Chinese, enter such word and expression at the end of its name in English and Chinese respectively, and the body shall cease to enjoy the exemptions and privileges or, as the case may be, the exemptions granted by this section:

Provided that before a licence is so revoked, the Registrar shall give to the body notice in writing of his intention, and shall afford it an opportunity of being heard in opposition to the revocation.  (Amended 3 of 1997 s. 9)

(6) A body in respect of which a licence under this section is in force shall not have power to alter its memorandum or articles unless-

(a) (Repealed 46 of 2000 s. 3)

(b) the proposed alteration is approved in writing by the Registrar.

(7) Where a body in respect of which a licence under this section is in force alters its memorandum or articles, the Registrar may (unless he sees fit to revoke the licence) vary the licence by making it subject to such conditions and regulations as the Registrar thinks fit, in lieu of or in addition to the conditions and regulations, if any, to which the licence was formerly subject.

(8) Where a licence granted under this section to a body the name of which contains the words "Chamber of Commerce" or the expression in Chinese "總商會" is revoked, the body shall within a period of 6 weeks from the date of revocation or such longer period as the Registrar may think fit to allow, change its name to a name which does not contain those words, and -  (Amended 3 of 1997 s. 9)

(a) the notice to be given under the proviso to subsection (5) to that body shall include a statement to the effect of the foregoing provisions of this subsection; and

(b) subsections (4) and (5) of section 22 shall apply to a change of name under this subsection as they apply to a change of name under that section.

(9) If a body referred to in subsection (8) makes default in complying with the requirements of that subsection, it shall be liable to a fine and, for continued default, to a daily default fine.  (Amended 7 of 1990 s. 2)

(10) Without prejudice to section 23 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap 1), this section shall apply in relation to any body in respect of which a licence (being a licence granted under this Ordinance in respect of the registration of that body as a company with limited liability without the addition of the word "Limited" to its name) is in force at the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 1978 (51 of 1978) as if such licence had been granted under this section after the commencement of that Ordinance.

(Replaced 51 of 1978 s. 2)

[cf. 1948 c. 38 s. 19 U.K.]

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