694
A BILL
Short title.
Interpreta- tion.
Appoint- ment of Registrars.
Registration of Societies.
Annual
registers to be published.
UNTITLED,
An Ordinance to provide for a more effectual
control over Societies and Clubs.
BE it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Societies Or- dinance, 1911".
2. In this Ordinance,-
the word "Society" includes any club, company, partnership or association of ten or more persons, whatever be its nature or object, but does not include (4.) any company registered under the Companies Ordinance. 1865, or any Ordinance amending or substituted for the same;
(b.) any company or association constituted under Royal Charter, Royal Letters Patent, Act, or Ordinance;
(c.) any Lodge of Freemasons regularly constituted under any of the registered governing bodies of Freemasons in the United Kingdom;
(d.) any company, association or partnership, con- sisting of not more than twenty persons, formed for the sole purpose of carrying on any lawful business;
the words "Registered Society" mean any Society for the time being registered under this Ordinance ;
the words “Exempted Society mean auy Society for the time being exempted from registration by an order of exemption made under this Ordinance ;
the word "Registrar" means the Registrar of Societies, and includes any Assistant Registrar;
the word “prescribed" means prescribed by rule made by the Governor-in-Conneil under this Ördin-
anee.
3. The Registrar General shall be the Registrar of Societies and the Assistant Registrars General shall be Assistant Registrars of Societics.
4.-(1.) The Governor-in-Council may order that any Society he exempted from registration under this Ordinance and the Societies named in the Schedule shall be deemed to have been so exempted unless or until the Governor- in-Council shall otherwise order.
(2.) The Governor-in-Council may order that any Ex- empted Society be permitted to be registered under this Ordinance and thereupon such Society shall cease to be an Exempted Society.
(3.) The Governor-in-Council, upon application for registration or exemption by any Society, may order that such Society be permitted on payment of the prescribed fee to be registered under this Ordinance.
(4.) The Governor-in-Conneil shall not refuse permission to any Society to be registered under this Ordinance unless it shall appear that such Socfety is likely to be used for unlawful purposes or for purposes incompatible with the peace or good order of the Colony or that its action and proceedings are calculated to excite tumult or disorder in China or to excite persons to crime in China.
5. The Registrar shall cause to be published in the Gazette in April of each year a list of all existing Societies Jegistered or exempted from registration.
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