COPY
521
22, Museum Road,
Shanghai,
Sir E. D. H. Fraser, K.C.M.G.,
Registrar of Companies,
Shanghai.
sir,
4th May, 1916.
The China (Companies) urder-in-Council 1915
With reference to my letter to you of the 17th
"arch and to my interview with you and the Crown
Advocate on the 27th April, I understand that the
Crown advocate has expressed the view (in variance
from the view of the kegistrar of Companies, Hongkong)
that the meaning of Article 15 of the China (Companies)
Order-in-ouncil 1915 is that the main body of the
Hongkong rdinance of 1911 now applies in China to
Companies registered in England but carrying on part
of their business in China (hereinafter, for the pur-
pose of brevity, referred to as "Home Companies").
The matter is of considerable importance to
such Companies as British-merican Tobacco Co., Ltd.
(on whose behalf I am interested) which would be in
a position of considerable doubt and difficulty if
the view of the Crown Advocate is adopted, and I
therefore venture to set out below some points in
favour of the construction adopted by the aegistrar
at longkong:-
The main body of the Hongkong Ordinance of
1911 deals with Companies which are formed and exist
under the provisions of that ordinance, and therefore
have