Copy
BRITISH COMPANIES IN CHINA:
50
DISCLOSURE OF NATIONALITY
(Precis of correspondence).
The provision that "any limited company with a Chinese
name or using a Chinese equivalent shall append the Chinese
characters
in publication of its name outside
its office, on its seal, and in all notices, invoices, cheques,
etc., was apparently first inserted in the Hongkong Companies
Ordinance No. 58 of 1911 (64(1)d).
There is nothing in our records to show why this was done
but the motive was presumably merely to apply to the Chinese
names used by firms the rule which was enforced when using their
British names, and so warn Chinese ignorant of English that the
liability of the company was limited, (? and also that the
company was British, for firms of other nationalities
particularly Chinese firms did not then commonly style themselves
'limited').
Section 252(4) of the Companies Ordinance 1911 requires
all companies incorporated outside the Colony which establish a
place of business within the Colony to state the country in
which it is incorporated in prospectus, office sign, bills,
notices, etc., etc.
1932).
(Now Sections 319(4) and 323 of the Companies Ordinance
By Section 6(3) of The Companies Ordinance 1915 Section.
9 of the Companies Ordinance of 1911 was amended by the
addition of the following sub-section:-
(5)/
Page 50Page 51