Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1970-1971 — Page 72

conferred on the Governor to waive the equal priority of statutory Crown debts in any particular case.

199. The Companies (Amendment) (No. 3) Ordinance 1970 conferred upon the Registrar and any Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court (and on any Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court specially appointed for the purpose by the Chief Justice) power to hold examinations under sections 221 and 222 of the Companies Ordinance. Prior to the enactment of this legislation these examinations could only be held before a Supreme Court judge.

200. The Companies (Prevention of Evasion of the Societies Ordin- ance) Ordinance, which was enacted in 1959, prevents persons who associate together for undesirable purposes from evading the provisions of the Societies Ordinance by registering themselves as a company under the Companies Ordinance. The Ordinance enables the Registrar of Companies to refuse registration of such a company, or to strike the name of such a company off the register if the Governor in Council so orders. Section 16 of the Ordinance provided that it should continue in force until 31st December 1965, but provision was made for the Legislative Council by resolution to extend its duration for a term not exceeding one year at a time. The principal Ordinance has been extended annually ever since 1965, and it was decided during the year that it should become part of the permanent legislation. Section 16 of the Ordinance, which provides for its limited duration, was therefore repealed by the Companies (Prevention of Evasion of the Societies Ordinance) (Amendment) Ordinance 1970.

201. The Emergency Registration of China Companies Ordinance made provision for the registration in Hong Kong of certain companies incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong but previously registered in Shanghai. There had been no applications under this Ordinance for a number of years, and it was considered that it had served its purpose. It was therefore repealed by the Law Revision (Miscellaneous Repeals) Ordinance 1970.

202. The Trustee (Amendment) Ordinance 1970 repealed section 94 of the principal Ordinance 1970 repealed section 94 of the principal Ordinance, which required every trustee company to forward annually to the Registrar of Companies a statement of the liabilities of the company to the public in its trustee capacity and of the investments

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