Companies (Consolidation) Act 1908

PART III Management and Administration.

Office and Name.

62 Registered office of company.

(1) Every company shall have a registered office to which all communications and notices may be addressed.

(2) Notice of the situation of the registered office, and of any change therein, shall be given to the registrar of companies, who shall record the same.

(3) If a company carries on business without complying with the requirements of this section it shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which it so carries on business.

63 Publication of name by a limited company.

(1) Every limited company—

(a) shall paint or affix, and keep painted or affixed, its name on the outside of every office or place in which its business is carried on, in a conspicuous position, in letters easily legible :

(b) shall have its name engraven in legible characters on its seal :

(c) shall have its name mentioned in legible characters in all notices, advertisements, and other official publications of the company, and in all bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements, cheques, and orders for money or goods purporting to be signed by or on behalf of the company, and in all bills of parcels, invoices, receipts, and letters of credit of the company.

(2) If a limited company does not paint or affix, and keep painted or affixed, its name in manner directed by this Act, it shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for not so painting or affixing its name, and for every day during which its name is not so kept painted or affixed, and every director and manager of the company who knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the default shall be liable to the like penalty.

(3) If any director, manager, or officer of a limited company, or any person on its behalf, uses or authorises the use of any seal purporting to be a seal of the company whereon its name is. not so engraven as aforesaid, or issues or authorises the issue of any notice, advertisement, or other official publication of the company, or signs or authorises to be signed on behalf of the company any bill of exchange, promissory note, endorsement, cheque, order for money or goods, or issues or authorises to be issued any bill of parcels, invoice, receipt, or letter of credit of the company, wherein its name is not mentioned in manner aforesaid, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, and shall further be personally liable to the holder of any such bill of exchange, promissory note, cheque, or order for money or goods, for the amount thereof, unless the same is duly paid by the company.

Meetings and Proceedings.

64 Annual general meeting.

(1) A general meeting of every company shall be held once at the least in every calendar year, and not more than fifteen months after the holding of the last preceding general meeting, and, if not so held, the company and every director, manager, secretary, and other officer of the company, who is knowingly a party to the default, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

(2) When default has been made in holding a meeting of the company in accordance with the provisions of this section, the court may; on the application of any member of the company, call or direct the calling of a general meeting of the company.

65 First statutory meeting of company.

(1) Every company limited by shares and registered on or after the first day of January nineteen hundred and one shall, within a period of not less than one month nor more than three months from the date at which the company is entitled to-commence business, hold a general meeting of the members of the company which shall be called the statutory meeting.

(2) The directors shall, at least seven days before the day on which the meeting is held, forward a report (in this Act called “the statutory report”) to every member of the company and to every other person entitled under this Act to receive it.

(3) The statutory report shall be certified by not less than two directors of the company, or, where there are less than two-directors, by the sole director and manager, and shall state—

(a) the total number of shares allotted, distinguishing shares allotted as fully or partly paid up otherwise than in cash, and stating in the case of shares partly paid up the extent to which they are so paid up, and in either case the consideration for which they have been allotted ;

(b) the total amount of cash received by the company in respect of all the shares allotted, distinguished as aforesaid ;

(c) an abstract of the receipts of the company on account of its capital, whether from shares or debentures, and of the payments made thereout, up to a date within seven days of the date of the report, exhibiting under distinctive headings the receipts of the company from shares and debentures and other sources, the payments made thereout, and particulars concerning the balance remaining in hand, and an account or estimate of the preliminary expenses of the company ;

(d) the names, addresses, and descriptions of the directors, auditors (if any), managers (if any), and secretary of the company; and

(e) the particulars of any contract, the modification of which is to be submitted to the meeting for its approval together with the particulars of the modification or proposed modification.

(4) The statutory report shall, so far as it relates to the shares allotted by the company, and to the cash received in respect of such shares, and to the receipts and payments of the company on capital account, be certified as correct by the auditors, if any, of the company.

(5) The directors shall cause a copy of the statutory report, certified as by this section required, to be filed with the registrar of companies forthwith after the sending thereof to the members of the company.

(6) The directors shall cause a list showing the names, descriptions, and addresses of the members of the company, and the number of shares held by them respectively, to be produced at the commencement of the meeting, and to remain open and accessible to any member of the company during the continuance of the meeting.

(7) The members of the company present at the meeting-shall be at liberty to discuss any matter relating to the formation of the company, or arising out of the statutory report, whether previous notice has been given or not, but no resolution of which notice has not been given in accordance with the articles may be passed.

(8) The meeting may adjourn from time to time, and at any adjourned meeting any resolution of which notice has been given in accordance with the articles, either before or subsequently to the former meeting, maybe passed, and the adjourned meeting shall have the same powers as an original meeting.

(9) If a petition is presented to the court in manner provided by Part IV. of this Act for winding up the company on the ground of default in filing the statutory report or in holding the statutory meeting, the court may, instead of directing that the company be wound up, give directions for the statutory report to be filed or a meeting to be held, or make such other order as may be just.

(10) The provisions of this section as to the forwarding and filing of the statutory report shall not apply in the case of a private company.

66 Convening of extraordinary general meeting on requisition.

(1) Notwithstanding anything in the articles of a company, the directors of a company shall, on the requisition of the holders of not less than one-tenth of the issued share capital of the company upon which all calls or other sums then clue have been paid, forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary general meeting of the company.

(2) The requisition must state the objects of the meeting, and must be signed by the requisitionists and deposited at the registered office of the company, and may consist of several documents in like form, each signed by one or more requisitionists.

(3) If the directors do not proceed to cause a meeting to be held within twenty-one days from the date of the requisition being so deposited, the requisitionists, or a majority of them in value, may themselves convene the meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after three months from the date of the deposit.

(4) If at any such meeting a resolution requiring confirmation at another meeting is passed, the directors shall forthwith convene a further extraordinary general meeting for the purpose of considering the resolution and, if thought fit, of confirming it as a special resolution; and, if the directors do not convene the meeting within seven days from the date of the passing of the first resolution, the requisitionists, or a majority of them in value, may themselves convene the meeting.

(5) Any meeting convened under this section by the requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner, as nearly as possible, as that in which meetings are to be convened by-directors.

67 Provisions as to meetings and votes.

In default of, and subject to, any regulations in the articles—

(i) A meeting of a company may be called by seven days' notice in writing, served on every member in manner in which notices are required to be served by Table A, in the First Schedule to this Act :

(ii) Five members may call a meeting :

(iii) Any person elected by the members present at a meeting may be chairman thereof :

(iv) Every member shall have one vote.

68 Representation of companies at meetings of other companies of which they are members.

A company which is a member of another company may, by resolution of the directors, authorise any of its officials or any other person to act as its representative at any meeting of that other company, and the person so authorised shall be entitled to-exercise the same powers on behalf of the company which he represents as if he were an individual shareholder of that other company.

69 Definitions of extraordinary and special resolution.

(1) A resolution shall he an extraordinary resolution when it has been passed by a majority of not less than three fourths of such members entitled to vote as are present in person or by proxy (where proxies are allowed) at a general meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as an extraordinary resolution has been duly given.

(2) A resolution shall be a special resolution when it has been—

(a) passed in manner required for the passing of an extra ordinary resolution ; and

(b) confirmed by a majority of such members entitled to vote as are present in person or by proxy (where proxies are allowed) at a subsequent general meeting, of which notice has been duly given, and held after an interval of not less than fourteen days, nor more than one month, from the date of the first meeting.

(3) At any meeting at which an extraordinary resolution is submitted to be passed or a special resolution is submitted to be passed or confirmed, a declaration of the chairman that the resolution is carried shall, unless a poll is demanded, be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution.

(4) At any meeting at which an extraordinary resolution is submitted to be passed or a special resolution is submitted to be passed or confirmed a poll may be demanded, if demanded by three persons for the time being entitled according to the articles to vote, unless the articles of the company require a demand by such number of such persons, not in any case exceeding five, as may be specified in the articles.

(5) When a poll is demanded in accordance with this section, in computing the majority on the poll reference shall be had to the number of votes to which each member is entitled by the articles of the company.

(6) For the purposes of this section notice of a meeting shall be deemed to be duly given and the meeting to be duly held when the notice is given and the meeting held in manner provided by the articles.

70 Registration and copies of special resolutions.

(1) A copy of every special and extraordinary resolution shall within fifteen days from the confirmation of the special resolution, or from the passing of the extraordinary resolution, as the case may be, be printed and forwarded to the registrar of companies, who shall record the same.

(2) Where articles have been registered, a copy of every special resolution for the time being in force shall be embodied in or annexed to every copy of the articles issued after the confirmation of the resolution.

(3) Where articles have not been registered, a copy of every special resolution shall be forwarded in print to any member at his request, on payment of one shilling or such less sum as the company may direct.

(4) If a company makes default in printing or forwarding a copy of a special or extraordinary resolution to the registrar it shall be liable to a fine not exceeding two pounds for every day during which the default continues.

(5) If a company makes default in embodying in or annexing to a copy of its articles or in forwarding in print to a member when required by this section a copy of a special resolution, it shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one pound for each copy in respect of which default is made.

(6) Every director and manager of a company who knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits any default by the company in complying with the requirements of this section shall be liable to the like penalty as is imposed by this section on the company for that default.

71 Minutes of proceedings of meetings and directors.

(1) Every company shall cause minutes of all proceedings of general meetings and (where there are directors or managers) of its directors or managers to be entered in books kept for that purpose.

(2) Any such minute if purporting to be signed by the chairman of the meeting at which the proceedings were had, or by the chairman of the next succeeding meeting, shall be evidence of the proceedings.

(3) Until the contrary is proved, every general meeting of the company or meeting of directors or managers in respect of the proceedings whereof minutes have been so made shall be deemed to have been duly held and convened, and all proceedings had thereat to have been duly had, and all appointments of directors, managers, or liquidators, shall be deemed to be valid.

Appointment, Qualification, &c. of Directors.

72 Restrictions on appointment or advertisement of director.

(1) A person shall not be capable of being appointed director of a company by the articles, and shall not be named as a director or proposed director of a company in any prospectus issued by or on behalf of the company, or in any statement in lieu of prospectus filed by or on behalf of a company, unless, before the registration of the articles or the publication of the prospectus, or the filing of the statement in lieu of prospectus, as the case may be, he has by himself or by his agent authorised in writing—

(i) Signed and filed with the registrar of companies a consent in writing to act as such director ; and

(ii) Either signed the memorandum for a number of shares not less than his qualification (if any), or signed and filed with the registrar a contract in writing to take from the company and pay for his qualification shares (if any).

(2) On the application for registration of the memorandum and articles of a company the applicant shall deliver to the registrar a list of the persons who have consented to be directors of the company, and, if this list contains the name of any person who has not so consented, the applicant shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

(3) This section shall not apply to a private company nor to a prospectus issued by or on behalf of a company after the expiration of one year from the date at which the company is entitled to commence business.

73 Qualification of director.

(1) Without prejudice to the restrictions imposed by the last foregoing section, it shall be the duty of every director who is by the regulations of the company required to hold a specified share qualification, and who is not already qualified, to obtain his qualification within two months after his appointment, or such shorter time as may be fixed by the regulations of the company.

(2) The office of director of a company shall be vacated, if the director does not within two months from the date of his appointment, or within such shorter time as may be fixed by the regulations of the company, obtain his qualification, or if after the expiration of such period or shorter time he ceases at any time to hold his qualification; and a person vacating office under this section shall be incapable of being re-appointed director of the company until he has obtained his qualification.

(3) If after the expiration of the said period or shorter time any unqualified person acts as a director of the company, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day between the expiration of the said period or shorter time and the last day on which it is proved that he acted as a director.

74 Validity of acts of directors.

The acts of a director or manager shall be valid notwithstanding any defect that may afterwards be discovered in his appointment or qualification.

75 List of directors to be sent to registrar.

(1) Every company shall keep at its registered office a register containing the names and addresses and the occupations of its directors or managers, and send to the registrar of companies a copy thereof, and from time to time notify to the registrar any change among its directors or managers.

(2) If default is made in compliance with this section, the company shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which the default continues; and eveiy director and manager of the company who knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the default shall be liable to the like penalty.

Contracts, &c.

76 Form of contracts.

(1) Contracts on behalf of a company may be made as follows (that is to say):—

(i) Any contract which if made between private persons would be by law required to be in writing, and if made according to English, law to he under seal, may be made on behalf of the company in writing under the common seal of the company, and may in the same manner be varied or discharged :

(ii) Any contract which if made between private persons would be by law required to be in writing, signed by the parties to be charged therewith, may be made on behalf of the company in writing signed by any person acting under its authority, express or implied, and may in the same manner be varied or discharged :

(iii) Any contract which if made between private persons would by law be valid although made by parol only, and not reduced into writing, may be made by parol on behalf of the company by any person acting under its authority, express or implied, and may in the same manner be varied or discharged.

(2) All contracts made according to this section shall be effectual in law, and shall bind the company and its successors and all other parties thereto, their heirs, executors, or administrators as the case may be.

(3) Any deed to which a company is a party shall be held to be validly executed in Scotland on behalf of the company if it is executed in terms of the provisions of this Act or is sealed with the common seal of the company and subscribed on behalf of the company by two of the directors and the secretary of the company, and such subscription on behalf of the company shall be equally binding whether attested by witnesses or not.

77 Bills of exchange and promissory notes.

A bill of exchange or promissory note shall be deemed to have been made, accepted, or endorsed on behalf of a company if made, accepted, or endorsed in the name of, or by or on behalf or on account of, the company by any person acting under its authority.

78 Execution of deeds abroad.

A company may, by writing under its common seal, empower any person, either generally or in respect of any specified matters, as its attorney, to execute deeds on its behalf in any place not situate in the United Kingdom; and every deed signed by such attorney, on behalf of the company, and under his seal, shall bind the company, and have the same effect as if it were under its common seal.

79 Power for company to have official seal for use abroad.

(1) A company whose objects require or comprise the transaction of business in foreign countries may, if authorised by its articles, have for use in any territory, district, or place not situate in the United Kingdom, an official seal, which shall be a facsimile of the common seal of the company, with the addition on its face of the name of every territory, district, or place where it is to be used.

(2) A company having such an official seal may, by writing under its common seal, authorise any person appointed for the purpose in any territory, district, or place not situate in the United Kingdom, to affix the same to any deed or other document to which the company is party in that territory, district, or place.

(3) The authority of any such agent shall, as between the company and any person dealing with the agent, continue during the period, if any, mentioned in the instrument conferring the authority, or if no period is there mentioned, then until notice of the revocation or determination of the agent's authority has been given to the person dealing with him.

(4) The person affixing any such official seal shall, by writing under his hand, on the deed or other document to which the seal is affixed, certify the date and place of affixing the same.

(5) A deed or other document to which an official seal is duly affixed shall bind the company as if it had been sealed with the common seal of the company.

Prospectus.

80 Filing of prospectus.

(1) Every prospectus issued by or on behalf of a company or in relation to any intended company shall be dated, and that date shall, unless the contrary be proved, be taken as the date of publication of the prospectus.

(2) A copy of every such prospectus, signed by every person who is named therein as a director or proposed director of the company, or by his agent authorised in writing, shall be filed for registration with the registrar of companies on or before the date of its publication, and no such prospectus shall be issued until a copy thereof lias been so filed for registration.

(3) The registrar shall not register any prospectus unless it is dated, and the copy thereof signed, in manner required by this section.

(4) Every prospectus shall state on the face of it that a copy has been filed for registration as required by this section.

(5) If a prospectus is issued without a copy thereof being so filed, the company, and every person who is knowingly a party to the issue of the prospectus, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day from the date of the issue of the prospectus until a copy thereof is so filed.

81 Specific requirements as to particulars of prospectus.

(1) Every prospectus issued by or on behalf of a company, or by or on behalf of any person who is or has been engaged or interested in the formation of the company, must state—

(a) the contents of the memorandum, with the names, descriptions, and addresses of the signatories, and the number of shares subscribed for by them respectively ; and the number of founders or management or deferred shares, if any, and the nature and extent of the interest of the holders in the property and profits of the company ; and

(b) the number of stares, if any, fixed by the articles as the qualification of a director, and any provision in the articles as to the remuneration of the directors; and

(c) the names, descriptions, and addresses of the directors or proposed directors ; and

(d) the minimum subscription on which the directors may proceed to allotment, and the amount payable on application and allotment on each share ; and in the case of a second or subsequent offer of shares, the amount offered for subscription on each previous allotment made within the two preceding years, and the amount actually allotted, and the amount, if any, paid on the shares so allotted ; and

(e) the number and amount of shares and debentures which within the two preceding years have been issued, or agreed to be issued, as fully or partly paid up otherwise than in cash, and in the latter case the extent to which they are so paid up, and in either case the consideration for which those shares or debentures have been issued or are proposed or intended to be issued ; and

(f) the names and addresses of the vendors of any property purchased or acquired by the company, or proposed so to be purchased or acquired, which is to be paid for wholly or partly out of the proceeds of the issue offered for subscription by the prospectus, or the purchase or acquisition of which has not been completed at the date of issue of the prospectus, and the amount payable in cash, shares, or debentures, to the vendor, and where there is more than one separate vendor, or the company is a sub-purchaser, the amount so payable to each vendor: Provided that where the vendors or any of them are a firm the members of the firm shall not be treated as separate vendors ; and

(g) the amount (if any) paid or payable as purchase money in cash, shares, or debentures, for any such property as aforesaid, specifying the amount (if any) payable for goodwill; and

(h) the amount (if any) paid within the two preceding years, or payable, as commission for subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, for any shares in, or debentures of, the company, or the rate of any such commission : Provided that it shall not be necessary to state the commission payable to sub-underwriters ; and

(i) the amount or estimated amount of preliminary expenses ; and

(j) the amount paid within the two preceding years or intended to be paid to any promoter, and the consideration for any such payment; and

(k) the dates of and parties to every material contract, and a reasonable time and place at which any material contract or a copy thereof may be inspected: Provided that this requirement shall not apply to a contract entered into in the ordinary course of the business carried on or intended to be carried on by the company, or to any contract entered into more than two years before the date of issue of the prospectus ; and

(l) the names and addresses of the auditors (if any) of the company ; and

(m) full particulars of the nature and extent of the interest (if any) of every director in the promotion of, or in the property proposed to be acquired by, the company, or, where the interest of such a director consists in being a partner in a firm, the nature and extent of the interest of the firm, with a statement of all sums paid or agreed to be paid to him or to the firm in cash or shares or otherwise by any person either to induce him to become, or to qualify him as, a director, or, otherwise for services rendered by him or by the firm in connexion with the promotion or formation of the company ; and

(n) where the company is a company having shares of more than one class, the right of voting at meetings of the company conferred by the several classes of shares respectively.

(2) For the purposes of this section every person shall be deemed to be a vendor who has entered into any contract, absolute or conditional, for the sale or purchase, or for any option of purchase, of any property to be acquired by the company, in any case where—

(a) the purchase money is not fully paid at the date of issue of the prospectus ; or

(b) the purchase money is to be paid or satisfied wholly or in part out of the proceeds of the issue offered for subscription by the prospectus ; or

(c) the contract depends for its validity or fulfilment on the result of that issue.

(3) Where any of the property to be acquired by the company is to be taken on lease, this section shall apply as if the expression “vendor” included the lessor, and the expression “purchase money ” included the consideration for the lease, and the expression “sub-purchaser ” included a sub-lessee.

(4) Any condition requiring or binding any applicant for shares or debentures to waive compliance with any requirement of this section, or purporting to affect him with notice of any contract, document, or matter not specifically referred to in the prospectus, shall be void.

(5) Where any such prospectus as is mentioned in this section is published as a newspaper advertisement, it shall not be necessary in the advertisement to specify the contents of the memorandum or the signatories thereto, and the number of shares subscribed for by them.

(6) In the event of non-compliance with any of the requirements of this section, a director or other person responsible for the prospectus shall not incur any liability by reason of the non-compliance, if he proves that—

(a) as regards any matter not disclosed, he was not cognisant thereof; or

(b) the non-compliance arose from an honest mistake of fact on his part :

Provided that in the event of non-compliance with the requirements contained in paragraph (m) of subsection (1) of this section no director or other person shall incur any liability in respect of the non-compliance unless it be proved that he had knowledge of the matters not disclosed.

(7) This section shall, not apply to a circular or notice inviting existing members or debenture holders of a company to subscribe either for shares or for debentures of the company, whether with or without the right to renounce in favour of other persons, but subject as aforesaid, this section shall apply to any prospectus whether issued on or with reference to the formation of a company or subsequently.

(8) The requirements of this section as to the memorandum and the qualification, remuneration, and interest of directors, the names, descriptions, and addresses of directors or proposed directors, and the amount or estimated amount of preliminary expenses, shall not apply in the case of a prospectus issued more than one year after the date at which the company is entitled to commence business.

(9) Nothing in this section shall limit or diminish any liability which any person may incur under the general law or this Act apart from this section.

82 Obligations of companies where no prospectus is issued.

(1) A company which does not issue a prospectus on or with reference to its formation, shall not allot any of its shares or debentures unless before the first allotment of either shares or debentures there has been filed with the registrar of companies a statement in lieu of prospectus signed by every person who is named therein as a director or a proposed director of the company or by his agent authorised in writing, in the form and containing the particulars set out in the Second Schedule to this Act.

(2) This section shall not apply to a private company or to a company which has allotted any shares or debentures before the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight.

83 Restriction on alteration of terms mentioned in prospectus or statement in lieu of prospectus.

A company shall not previously to the statutory meeting-vary the terms of a contract referred to in the prospectus or statement in lieu of prospectus, except subject to the approval of the statutory meeting.

84 Liability for statements in prospectus.

(1) Where a prospectus invites persons to subscribe for shares in or debentures of a company, every person who is a director of the company at the time of the issue of the prospectus, and every person who has authorised the naming of him and is named in the prospectus as a director or as having agreed to become a director either immediately or after an interval of time, and every promoter of the company, and every person who has authorised the issue of the prospectus, shall be liable to pay compensation to all persons who subscribe for any shares or debentures on the faith of the prospectus for the loss or damage they may have sustained by reason of any untrue statement therein, or in any report or memorandum appearing on the face thereof, or by reference incorporated therein or issued therewith, unless it is proved—

(a) With respect to every untrue statement not purporting to be made on the authority of an expert, or of a public official document or statement, that he had reasonable ground to believe, and did up to the time of the allotment of the shares or debentures, as the case may be, believe, that the statement was true ; and

(b) With respect to every untrue statement purporting to be a statement by or contained in what purports to be a copy of or extract from a report or valuation of an expert, that it fairly represented the statement, or was a correct and fair copy of or extract from the report or valuation. Provided that the director, person named as director, promoter, or person who authorised the issue of the prospectus, shall be liable to pay compensation as aforesaid if it is proved that he had no reasonable ground to believe that the person making the statement, report, or valuation was competent to make it; and

(c) With respect to every untrue statement purporting to be a statement made by an official person or contained in what purports to be a copy of or extract from a public official document, that it was a correct and fair representation of the statement or copy of or extract from the document:

or unless it is proved—

(i) that having consented to become a director of the company he withdrew his consent before the issue of the prospectus, and that it was issued without his authority or consent; or

(ii) that the prospectus was issued without his knowledge or consent, and that on becoming aware of its issue he forthwith gave reasonable public notice that it was issued without his knowledge or consent; or

(iii) that after the issue of the prospectus and before allotment thereunder, he, on becoming aware of any untrue statement therein, withdrew his consent thereto, and gave reasonable public notice of the withdrawal, and of the reason therefor.

(2) Where a company existing on the eighteenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and ninety, has issued shares or debentures, and for the purpose of obtaining further capital by subscriptions for shares or debentures issues a prospectus, a director shall not be liable in respect of any statement therein, unless he has authorised the issue of the prospectus, or has adopted or ratified it.

(3) Where the prospectus contains the name of a person as a director of the company, or as having agreed to become a director thereof, and he has not consented to become a director, or has withdrawn his consent before the issue of the prospectus, and has not authorised or consented to the issue thereof, the-directors of the company, except any without whose knowledge or consent the prospectus was issued, and any other person who authorised the issue thereof, shall be liable to indemnify the person named as aforesaid against all damages, costs, and expenses to which he may be made liable by reason of his name having been inserted in the prospectus, or in defending himself against any action or legal proceedings brought against him in respect thereof.

(4) Every person who by reason of his being a director, or named as a director or as having agreed to become a director, or of his having authorised the issue of the prospectus, becomes, liable to make any payment under this section may recover contribution, as in cases of contract, from any other person who, if sued separately, would have been liable to make the same payment, unless the person who has become so liable was, and that other person was not, guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.

(5) For the purposes of this section—

• The expression “promoter ” means a promoter who was a party to the preparation of the prospectus, or of the portion thereof containing the untrue statement, but does not include any person by reason of his acting in a professional capacity for persons engaged in procuring the formation of the company :

• The expression “expert ” includes engineer, valuer, accountant, and any other person whose profession gives authority to a statement made by him.

Allotment.

85 Restriction as to allotment.

(1) No allotment shall be made of any share capital of a company offered to the public for subscription, unless the following conditions have been complied with, namely :—

(a) the amount (if any) fixed by the memorandum or articles and named in the prospectus as the minimum subscription upon which the directors may proceed to-allotment; or

(b) if no amount is so fixed and named, then the whole amount of the share capital so offered for subscription,

has been subscribed, and the sum payable on application for the amount so fixed and named, or for the whole amount offered for subscription, has been paid to and received by the company.

(2) The amount so fixed and named and the whole amount aforesaid shall be reckoned exclusively of any amount payable otherwise than in cash, and is in this Act referred to as the minimum subscription.

(3) The amount payable on application on each share shall not be less than five per cent. of the nominal amount of the share.

(4) If the conditions aforesaid have not been complied with on the expiration of forty days after the first issue of the prospectus, all money received from applicants for shares shall be forthwith repaid to them without interest, and, if any such money is not so repaid within forty-eight days after the issue of the prospectus, the directors of the company shall be jointly and severally liable to repay that money with interest at the rate of five per centum per annum from the expiration of the forty-eighth day:

Provided that a director shall not be liable if he proves that the loss of the money was not due to any misconduct or negligence on his part.

(5) Any condition requiring or binding any applicant for shares to waive compliance with any requirement of this section shall be void.

(6) This section, except subsection (3) thereof, shall not apply to any allotment of shares subsequent to the first allotment of shares offered to the public for subscription.

(7) In the case of the first allotment of share capital payable in cash of a company which does not issue any invitation to the public to subscribe for its shares, no allotment shall be made unless the minimum subscription (that is to say):—

(a) the amount (if any) fixed by the memorandum or articles and named in the statement in lieu of prospectus as the minimum subscription upon which the directors may proceed to allotment; or

(b) if no amount is so fixed and named, then the whole amount of the share capital other than that issued or agreed to be issued as fully or partly paid up otherwise than in cash,

has been subscribed and an amount not less than five per cent. of the nominal amount of each share payable in cash has been paid to and received by the company.

This subsection shall not apply to a private company or to a company which has allotted any shares or debentures before the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight.

86 Effect of irregular allotment.

(1) An allotment made by a company to an applicant in contravention of the provisions of the last foregoing section shall be voidable at the instance of the applicant within one month after the holding of the statutory meeting of the company and not later, and shall be so voidable notwithstanding that the company is in course of being wound up.

(2) If any director of a company knowingly contravenes or permits or authorises the contravention of any of the provisions of the last foregoing section with respect to allotment he shall be liable to compensate the company and the allottee respectively for any loss, damages, or costs which the company or the allottee may have sustained or incurred thereby: Provided that proceedings to recover any such loss, damages, or costs shall not be commenced after the expiration of two years from the date of the allotment.

87 Restrictions on commencement of business.

(1) A company shall not commence any business or exercise any borrowing powers unless—

(a) shares held subject to the payment of the whole amount thereof in cash have been allotted to an amount not less in the whole than the minimum subscription ; and

(b) every director of the company has paid to the company on each of the shares taken or contracted to be taken by him, and for which he is liable to pay in cash, a proportion equal to the proportion payable on application and allotment on the shares offered for public subscription, or in the case of a company which does not issue a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares, on the shares payable in cash; and

(c) there has been filed with the registrar of companies a statutory declaration by the secretary or one of the directors, in the prescribed form, that the aforesaid conditions have been complied with ; and

(d) in the case of a company which does not issue a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares, there has been filed with the registrar of companies a statement in lieu of prospectus.

(2) The registrar of companies shall, on the filing of this statutory declaration, certify that the company is entitled to commence business, and that certificate shall be conclusive evidence that the company is so entitled :

Provided that in the case of a company which does not issue a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares the registrar shall not give such a certificate unless a statement in lieu of prospectus has been filed with him.

(3) Any contract made by a company before the date at which it is entitled to commence business shall be provisional only, and shall not be binding on the company until that date, and on that date it shall become binding.

(4) Nothing in this section shall prevent the simultaneous offer for subscription or allotment of any shares and debentures or the receipt of any money payable on application for debentures.

(5) If any company commences business or exercises borrowing powers in contravention of this section, every person who is responsible for the contravention shall, without prejudice to any other liability, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds for every day during which the contravention continues.

(6) Nothing in this section shall apply to a private company, or to a company registered before the first day of January nineteen hundred and one, or to a company registered before the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight which does not issue a prospectus inviting the public to subscribe for its shares.

88 Return as to allotments.

(1) Whenever a company limited by shares makes any allotment of its shares, the company shall within one month thereafter file with the registrar of companies—

(a) a return of the allotments, stating the number and nominal amount of the shares comprised in the allotment, the names, addresses, and descriptions of the allottees, and the amount (if any) paid or due and payable on each share ; and

(b) in the case of shares allotted as fully or partly paid up otherwise than in cash, a contract in writing constituting the title of the allottee to the allotment together with any contract of sale, or for services or other consideration in respect of which that allotment was made, such contracts being duly stamped, and a return stating the number and nominal amount of shares so allotted, the extent to which they are to be treated as paid up, and the consideration for which they have been allotted.

(2) Where such a contract as above mentioned is not reduced to writing, the company shall within one month after the allotment file with the registrar of companies the prescribed particulars of the contract stamped with the same stamp duty as would have been payable if the contract had been reduced to writing, and those particulars shall be deemed to be an instrument within the meaning of the [54 & 55 Vict. c. 39.] Stamp Act, 1891, and the registrar may, as a condition of filing the particulars, require that the duty payable thereon be adjudicated under section twelve of that Act.

(3) If default is made in complying with the requirements of this section, every director, manager, secretary, or other officer of the company, who is knowingly a party to the default, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds for every day during which the default continues :

Provided that, in case of default in filing with the registrar of companies within one month after the allotment any document required to be filed by this section, the company, or any person liable for the default, may apply to the court for relief, and the court, if satisfied that the omission to file the document was accidental or due to inadvertence or that it is just and equitable to grant relief, may make an order extending the time for the filing of the document for such period as the court may think proper.

Commissions and Discounts.

89 Power to pay certain commissions, and prohibition of payment of all other commissions, discounts, &c.

(1) It shall be lawful for a company to pay a commission to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally, for any shares in the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, whether absolute or conditional, for any shares in the company, if the payment of the commission is authorised by the articles, and the commission paid or agreed to be paid does not exceed the amount or rate so authorised, and if the amount or rate per cent. of the commission paid or agreed to be paid is—

(a) In the case of shares offered to the public for subscription, disclosed in the prospectus ; or

(b) In the case of shares not offered to the public for subscription, disclosed in the statement in lieu of prospectus, or in a statement in the prescribed form signed in like manner as a statement in lieu of prospectus and filed with the registrar of companies, and, where a circular or notice, not being a prospectus, inviting subscription for the shares is issued, also disclosed in that circular or notice.

(2) Save as aforesaid, no company shall apply any of its shares or capital money either directly or indirectly in payment of any commission, discount, or allowance, to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally, for any shares of the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, whether absolute or conditional, for any shares in the company, whether the shares or money be so applied by being added to the purchase money of any property acquired by the company or to the contract price of any work to be executed for the company, or the money be paid out of the nominal purchase money or contract price, or otherwise.

(3) Nothing in this section shall affect the power of any company to pay such brokerage as it has heretofore been lawful for a company to pay, and a vendor to, promoter of, or other person who receives payment in money or shares from, a company shall have and shall be deemed always to have had power to apply any part of the money or shares so received in payment of any commission, the payment of which, if made directly by the company, would have been legal under this section.

90 Statement in balance sheet as to commissions and discounts.

Where a company has paid any sums by way of commission in respect of any shares or debentures, or allowed any sums by way of discount in respect of any debentures, the total amount so paid or allowed, or so much thereof as has not been written off, shall be stated in every balance sheet of the company until the whole amount thereof has been written off.

Payment of Interest out of Capital.

91 Power of company to pay interest out of capital in certain cases.

Where any shares of a company are issued for the purpose of raising money to defray the expenses of the construction of any works or buildings or the provision of any plant which cannot be made profitable for a lengthened period, the company may pay interest on so much of that share capital as is for the time being paid up for the period and subject to the conditions and restrictions in this section mentioned, and may charge the same to capital as part of the cost of construction of the work or building, or the provision of plant:

Provided that—

(1) No such payment shall be made unless the same is authorised by the articles or by special resolution :

(2) No such payment, whether authorised by the articles or by special resolution, shall be made without the previous sanction of the Board of Trade :

(3) Before sanctioning any such payment the Board of Trade may, at the expense of the company, appoint a person to inquire and report to them as to the circumstances of the case, and may, before making the appointment, require the company to give security for the payment of the costs of the inquiry :

(4) The payment shall be made only for such period as may be determined by the Board of Trade ; and such period shall in no case extend beyond the close of the half year next after the half year during which the works or buildings have been actually completed or the plant provided :

(5) The rate of interest shall in no case exceed four per cent, per annum or such lower rate as may for the time being be prescribed by Order in Council:

(6) The payment of the interest shall not operate as a reduction of the amount paid up on the shares in respect of which it is paid :

(7) The accounts of the company shall show the share capital on which, and the rate at which, interest has been paid out of capital during the period to which the accounts relate :

(8) Nothing in this section shall affect any company to which the [57 & 58 Vict. c. 12.] Indian Railways Act, 1894, as amended by any subsequent enactment, applies.

Certificates of Shares, &c.

92 Limitation of time for issue of certificates.

(1) Every company shall, within two months after the allotment of any of its shares, debentures, or debenture stock, and within two months after the registration of the transfer of any such shares, debentures, or debenture stock, complete and have ready for delivery the certificates of all shares, the debentures, and the certificates of all debenture stock allotted or transferred, unless the conditions of issue of the shares, debentures, or debenture stock otherwise provide.

(2) If default is made in complying with the requirements of this section, the company, and every director, manager, secretary, and other officer of the company who is knowingly a party to the default, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which the default continues.

Information as to Mortgages, Charges, &c.

93 Registration of mortgages and charges in England and Ireland.

(1) Every mortgage or charge created after the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight by a company registered in England or Ireland and being either—

(a) a mortgage or charge for the purpose of securing any issue of debentures ; or

(b) a mortgage or charge on uncalled share capital of the company; or

(c) a mortgage or charge created or evidenced by an instrument which, if executed by an individual, would require registration as a bill of sale ; or

(d) a mortgage or charge on any land, wherever situate, or any interest therein ; or

(e) a mortgage or charge on any book debts of the company; or

(f) a floating charge on the undertaking or property of the company,

shall, so far as any security on the company's property or undertaking is thereby conferred, be void against the liquidator and any creditor of the company, unless the prescribed particulars of the mortgage or charge, together with the instrument (if any) by which the mortgage or charge is created or evidenced, are delivered to or received by the registrar of companies for registration in manner required by this Act within twenty-one days after the date of its creation, but without prejudice to any contract or obligation for repayment of the money thereby secured, and when a mortgage or charge becomes void under this section the money secured thereby shall immediately become payable :

Provided that—

(i) in the case of a mortgage or charge created out of the United Kingdom comprising solely property situate outside the United Kingdom, the delivery to and the receipt by the registrar of a copy of the instrument by which the mortgage or charge is created or evidenced, verified in the prescribed manner, shall have the same effect for the purposes of this section as the delivery and receipt of the instrument itself, and twenty-one days after the date on which the instrument or copy could, in due course of post, and if despatched with due diligence, have been received in the United Kingdom, shall be substituted for twenty-one days after the date of the creation of the mortgage or charge, as the time within which the particulars and instrument or copy are to be delivered to the registrar ; and

(ii) where the mortgage or charge is created in the United Kingdom but comprises property outside the United Kingdom, the instrument creating or purporting to create the mortgage or charge may be sent for registration notwithstanding that further proceedings may be necessary to make the mortgage or charge valid or effectual according to the law of the country in which the property is situate ; and

(iii) where a negotiable instrument has been given to secure the payment of any book debts of a company, the deposit of the instrument for the purpose of securing an advance to the company shall not for the purposes of this section be treated as a mortgage or charge on those book debts ; and

(iv) the holding of debentures entitling the holder to a charge on land shall not be deemed to be an interest in land.

(2) The registrar shall keep, with respect to each company, a register in the prescribed form of all the mortgages and charges created by the company after the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight and requiring registration under this section, and shall, on payment of the prescribed fee, enter in the register, with respect to every such mortgage or charge, the date of creation, the amount secured by it, short particulars of the property mortgaged or charged, and the names of the mortgagees or persons entitled to the charge.

(3) Where a series of debentures containing, or giving by reference to any other instrument, any charge to the benefit of which the debenture holders of that series are entitled pari passu is created by a company, it shall be sufficient if there are delivered to or received by the registrar within twenty-one days after the execution of the deed containing the charge or, if there is no such deed, after the execution of any debentures of the series, the following particulars :—

(a) the total amount secured by the whole series ; and

(b) the dates of the resolutions authorising the issue of the series and the date of the covering deed, if any, by which the security is created or defined ; and

(c) a general description of the property charged ; and

(d) the names of the trustees, if any, for the debenture holders ;

together with the deed containing the charge, or, if there is no such deed, one of the debentures of the series, and the registrar shall, on payment of the prescribed fee, enter those particulars in the register:

Provided that, where more than one issue is made of debentures in the series, there shall be sent to the registrar for entry in the register particulars of the date and amount of each issue, but an omission to do this shall not affect the validity of the debentures issued.

(4) Where any commission, allowance, or discount has been paid or made either directly or indirectly by the company to any person in consideration of his subscribing or agreeing to subscribe, whether absolutely or conditionally, for any debentures of the company, or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions, whether absolute or conditional, for any such debentures, the particulars required to be sent for registration under this section shall include particulars as to the amount or rate per cent. of the commission, discount, or allowance so paid or made, but an omission to do this shall not affect the validity of the debentures issued :

Provided that the deposit of any debentures as security for any debt of the company shall not for the purposes of this provision be treated as the issue of the debentures at a discount.

(5) The registrar shall give a certificate under his hand of the registration of any mortgage or charge registered in pursuance of this section, stating the amount thereby secured, and the certificate shall be conclusive evidence that the requirements of this section as to registration have been complied with.

(6) The company shall cause a copy of every certificate of registration given under this section to be endorsed on every debenture or certificate of debenture stock which is issued by the company, and the payment of which is secured by the mortgage or charge so registered :

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring a company to cause a certificate of registration of any mortgage or charge so given to be endorsed on any debenture or certificate of debenture stock which has been issued by the company before the mortgage or charge was created.

(7) It shall be the duty of the company to send to the registrar for registration the particulars of every mortgage or charge created by the company and of the issues of debentures of a series, requiring registration under this section, but registration of any such mortgage or charge may be effected On the application of any person interested therein.

Where the registration is effected on the application of some person other than the company, that person shall be entitled to recover from the company the amount of any fees properly paid by him to the registrar on the registration.

(8) The register kept in pursuance of this section shall be open to inspection by any person on payment of the prescribed fee, not exceeding one shilling for each inspection.

(9) Every company shall cause a copy of every instrument creating any mortgage or charge requiring registration under this section to be kept at the registered office of the company :

Provided that, in the case of a series of uniform debentures, a copy of one such debenture shall be sufficient.

94 Registration of enforcement of security.

(1) If any person obtains an order for the appointment of a receiver or manager of the property of a company, or appoints such a receiver or manager under any powers contained in any instrument, he shall within seven days from the date of the order or of the appointment under the powers contained in the instrument give notice of the fact to the registrar of companies, and the registrar shall, on payment of the prescribed fee, enter the fact in the register of mortgages and charges.

(2) If any person makes default in complying with the requirements of this section he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which the default continues.

95 Filing of accounts of receivers and managers.

(1) Every receiver or manager of the property of a company who has been appointed under the powers contained in any instrument, and who has taken possession, shall, once in every half year while he remains in possession, and also on ceasing to act as receiver or manager, file with the registrar of companies an abstract in the prescribed form of his receipts and payments during the period to which the abstract relates, and shall also on ceasing to act as receiver or manager file with the registrar notice to that effect, and the registrar shall enter the notice in the register of mortgages and charges.

(2) Every receiver or manager who makes default in complying with the provisions of this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

96 Rectification of register of mortgages.

A judge of the High Court, on being satisfied that the omission to register a mortgage or charge within the time hereinbefore required, or that the omission or misstatement of any particular with respect to any such mortgage or charge, was accidental, or clue to inadvertence or to some other sufficient cause, or is not of a nature to prejudice the position of creditors or shareholders of the company, or that on other grounds it is just and equitable to grant relief, may, on the application of the company or any person interested, and on such terms and conditions as seem to the judge just and expedient, order that the time for registration be extended, or, as the case may be, that the omission or misstatement be rectified.

97 Entry of satisfaction.

The registrar of companies may, on evidence being given to his satisfaction that the debt for which any registered mortgage or charge was given has been paid or satisfied, order that a memorandum of satisfaction be entered on the register, and shall if required furnish the company with a copy thereof.

98 Index to register of mortgages and charges.

The registrar of companies shall keep a chronological index, in the prescribed form and with the prescribed particulars, of the mortgages or charges registered with him under this Act.

99 Penalties.

(1) If any company makes default in sending to the registrar of companies for registration the particulars of any mortgage or charge created by the company, and of the issues of debentures of a series, requiring registration with the registrar under the foregoing provisions of this Act, then, unless the registration has been effected on the application of some other person, the company, and every director, manager, secretary, or other person who is knowingly a party to the default, shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds for every day during which the default continues.

(2) Subject as aforesaid, if any company makes default in complying with any of the requirements of this Act as to the registration with the registrar of any mortgage or charge created by the company, the company and every director, manager, and other officer of the company, who knowingly and wilfully authorised or permitted the default shall, without prejudice to any other liability, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

(3) If any person knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the delivery of any debenture or certificate of debenture stock requiring registration with the registrar under the foregoing provisions of this Act without a copy of the certificate of registration being endorsed upon it, he shall, without prejudice to any other liability, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

100 Company's register of mortgages.

(1) Every limited company shall keep a register of mortgages and enter therein all mortgages and charges specifically affecting property of the company, giving in each case a short description of the property mortgaged or charged, the amount of the mortgage or charge, and (except in the case of securities to bearer) the names of the mortgagees or persons entitled thereto.

(2) If any director, manager, or other officer of the company knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the omission of any entry required to be made in pursuance of this section, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

101 Right to inspect copies of instruments creating mortgages and charges and company's register of mortgages.

(1) The copies of instruments creating any mortgage or charge requiring registration under this Act with the registrar of companies, and the register of mortgages kept in pursuance of the last foregoing section, shall be open at all reasonable times to the inspection of any creditor or member of the company without fee, and the register of mortgages shall also be open to the inspection of any other person on payment of such fee, not exceeding one shilling for each inspection, as the company may prescribe.

(2) If inspection of the said copies or register is refused, any officer of the company refusing inspection, and every director and manager of the company authorising or knowingly and wilfully permitting the refusal, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding-five pounds, and a further fine not exceeding two pounds for every day during which the refusal continues ; and, in addition to the above penalty as respects companies registered in England or Ireland, any judge of the High Court sitting in chambers, or the judge of the court exercising the stannaries jurisdiction in the case of companies subject to that jurisdiction, may by order compel an immediate inspection of the copies or register.

102 Right of debenture holders to inspect the register of debenture holders and to have copies of trust deed.

(1) Every register of holders of debentures of a company shall, except when closed in accordance with the articles during such period or periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty days in any year) as may be specified in the articles, be open to the inspection of the registered holder of any such debentures, and of any holder of shares in the company, but subject to such reasonable restrictions as the company may in general meeting impose, so that at least two hours in each day are appointed for inspection, and every such holder may require a copy of the register or any part thereof on payment of sixpence for every one hundred words required to be copied.

(2) A copy of any trust deed for securing any issue of debentures shall be forwarded to every holder of any such debentures at his request on payment in the case of a printed trust deed of the sum of one shilling or such less sum as may be prescribed by the company, or, where the trust deed has not been printed, on payment of sixpence for every one hundred words required to be copied.

(3) If inspection is refused, or a copy is refused or not forwarded, the company shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds, and to a further fine not exceeding two pounds for every day during which the refusal continues, and every director, manager, secretary, or other officer of the company who knowingly authorises or permits the refusal shall incur the like penalty.

Debentures and Floating Charges.

103 Perpetual debentures.

A condition contained in any debentures or in any deed for securing any debentures, whether issued or executed before or after the passing of this Act, shall not be invalid by reason only that thereby the debentures are made irredeemable or redeemable only on the happening of a contingency, however remote, or on the expiration of a period, however long, any rule of equity to the contrary notwithstanding.

104 Power to re-issue redeemed debentures in certain cases.

(1) Where either before or after the passing of this Act a company has redeemed any debentures previously issued, the company, unless the articles or the conditions of issue expressly otherwise provide, or unless the debentures have been redeemed in pursuance of any obligation on the company so to do (not being an obligation enforceable only by the person to whom the redeemed debentures were issued or his assigns), shall have power, and shall be deemed always to have had power, to keep the debentures alive for the purposes of re-issue, and where a company has purported to exercise such a power the company shall have power, and shall be deemed always to have had power, to re-issue the debentures either by re-issuing the same debentures or by issuing other debentures in their place, and upon such a re-issue the person entitled to the debentures shall have, and shall be deemed always to have had, the same rights and priorities as if the debentures had not previously been issued.

(2) Where with the object of keeping debentures alive for the purpose of re-issue they have either before or after the passing of this Act been transferred to a nominee of the company, a transfer from that nominee shall be deemed to be a re-issue for the purposes of this section.

(3) Where a company has either before or after the passing of this Act deposited any of its debentures to secure advances from time to time on current account or otherwise, the debentures shall not be deemed to have been redeemed by reason only of the account of the company having ceased to be in debit whilst the debentures remained so deposited.

(4) The re-issue of a debenture or the issue of another debenture in its place under the power by this section given to, or deemed to have been possessed by, a company, whether the re-issue or issue was made before or after the passing of this Act, shall be treated as the issue of a new debenture for the purposes of stamp duty, but it shall not be so treated for the purposes of any provision limiting the amount or number of debentures to be issued :

Provided that any person lending money on the security of a debenture reissued under this section which appears to be duly stamped may give the debenture in evidence in any proceedings for enforcing his security without payment of the stamp duty or any penalty in respect thereof, unless he had notice or, but for his negligence, might have discovered, that the debenture was not duly stamped, but in any such case the company shall be liable to pay the proper stamp duty and penalty.

(5) Nothing in this section shall prejudice—

(a) the operation of any judgment or order of a court of competent jurisdiction pronounced or made before the seventh day of March nineteen hundred and seven as between the parties to the proceedings in which the judgment was pronounced or the order made, and any appeal from any such judgment or order shall be decided as if this Act had not been passed; or

(b) any power to issue debentures in the place of any debentures paid off or otherwise satisfied or extinguished, reserved to a company by its debentures or the securities for the same.

105 Specific performance of contract to subscribe for debentures.

A contract with a company to take up and pay for any debentures of the company may be enforced by an order for specific performance.

106 Validity of debentures to bearer in Scotland.

Notwithstanding anything contained in the statute of the Scots Parliament of 1696, chapter twenty-five, debentures to bearer issued in Scotland are declared to be valid and binding according to their terms.

107 Payments of certain debts out of assets subject to floating charge in priority to claims under the charge.

(1) Where, in the case of a company registered in England or Ireland, either a receiver is appointed on behalf of the holders of any debentures of the company secured by a floating charge, or possession is taken by or on behalf of those debenture holders of any property comprised in or subject to the charge, then, if the company is not at the time in course of being wound up, the debts which in every winding-up are under the provisions of Part IV. of this Act relating to preferential payments to be paid in priority to all other debts, shall be paid forthwith out of any assets coming to the hands of the receiver for other person taking possession as aforesaid in priority to any claim for principal or interest in respect of the debentures.

(2) The periods of time mentioned in the said provisions of Part IV. of this Act shall be reckoned from the date of the appointment of the receiver or of possession being taken as aforesaid, as the case may be.

(3) Any payments made under this section shall be recouped as far as may be out of the assets of the company available for payment of general creditors.

Statement to be published by Banking and certain other Companies.

108 Certain companies to publish statement in schedule.

(1) Every company being a limited banking company or an insurance company or a deposit, provident, or benefit society shall, before it commences business, and also on the first Monday in February and the first Tuesday in August in every year during which it carries on business, make a statement in the form marked 0. in the First Schedule to this Act, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit.

(2) A copy of the statement shall be put up in a conspicuous place in the registered office of the company, and in every branch office or place where the business of the company is carried on.

(3) Every member and every creditor of the company shall be entitled to a copy of the statement, on payment of a sum not exceeding sixpence.

(4) If default is made in compliance with this section, the company shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which the default continues ; and every director and manager of the company who knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the default shall be liable to the like penalty.

(5) For the purposes of this Act a company that carries on the business of insurance in common with any other business or businesses shall be deemed to be an insurance company.

(6) This section shall not apply to any life assurance company nor any other assurance company to which the provisions of the [33 & 34 Vict. c. 61.] [34 & 35 Vict. c. 58.] [35 & 36 Vict. c. 41.] Life Assurance Companies Acts, 1870 to 1872, as to the annual statements to he made by such a company, apply with or without modifications, if the company complies with those provisions.

Inspection and Audit.

109 Investigation of affairs of company by Board of Trade inspectors.

(1) The Board of Trade may appoint one or more competent inspectors to investigate the affairs of any company and to report thereon in such manner as the Board direct—

(i) In the case of a banking company having a share capital, on the application of members holding not less than one third of the shares issued :

(ii) In the case of any other company having a share capital, on the application of members holding not less than one tenth of the shares issued :

(iii) In the case of a company not having a share capital, on nthe application of not less than one fifth in number of the persons on the company's register of members.

(2) The application shall be supported by such evidence as the Board of Trade may require for the purpose of showing that the applicants have good reason for, and are not actuated by malicious motives in requiring, the investigation; and the Board of Trade may, before appointing an inspector, require the applicants to give security for payment of the costs of the inquiry.

(3) It shall be the duty of all officers and agents of the company to produce to the inspectors all books and documents in their custody or power.

(4) An inspector may examine on oath the officers and agents of the company in relation to its business, and may administer an oath accordingly.

(5) If any officer or agent refuses to produce any book or document which under this section it is his duty to produce, or to answer any question relating to the affairs of the company, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds in respect of each offence.

(6) On the conclusion of the investigation the inspectors shall report their opinion to the Board of Trade, and a copy of the report shall be forwarded by the Board to the registered office of the company, and a further copy shall, at the request of the applicants for the investigation, be delivered to them.

The report shall be written or printed, as the Board direct.

(7) All expenses of and incidental to the investigation shall be defrayed by the applicants, unless the Board of Trade direct the same to be paid by the company, which the Board is hereby authorised to do.

110 Power of company to appoint inspectors.

(1) A company may by special resolution appoint inspectors to investigate its affairs.

(2) Inspectors so appointed shall have the same powers and duties as inspectors appointed by the Board of Trade, except that, instead of reporting to the Board, they shall report in such manner and to such persons as the company in general meeting-may direct.

(3) Officers and agents of the company shall incur the like penalties in case of refusal to produce any book or document required to be produced to inspectors so appointed, or to answer any question, as they would have incurred if the inspectors had been appointed by the Board of Trade.

111 Report of inspectors to be evidence.

A copy of the report of any inspectors appointed under this Act, authenticated by the seal of the company whose affairs they have investigated, shall be admissible in any legal proceeding as evidence of the opinion of the inspectors in relation to any matter contained in the report.

112 Appointment and remuneration of auditors.

(1) Every company shall at each annual general meeting appoint an auditor or auditors to hold office until the next annual general meeting.

(2) If an appointment of auditors is not made at an annual general meeting, the Board of Trade may, on the application of any member of the company, appoint an auditor of the company for the current year, and fix the remuneration to be paid to him by the company for his services.

(3) A director or officer of the company shall not be capable of being appointed auditor of the company.

(4) A person, other than a retiring auditor, shall not be capable of being appointed auditor at an annual general meeting unless notice of an intention to nominate that person to the office of auditor has been given by a shareholder to the company not less than fourteen days before the annual general meeting, and the company shall send a copy of any such notice to the retiring auditor, and shall give notice thereof to the shareholders, either by advertisement or in any other mode allowed by the articles, not less than seven days before the annual general meeting :

Provided that if, after notice of the intention to nominate an auditor has been so given, an annual general meeting is called for a date fourteen days or less after the notice has been given, the notice, though not given within the time required by this provision, shall be deemed to have been properly given for the purposes thereof, and the notice to be sent or given by the company may, instead of being sent or given within the time required by this provision, be sent or given at the same time as the notice of the annual general meeting.

(5) The first auditors of the company may be appointed by the directors before the statutory meeting, and if so appointed shall hold office until the first annual general meeting, unless previously removed by a resolution of the shareholders in general meeting, in which case the shareholders at that meeting may appoint auditors.

(6) The directors may fill any casual vacancy in the office of auditor, hut while any such vacancy continues the surviving or continuing auditor or auditors, if any, may act.

(7) The remuneration of the auditors of a company shall be fixed by the company in general meeting, except that the remuneration of any auditors appointed before the statutory meeting, or to fill any casual vacancy, may be fixed by the directors.

113 Powers and duties of auditors.

(1) Every auditor of a company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the company, and shall be entitled to require from the directors and officers of the company such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditors.

(2) The auditors shall make a report to the shareholders on the accounts examined by them, and on every balance sheet laid before the company in general meeting during their tenure of office, and the report shall state—

(a) whether or not they have obtained all the information and explanations they have required ; and

(b) whether, in their opinion, the balance sheet referred to in the report is properly drawn up so as to exhibit a true and correct view of the state of the company's affairs according to the best of their information and the explanations given to them, and as shown by the books of the company.

(3) The balance sheet shall be signed on behalf of the board by two of the directors of the company or, if there is only one director, by that director, and the auditors' report shall be attached to the balance sheet, or there shall be inserted at the foot of the balance sheet a reference to the report, and the report shall be read before the company in general meeting, and shall be open to inspection by any shareholder.

Any shareholder shall be entitled to be furnished with a copy of the balance sheet and auditors' report at a charge not exceeding sixpence for every hundred words.

(4) If any copy of a balance sheet which has not been signed as required by this section is issued, circulated, or published, or if any copy of a balance sheet is issued, circulated, or published without either having a copy of the auditors' report attached thereto or containing such reference to that report as is required by this section, the company, and every director, manager, secretary, or other officer of the company who is knowingly a party to the default, shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.

(5) In the case of a banking company registered after the fifteenth day of August eighteen hundred and seventy-nine—

(a) if the company has branch banks beyond the limits of Europe, it shall be sufficient if the auditor is allowed access to such copies of and extracts from the books and accounts of any such branch as have been transmitted to the head office of the company in the United Kingdom; and

(b) the balance sheet must be signed by the secretary or manager (if any), and where there are more than three directors of the company by at least three of those directors, and where there are not more than three directors by all the directors.

114 Rights of preference shareholders, &c. as to receipt and inspection of reports, &c.

(1) Holders of preference shares and debentures of a company shall have the same right to receive and inspect the balance" sheets of the company and the reports of the auditors and other reports as is possessed by the holders of ordinary shares in the company.

(2) This section shall not apply to a private company, nor to a company registered before the first day of July nineteen hundred and eight.

Carrying on Business with less than the legal Minimum, of Members.

115 Prohibition of carrying on business with fewer than seven; or, in the case of a private company, two members.

If at any time the number of members of a company is reduced, in the case of a private company, below two, or, in the case of any other company, below seven, and it carries on business for more than six months while the number is so reduced, every person who is a member of the company during the time that it so carries on business after those six months, and is cognisant of the fact that it is carrying on business with fewer than two members, or seven members, as the case may be, shall be severally liable for the payment of the whole debts of the company contracted during that time, and may be sued for the same, without joinder in the action of any other member.

Service and Authentication of Documents.

116 Service of documents on company.

A document may be served on a company by leaving it at or sending it by post to the registered office of the company.

117 Authentication of documents.

A document or proceeding requiring authentication by a company may be signed by a director, secretary, or other authorised officer of the company, and need not be under its common seal.

Tables and Forms.

118 Application and alteration of tables and forms.

(1) The forms in the Third Schedule to this Act or forms as near thereto as circumstances admit shall be used in all matters to which those forms refer.

(2) The Board of Trade may alter any of the tables and forms in the First Schedule to this Act, so that it does not increase the amount of fees payable to the registrar in the said schedule mentioned, and may alter or add to the forms in the said Third Schedule.

(3) Any such table or form, when altered, shall be published in the London Gazette, and thenceforth shall have the same force as if it were included in one of the Schedules to this Act, but no alteration made by the Board of Trade in Table A. in the said First Schedule shall affect any company registered before the alteration, or repeal, as respects that company, any portion of that table.

Arbitrations.

119 Arbitration between companies and others.

(1) A company may by writing under its common seal agree to refer and may refer to arbitration, in accordance with the [22 & 23 Vict. c. 59.] Railway Companies Arbitration Act, 1859, any existing or future difference between itself and any other company or person.

(2) Companies parties to the arbitration may delegate to the arbitrator power to settle any terms or to determine any matter capable of being lawfully settled or determined by the companies themselves, or by their directors or other managing body.

(3) All the provisions of the Railway Companies Arbitration Act, 1859, shall apply to arbitrations between companies and persons in pursuance of this Act ; and in the construction of those provisions “the companies ”. shall include companies under this Act.

Power to compromise.

120 Power to compromise with creditors and members.

(1) Where a compromise or arrangement is proposed between a company and its creditors or any class of them, or between the company and its members or any class of them, the court may, on the application in a summary way of the company or of any creditor or member of the company or, in the case of a company being wound up, of the liquidator, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, or of the members of the company or class of members, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the court directs.

(2) If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, or members or class of members, as the case may be, present either in person or by proxy at the meeting, agree to any compromise or arrangement, the compromise or arrangement shall, if sanctioned by the court, be binding on all the creditors or the class of creditors, or on the members or class of members, as the case may be, and also on the company or, in the case of a company in the course of being wound up, on the liquidator and contributories of the company.

(3) In this section the expression “company” means any company liable to be wound up under this Act.

Meaning of “Private Company ”.

121 Meaning of " private company. ".

(1) For the purposes of this Act the expression “private company ” means a company which by its articles—

(a) restricts the right to transfer its shares ; and

(b) limits the number of its members (exclusive of persons who are in the employment of the company) to fifty ; and

(c) prohibits any invitation to the public to subscribe for any shares or debentures of the company.

(2) A private company may, subject to anything contained in the memorandum or articles, by passing a special resolution and by filing with the registrar of companies such a statement In lieu of prospectus as the company, if a public company, would have had to file before allotting any of its shares or debentures, together with such a statutory declaration as the company, if a public company, would have had to file before commencing business, turn itself into a public company.

(3) Where two or more persons hold one or more shares in a company jointly they shall, for the purposes of this section, be treated as a single member.