### Bills of Exchange Ordinance 《匯票條例》

12. Omission of date in bill payable after date
Where a bill expressed to be payable at a fixed period after date is issued undated, or where the acceptance of a bill payable at a fixed period after sight is undated, any holder may insert therein the true date of issue or acceptance, and the bill shall be payable accordingly:

Provided that—
(a) where the holder in good faith and by mistake inserts a wrong date; and
(b) in every case where a wrong date is inserted,
if the bill subsequently comes into the hands of a holder in due course, the bill shall not be avoided thereby, but shall operate and be payable as if the date so inserted had been the true date.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 12 U.K.]

13. Ante-dating and post-dating
(1) Where a bill or an acceptance or any indorsement on a bill is dated, the date shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be the true date of the drawing, acceptance, or indorsement, as the case may be.
(2) A bill is not invalid by reason only that it is ante-dated or post-dated, or that it bears date on a Sunday or any other general holiday. (Amended 5 of 1912 s. 8)
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 13 U.K.]

14. Computation of time of payment
Where a bill is not payable on demand, the day on which it falls due is determined as follows—
(a) the bill is due and payable in all cases on the last day of the time of payment as fixed by the bill or, if that is a general holiday, on the succeeding business day; (Replaced 67 of 1972 s. 2) [cf. 1971 c. 80 s. 3(2) U.K.]
(b) where a bill is payable at a fixed period after date, after sight, or after the happening of a specified event, the time of payment is determined by excluding the day from which the time is to begin to run and by including the day of payment;
(c) where a bill is payable at a fixed period after sight, the time begins to run from the date of the acceptance if the bill is accepted, and from the date of noting or protect if the bill is noted or protested for non-acceptance or for non-delivery;
(d) the term “month” in a bill means calendar month. 
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 14 U.K.]

### Bills of Exchange Ordinance 《匯票條例》

15. Referee in case of need
The drawer of a bill and any indorser may insert therein the name of a person to whom the holder may resort in case of need, that is to say, in case the bill is dishonoured by non-acceptance or non-payment. Such person is called the referee in case of need. It is in the option of the holder to resort to the referee in case of need or not, as he may think fit.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 15 U.K.]

16. Optional stipulations by drawer or indorser
The drawer of a bill and any indorser may insert therein an express stipulation—
(a) negativing or limiting his own liability to the holder;
(b) waiving, as regards himself, some or all of the holder’s duties.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 16 U.K.]

17. Definition and requisites of acceptance
(1) The acceptance of a bill is the signification by the drawee of his assent to the order of the drawer.
(2) An acceptance is invalid unless it complies with the following conditions, namely—
(a) it must be written on the bill and be signed by the drawee. The mere signature of the drawee, without additional words, is sufficient;
(b) it must not express that the drawee will perform his promise by any other means than the payment of money.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 17 U.K.]

18. Time for acceptance
(1) A bill may be accepted—
(a) before it has been signed by the drawer, or while otherwise incomplete;
(b) when it is overdue, or after it has been dishonoured by a previous refusal to accept or by non-payment.
(2) When a bill payable after sight is dishonoured by non-acceptance, and the drawee subsequently accepts it, the holder, in the absence of any different agreement, is entitled to have the bill accepted as of the date of first presentment of the drawee for acceptance.
(Amended 51 of 1911; 63 of 1911 Schedule)[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 18 U.K.]

### Bills of Exchange Ordinance 《匯票條例》

19. General and qualified acceptance
(1) An acceptance is either— (Amended E.R. 4 of 2020)
(a) general; or
(b) qualified. (Amended E.R. 4 of 2020)
(2) A general acceptance assents without qualification to the order of the drawer. A qualified acceptance in express terms varies the effect of the bill as drawn.
(3) In particular, an acceptance is qualified which is—
(a) conditional, that is to say, which makes payment by the acceptor dependent on the fulfilment of a condition therein stated;
(b) partial, that is to say, an acceptance to pay part only of the amount for which the bill is drawn;
(c) local, that is to say, an acceptance to pay only at a particular specified place; an acceptance to pay at a particular place is a general acceptance, unless it expressly states that the bill is to be paid there only and not elsewhere;
(d) qualified as to time;
(e) the acceptance of some one or more of the drawees, but not of all.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 19 U.K.]

20. Inchoate instruments
(1) Where a simple signature on a blank paper is delivered by the signer in order that it may be converted into a bill, it operates as a prima facie authority to fill it up as a complete bill for any amount, using the signature for that of the drawer, or the acceptor, or an indorser; and, in like manner, when a bill is wanting in any material particular, the person in possession of it has a prima facie authority to fill up the omission in any way he thinks fit. (Amended 31 of 1981 s. 65)
(2) In order that any such instrument, when completed, may be enforceable against any person who became a party thereto prior to its completion, it must be filled up within a reasonable time and strictly in accordance with the authority given. Reasonable time for this purpose is a question of fact: Provided that if any such instrument after completion is negotiated to a holder in due course, it shall be valid and effectual for all purposes in his hands, and he may enforce it as if it had been filled up within a reasonable time and strictly in accordance with the authority given.
[cf. 1882 c. 61 s. 20 U.K.]