### Co-operative Societies Ordinance 《合作社條例》

16. Shares or interest not liable to attachment or sale
Subject to the provisions of section 15, the share or interest of a member in the capital of a registered society shall not be liable to attachment or sale under any decree or order of a court in respect of any debt or liability incurred by such member, and neither his assignee in insolvency nor a receiver duly appointed shall be entitled to, or have any claim on, such share or interest.

17. Transfer of interest on death of member
(1) On the death of a member, a registered society may transfer the share or interest of the deceased member to the person nominated in accordance with the rules made in this behalf, or, if there is no person so nominated, to such persons as may appear to the committee to be the heir or legal representative of the deceased member, or may pay to such nominee, heir or legal representative, as the case may be, a sum representing the value of such member’s share or interest, as ascertained in accordance with the rules or by-laws:
Provided that—
(a) in the case of a society with unlimited liability such nominee, heir or legal representative, as the case may be, may require payment by the society of the value of the share or interest of the deceased member ascertained as aforesaid;
(b) in the case of a society with limited liability, the society may transfer the share or interest of the deceased member to such nominee, heir or legal representative, as the case may be, being qualified in accordance with the rules and by-laws for membership of the society, or on his application within six months of the death of the deceased member to any person specified in the application who is so qualified.

(2) A registered society shall pay all other moneys due to the deceased member from the society to such nominee, heir or legal representative, as the case may be.
(3) All transfers and payments made by a registered society in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be valid and effectual against any demand made upon the society by any other person.

18. Deposits by or on behalf of minors
(1) A registered society may receive deposits from or for the benefit of minors and it shall be lawful for a registered society to pay such minors the interest which may become due on such deposits. Any deposits made by a minor may, together with the interest accrued thereon, be paid to that minor; and any deposit made on behalf of a minor may, together with the interest accrued thereon, be paid to the guardian of that minor for the use of the minor.
(2) The receipt of any minor or guardian for money paid to him under this section shall be a sufficient discharge of the liability of the society in respect of that money.

### Co-operative Societies Ordinance 《合作社條例》

19. Register of members
Any register or list of members kept by any registered society shall be prima facie evidence of any of the following particulars entered therein—
(a) the date at which the name of any person was entered in such register or list as a member;
(b) the date at which any such person ceased to be a member.

20. Proof of entries in books of society
(1) A copy of any entry in a book of a registered society regularly kept in the course of business shall, if certified in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules, be received in any legal proceeding, civil or criminal, as prima facie evidence of the existence of such entry and shall be admitted as evidence of the matters, transactions and accounts therein recorded in every case where, and to the same extent as, the original entry itself is admissible.
(2) No officer of any such society shall, in any legal proceedings to which the society is not a party, be compelled to produce any of the society’s books, the contents of which can be proved under subsection (1) or to appear as a witness to prove any matters, transactions or accounts therein recorded, unless the court for special reason so directs.

21. Qualification for membership
In order to be qualified for membership of a co-operative society a person, other than a registered society, must—
(a) have attained the age of 18 years;
(b) be resident within or in occupation of land within the society’s area of operations as described by the by-laws.

22. Members not to exercise rights till due payment made
No member of a registered society shall exercise the rights of a member unless or until he has made such payment to the society in respect of membership or acquired such interest in the society, as may be prescribed by the rules or by-laws.

23. Restriction of membership in society
Except with the sanction of the Registrar, no person shall be a member of more than one registered society whose primary object is to grant loans to its members.

24. Votes of members
No member of any registered society shall have more than one vote in the conduct of the affairs of the society:
Provided that—
(a) in the case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a casting vote;
(b) in the case of societies of which a registered society is a member that society may have such voting powers as are provided in the rules.

25. Representation by proxy
A registered society which is a member of any other registered society may appoint any one of its members as its proxy for the purpose of voting in the conduct of the affairs of such other registered society.

### Co-operative Societies Ordinance 《合作社條例》

26. Contracts with society of members who are minors
The minority or non-age of any person duly admitted as a member of any registered society shall not debar that person from executing any instrument or giving any acquittance necessary to be executed or given under this Ordinance or the rules made thereunder, and shall not be a ground for invalidating or avoiding any contract entered into by any such person with the society; and any such contract entered into by any such person with the society, whether as principal or as surety, shall be enforceable at law or against such person notwithstanding his minority or non-age.

27. Block holdings of shares limited
No member, other than a registered society, shall hold more than one-fifth of the share capital of any co-operative society.

28. Restriction on transfer of share or interest
(1) The transfer or charge of the share or interest of a member or past member or deceased member in the capital of a registered society shall be subject to such conditions as to maximum holding as may be prescribed by this Ordinance or by the rules.
(2) In the case of a society registered with unlimited liability, a member shall not transfer any share held by him or his interest in the capital of the society or any part thereof, unless—
(a) he has held such share or interest for not less than one year; and
(b) the transfer or charge is made to the society, or to a member of the society, or to a person whose application for membership has been accepted by the committee.

29. Liability of past member and estate of deceased member for debts of society
(1) The liability of a past member for the debts of a registered society as they existed on the date on which he ceased to be a member shall not continue for a period of more than two years reckoned from that date.
(2) The estate of a deceased member shall not be liable for the debts of the society as they existed on the date of his decease for a period of more than two years reckoned from the date of his decease.

30. Loans made by a registered society
(1)  A registered society shall not, except as provided in section 33, make any loan to any person other than a member:
Provided that, with the consent of the Registrar, a registered society may make loans to another registered society. 
(2) Except with the permission of the Registrar, a registered society shall not lend money on the security of any movable property other than produce or goods in which the society is authorized to deal.
(3) The Chief Executive may, by general or special order, prohibit or restrict the lending of money on mortgage of any description of immovable property by any registered society. (Amended 61 of 2000 s. 3)