To make new provision in relation to powers of attorney and for matters connected therewith

[1 October 1972] L.N. 176 of 1972

(Originally 51 of 1972)

This Ordinance may be cited as the Powers of Attorney Ordinance.

     (1) A person shall be regarded as being mentally incapable or suffering from mental incapacity for any purpose relating to a power of attorney for which the fact that a person is mentally incapable or is suffering from mental incapacity is relevant, if-

        (a) he is suffering from mental disorder or mental handicap and-

           (i)   is unable to understand the effect of the power of attorney; or

           (ii)  is unable by reason of his mental disorder or mental handicap to make a decision to grant a power of attorney; or

       (b) he is unable to communicate to any other person who has made a reasonable effort to understand him, any intention or wish to grant a power of attorney.

    (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), “mental disorder” (精神紊乱) and “mental handicap”(弱智) have the meanings assigned to them by the Mental Health Ordinance(Cap 1360.

(Added 18 of 1997 s. 2. Amended 81 of 1997 s. 59)

    (1) An instrument creating a power of attorney shall be signed and sealed by, or by direction and in the presence of, the donor of the power.

    (2) Where such an instrument is signed and sealed by a person by direction and in the presence of the donor of the power, two other persons shall be present as witness and shall attest the instrument.

    (3) This section is without prejudice to any requirement in, or having effect under, any other Ordinance as to the witnessing of instruments creating powers of attorney and does not affect the rules relating to the execution of instruments by corporations.

[cf. 1971 c. 27 s. 1 U.K.]

    (1) The contents of an instrument creating a power of attorney may be proved by means of a copy which-

      (a) is a reproduction of the original made with a photographic or other device for reproducing documents in facsimile; and

      (b) contains the following certificate or certificates signed by the donor of the power or by a solicitor, that is to say-

        (i) a certificate at the end to the effect that the copy is a true and complete copy of the original; and

        (ii) if the original consists of two or more pages, a certificate at the end of each page of the copy to the effect that it is a true and complete copy of the corresponding page of the original.

    (2) Where a copy of an instrument creating a power of attorney has been made which complies with subsection (1), the contents of the instrument may also be proved by means of a copy of that copy if the further copy itself complies with that subsection, taking references in it to the original as references to the copy from which the further copy is made.

    (3) In favour of a person acting in good faith a signature on a certificate under subsection (1)(b) purporting to be that of a person described as being a solicitor shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed sufficient for the purposes of this section.

    (4) this section is without prejudice to any other method of proof authorized by any other Ordinance.

    (5) In this section “solicitor”(律师) means a person who is enrolled on the roll of solicitors kept under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap 159) and who, at the material time, is not suspended from practice.

[cf. 1971 c. 27 s. 3 U.K.]

    (1) Where a power of attorney is expressed to be irrevocable and is given to secure-

      (a) a proprietary interest of the donee of the power; or

      (b) the performance of an obligation owed to the donee,

Then, so long as the donee has that interest or the obligation remains undischarged, the power shall not be revoked-

        (i)   by the donor without the consent of the donee; or

        (ii)  by the death, incapacity or bankruptcy of the donor or, if the donor is a corporation, by its winding up or dissolution.

    (2) A power of attorney given to secure a proprietary interest may be given to the person entitled to the interest and persons deriving title under him to that interest, and those persons shall be duly constituted donees of the power for all purposes of the power but without prejudice to any right to appoint substitutes given by the power.

    (3) This section applies to powers of attorney whenever created.

[cf. 1971 c. 27 s. 4 U.K.]

    (1) A donee of a power of attorney who acts in pursuance of the power at a time when it has been revoked shall not, by reason of the revocation, incur any liability (either to the donor or to any other person) if at that time he did not know that the power had been revoked.

    (2) Where a power of attorney has been revoked and a person, without knowledge of the revocation, deals with the donee of the power, the transaction between them shall, in favour of that person, be as valid as if the power had then been in existence.

    (3) Where the power is expressed in the instrument creating it to be irrevocable and to be given by way of security then, unless the person dealing with the donee knows that it was not in fact given by way of security, he shall be entitled to assume that the power is incapable of revocation except by the donor acting with the consent of the donee and shall accordingly be treated for the purposes of subsection (2) as having knowledge of the revocation only if he knows that it has been revoked in that manner.

    (4) Where the interest of a purchaser depends on whether a transaction between the donee of a power of attorney and another person was valid by virtue of subsection (2), it shall be conclusively presumed in favour of the purchaser that that person did not at the material time know of the revocation of the power if-

      (a) the transaction between that person and the donee was completed within twelve months of the date on which the power came into operation; or

      (b) that person makes a statutory declaration, before or within three months after the completion of the purchase, that he did not at the material time know of the revocation of the power.

    (5) Without prejudice to subsection (3), for the purposes of this section knowledge of the revocation of a power of attorney includes knowledge of the occurrence of any event (such as the death of the donor) which has the effect of revoking the power.

    (6) In this section-

“purchaser”(购买人) means-

      (a) a purchaser in good faith for valuable consideration;

      (b) a lessee, mortgage or other person who for valuable consideration acquires an interest in property; and

      (c) an intending purchaser; and

“valuable consideration” (有价值代价) includes marriage but not a nominal consideration in money.

    (7) This section applies whenever the power of attorney was created but only to acts and transactions after the commencement of this Ordinance.

    (8) No statutory declaration relating to a power of attorney made under subsection (4)(b) at any time after the commencement of the Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Ordinance 1987 (34 of 1987) shall be sufficient if made before-

      (a) a solicitor who acted for the declarant or the donee of the power of attorney in the transaction referred to in subsection (2);

      (b) a solicitor acting, or who has acted, for a party in any transaction affected by the statutory declaration;

      (c) a partner, clerk or employee of a solicitor mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b); or

      (d) a partner, clerk or employee of a partner of a solicitor mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b). (Added 34 of 1987 s. 2)

    (9) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that a statutory declaration made under subsection (4) (b) at any time prior to the commencement of the Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Ordinance 1987 (34 of 1987) shall not be invalid or otherwise ineffective for its purpose solely by reason of the fact that it was made before any solicitor, partner, clerk or employee mentioned in subsection (8). (Added 34 of 1987 s.2)

[cf. 1971 c. 27 s. 5 U.K.]

    (1) The donee of a power of attorney may, if he thinks fit-

      (a)  execute any instrument with his own signature and, where sealing is required, with his own seal; and

      (b)  do any other thing in his own name,

by the authority of the donor of the power; and any document executed or thing done in that manner shall be as effective as if executed or done by the donee with the signature and seal, or, as the case may be, in the name, of the donor of the power.

    (2) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that an instrument may be executed on behalf of a person by a donee of a power of attorney either as provided in this section or as provided in any other Ordinance.

    (3) This section is without prejudice to a provision in any other Ordinance requiring an instrument to be executed by a person specified therein.

    (4) This section applies to powers of attorney whenever created.

[cf. 1971 c. 27 s. 7 U.K.]

    (1) Subject to subsection(2), a general power of attorney in the form set out in the Schedule, or in a form to the like effect but expressed to be made under this Ordinance, shall operate to confer-

      (a) on the donee of the power; or

      (b) if there is more than one donee, on the donees acting jointly or acting jointly or severally, as the case may be,

authority to do on behalf of the donor anything which he can lawfully do by an attorney.

    (2) This section does not apply to functions which the donor has as a trustee or personal representative.

[cf. 1971 c.27 s. 10 U.K.]

For the avoidance of doubt it is declared that any question relating to the validity or otherwise or revocation of a power of attorney created before the commencement of the Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 (18 of 1997) is to be determined as if that Ordinance had not been enacted.

(Added 18 of 1997 s. 3)

[Section 7]

POWERS OF ATTORNEY ORDINANCE

(Chapter 31)

FORM OF GENERAL POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 7

THIS GENERAL POWER OF ATTORNEY is made this day         of       19   by AB of (address)

I appoint CD of (address)            [or CD of (address)             and EF of (address) jointly or jointly and severally] to be my attorney(s) in accordance with section 7 of the Powers of Attorney Ordinance.

IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set may hand and seal.

(L.S)

Signature, etc.

本条例旨在就授权书及相关事宜订定新条文

[1972年10月1日] （1972年第176号法律公告）

（本为1972年第51号）

本条例可引称为《授权书条例》。

     (1)凡某人属精神上无能力或患有精神上无行为能力的事实是对关乎授权书的目的属有关的，如任何人有以下情况，该人须就该目的而言被视为精神上无能力行事或患有精神上无行为能力——

        (a) 该人患有精神紊乱或属弱智，并且——

           (i)   不能明白授权书的效力；或

           (ii)  因其精神紊乱或弱智而不能作出授予授权书的决定；或

       (b) 该人不能将其授予授权书的任何意向或意愿传达予任何已作出合理努力以期明白他的其他人。

    (2) 就第（1）款而言，“精神紊乱”（mental disorder）及“弱智”(mental handicap) 具有《精神健康条例》（第136章）给予该等词语的涵义。

(由1997年第18号第2条增补。由1997年第81号第59条修订)

    (1) 任何订立为授权书的文书须由该授权书的授权人签署及盖印，或在该授权人指示下在其面前签署及盖印。

    (2) 凡该等文书在授权书的授权人的指示下在其面前签署及盖印，须另有两人在场为见证人，该两人并须在该文书上核签。

    (3) 本条不损害任何其他条例中或根据任何其他条例而有效的任何有关对订立为授权书的文书作见证的规定，亦不影响关乎法团文书事宜的规则。

[比照1971 c. 27 s. 1 U.K.]

    (1) 任何订立为授权书的文书的内容，可籍符合以下规定的副本予以证明­­­---

      (a) 由可将文件复制成为精确本的摄影或其他 器材所制成的正本复制本；及

      (b) 载有以下经授权人或律师签署的一份或多于一份证明书----

        (i) 在副本之末的证明书，表明该副本为正本的真实完整副本；及

        (ii) 如正本有两页或多于两页，则为在副本每页之末的证明书，表明该页为正本中相应的一页的真实完整副本。

    (2) 凡已将订立为授权书的文书复制一份副本，而该副本符合第（1）款的规定，该文书的内容亦可籍复制该副本而成的另一副本予以证明，但该另一副本本身亦须符合该款的规定，而在该款中提述正本之处，须视为提述用以作为复制该另一副本的原有副本。

    (3)为使真诚行事的人受惠，在第（1）（b）款所指证明书上的签名，如看来是被描述为律师的人的签名，须当作足以符合本条的规定，直至相反证明成立为止。

    (4) 本条不损害任何其他条批准采用的任何其他证明方法。

    (5) 在本条中，“律师”(solicitor)指在根据《法律执业者条例》（第159章）备存的律师登记册上登记，而在关键时间并无被暂时吊销执业资格的人。（由2007年第7号法律公告修订）

[比照 1971 c. 27 s. 3 U.K.]

    (1) 凡授权书订明为不可撤销及作为以下事项的保证----

      (a) 该授权书的获授权人的所有人权益；或

      (b) 履行须向获授权人履行的义务，

只要获授权人仍享有该权益或该义务仍未予解除，该授权书----

        (i)   不得在未经获授权人同意下由授权人撤销；或

        (ii)  不得因授权死亡、无行为能力或破产而撤销，如授权人为法团，则不得因法团清盘或解散而撤销。

    (2) 作为所有人权益保证的授权书，可给予有权享有该权益的人及藉该人而得到该权益所有权的人。该等人士是该授权书的妥为委任的获授权人，但不损害该授权书所赋予的任何委任代替人的权利。

    (3) 授权书不论何时订立，本条均适用。

[比照971 c. 27 s. 4 U.K.]

    (1) 凡授权书的获授权人在该授权书已撤销时依据该授权书行事，如该人当时不知道该授权书已撤销，则无须因该项撤销而地授权人或任何其他人负上任何法律责任。

    (2) 凡授权书已撤销，而任何人在不知道该项撤销的情况下，与获授权人进行交易，为使该上述的人受惠，该两人之间的交易仍属有效，犹如该授权书当时仍然存在一样。

    (3) 凡订立为授权书的文书订明该授权书不可撤销及作为保证，除非与获授权人交易的人知道该授权书事实上并非作为保证，否则他有权假定除在获授权人同意下由授权人撤销外，该授权书是不可撤销的，据此，只有在该人知道该授权书已藉上述方式撤销的情况下，他才会被视为知道该项撤销。

    (4) 凡购买人的权益取决于授权书的获授权人与另一人之间的交易是否凭借第（2）款有效，如----

      (a) 该另一人与获授权人之间的交易是在该授权书生效之日起计12个月内完成的；或

      (b) 该另一人在完成购买前或在完成购买后3个月内作出法定声明，表示他在关键时间不知道该授权书已撤销，

则为使购买人受惠，须推定该另一人在关键时间不知道该授权书已撤销，而该项推定是不可推翻的。

    (5) 在不损害第（3）款的原则下，就本条而言，知道授权书的撤销，包括知道有任何具有撤销该授权的效力的事件（如授权人去世）发生。

    (6) 在本条中----

“有值代价”（valuable consideration）包括婚姻，但不包括卯是象征式的金钱代价；及

“购买人”（purchaser）指----

      (a) 出于真诚并付出有值代价的购买人；

      (b) 承租人、承按人或其他以有值代价取得财产权益的人；及

      (c) 有意购买的购买人。

    (7) 授权书不论何时订立，本条均适用， 但只限适用于本条例生效日期后作出的作为及交易。

    (8) 在《1987年授权书（修订）条例》（1987年第34号）生效日期后任何时间，根据第（4）（b）款作出的与授权书有关的法定声明，如在以下人士面前作出则属不足够----

      (a) 在第（2）款所提述的交易中代表声明人或授权书的获授权人行事的律师；

      (b) 代表或曾代表任何受该法定声明影响的交易其中一方行事的律师；

      (c) （a）或(b)段所述律师的合伙人、文员或雇员；或

      (d) (a)或段所述律师的合伙的的另一名合伙人、文员或雇员。（由1987年第34号第2条增补）

    (9) 为免生疑问，现宣布在《1987年授权书（修订）条例》（1987年第34号）生效日期前任何时间根据第（4）(b)款作出的法定声明，不得仅因其在第（8）款所述的任何律师、合伙人、文员或雇员面前作出而无效，或就其目的而言不具效力。（由1987年第34号第2条增补）

[比照1971 c. 27 s. 5 U.K.]

    (1) 授权书的获授权人如认为适当，可在授权书的授权人授权下----

      (a)  以其本文的签名签立任何文书，及如须盖印，再加盖其本人的印章；及

      (b)  以其本人名义作出任何其他事情，

以上述方式签立的任何文件或作出的任何事情均具有效力，犹如该文件是获授权人以授权人的签名及印章签立的一样，或犹如该事情是获授权人以授权人的名义作出的一样。

   (2) 为免生疑问，现宣布任何文书可由授权书的获授权人按本条或任何其他条例的规定而代他人签立。

   (3) 本条不损害任何其他条例中规定文书须由该条例所指明的人签立的条文。

   (4) 授权书不论何时订立，本条均适用。

[比照1971 c. 27 s. 7 U.K.]

    (1) 除第（2）款另有规定外，以附表所载格式订立的一般授权书，或以效果相同的格式订立但订明为根据本条例订立的一般授权书，须用作赋予以下人士权限，以代授权人作出授权人可透过受权人合法作出的任何事情----

      (a) 授权书的获授权人；或

      (b) 如获授权人多于一名，则 共同行事的获授权人，或共同或各别行事的获授权人（视属何情况而定）。

    (2) 本条不适用于授权人以受托人或遗产代理人身分所具有的职能。

[比照1971 c.27 s. 10 U.K.]

为免生疑问，现宣布：任何关乎在《1997年授权书（修订）条例》（1997年第18号）的生效日期前所订立的授权书的有效性或其他方面的问题或撤销的问题，须犹如该条例并未制定般予以裁定。

(由1997年第18号第3条增补)

[第七条]

授权书条例

（第三十一章）

为施行第7条而订明的一般授权书格式

本一般授权书于19  年  月  日由地址为 

                 的AB订立。

本人按照《授权书条例》第7条的规定，委任地址为

              的CD[或地址为

              的CD及地址为

              的EF共同或共同及分别]为本人的受权人。

本人谨在下方签署盖印为证。

（盖印处）

签名