CHAPTER
311
PARTNERSHIP LIMITED LIABILITY |
ARRANGEMENT OF
SECTIONS |
SECTION |
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Partnerships may be formed. |
General and special partners. |
Form of memorandum of co-partnership. |
Declaration of general partners. |
Declaration to be recorded and filed. |
No partnership to be deemed formed until
declaration and other papers filed. |
Publication of terms of partnership. |
|
Name of general partners only to be inserted in
memorandum. |
Recorded name of partnership to be used. |
Name of partnership not to be identical with any
other, or so nearly resembling as to deceive. |
Memorandum, declaration and certificate in
renewal or continuance of partnership. |
No alteration to be made in number of partners
during period mentioned in memorandum. |
No capital stock to be withdrawn during
continuance of partnership. |
Suits, except in certain cases, to be prosecuted
by and against general partners. |
No dissolution, except by operation of law, to
take place before the time specified unless with notice given. |
Provision for winding up partnership. |
When partnership shall be deemed unable to pay
its debts. |
Application for winding up shall be by petition. |
Court may dismiss petition with or without
costs. |
Court may make order for winding up partnership
if payment not made or security given. |
Power of court on hearing petition. |
After date of order or decree suits to be
stayed, etc. |
After order assets to be collected. |
Conveyance, mortgage, etc., by undue or
fraudulent preference. |
Proceedings of court on winding up. |
Court may examine witnesses. |
Penalty on partner mutilating or altering books
or papers. |
Books of partnership to be prima facie
evidence. |
Moneys received by court to be paid into bank. |
Court may appoint receiver of estate. |
Power of court to stay proceedings. |
When creditors satisfied, court to distribute
surplus. |
Order as to priority of payment. |
Registrar General to be official liquidator. |
Official liquidator to be described as such, and
not by name. |
Powers of official liquidator. |
May appoint a counsel and attorney. |
Payment of official liquidator. |
When the affairs of partnership wound up, court
to dissolve the same. |
Order so made to be reported to
Registrar-General. |
Proviso as to alien laws. |
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SCHEDULE - Form of Memorandum of Co-partnership. |
CHAPTER 311 |
PARTNERSHIP
LIMITED LIABILITY |
An Act to
authorise the formation of partnerships with limited liability. | 13 of 1861
5 of 1987 |
[Commencement 11th
May, 1861] |
1. This Act may be cited as the Partnership Limited
Liability Act. | Short title. |
2. Partnerships, with limited liability, for the
transaction of any mercantile, mechanical or manufacturing business within The
Bahamas, except banking or insurance, may be formed by two or more persons,
upon the terms, with the rights and powers, hereinafter provided. | Partnerships may be formed. |
3. In any such partnership one or more of the members
thereof shall be called the general partners, and shall be jointly and
severally responsible, as partners now are by law; and the other members
thereof shall be called the special partners, who shall each contribute a
specific amount of capital, in cash, or other property, at cash value, to the
common stock; and such special partners shall not be liable for the debts of
the partnership beyond the amount of the fund so contributed by them
respectively to the capital; except as hereinafter provided. | General and special partners. |
4. The persons desirous of forming such partnerships
shall make, and severally sign, a memorandum of co-partnership, which shall be
in the form in the Schedule to this Act, or as near thereto as
circumstances will permit; and shall acknowledge the same before a notary
public, who shall verify the same under his hand and seal of office which
memorandum of co-partnership shall contain the following things, that is to
say- | Form of memorandum of co-partnership. |
(a) the name of
the firm under which the partnership business is to be conducted, and where the
same is to be carried on; |
(b) the general
nature of the business to be transacted; |
(c) the names
of all the general and special partners interested therein, distinguishing
which are general partners, and which are special partners, and their
respective places of residence; |
(d) the amount
of capital stock, in cash, or other property, which each special partner shall
have contributed to common stock; |
(e) the period
at which the partnership is to commence, and the period when it will terminate. |
5. After such memorandum of co-partnership shall have
been so made, acknowledged and certified as hereinbefore provided, the general
partners named therein shall also make and sign a solemn declaration before
such notary to the effect that such portions of the capital stock as have been
contributed in cash by the special partners have been deposited in a bank at
Nassau in the name of the firm, and shall produce to such notary, to be annexed
to such declaration, a certificate to that effect from the manager of the said
bank and shall also declare that the amount in money, or other property, at
cash value, specified in such memorandum has been actually and in good faith
contributed for the purpose of being applied as set forth in the memorandum. | Declaration of general partners. |
6. Every memorandum so acknowledged and verified, and
every declaration so made and signed as aforesaid, shall, with the certificate
as aforesaid of the manager of the bank, be recorded in the Registry of
Records; and the originals shall then be filed in the said Registry; and such
originals, and the respective records thereof, shall be open to the inspection
of all persons desiring to peruse the same, during the time such Registry is
open for the discharge of public business; and every person requiring a copy
thereof shall be entitled to have the same furnished him on payment of the
usual fees. | Declaration to be recorded and filed. |
7. No such partnership shall be deemed to have been
formed until such memorandum, with the verification thereto, and the
declaration of the general partners, and certificate of the manager of the
bank, shall have been filed as above directed; and, if any false statement be
made in such memorandum or declaration, such partnership shall not be deemed a
partnership with limited liability under this Act. | No partnership to be deemed formed until declaration
and other papers filed. |
8. The partners shall publish the terms of the
partnership, when recorded, for at least six weeks immediately after the
recording thereof in all the newspapers printed in The Bahamas, and until such
publication is made, for the period aforesaid, the partnership shall not be
deemed a partnership with limited liability under this Act. | Publication of terms of partnership. |
9. Affidavits of the publication of such notices, by
the printers of the newspapers in which the same have been published, or some
one in their employ, knowing of such publication, may be filed in the Registry
of Records and shall be evidence of the fact therein contained. | Evidence of publication. |
10. In the memorandum of co-partnership, to be made
and filed as hereinbefore provided, the name or names of the general partner or
partners only shall be inserted in the name of the firm under which the
business of the partnership is to be carried on, with the word
"Limited" as the last word of such name, and the business of the
partnership shall be carried on under no other name than that inserted in the
memorandum of the co-partnership, and the general partners only shall be
authorised to transact the business of the partnership and to sign for and bind
the same; and if any special partner's name be inserted, with his privity or
consent, in the name of the firm under which the business of the said
co-partnership is carried on, or if any special partner, in any manner,
transact business, or contract in the name of the partnership, he shall incur
all the liability in respect thereof which he otherwise would have if this Act
had not been passed. | Name of general partners only to be inserted in
memorandum. |
11. In all business transactions, of any such
partnership, the name of such partnership, as recorded in the memorandum of
co-partnership, with the word "Limited," as the last word of such
name, shall be the name used; and in all bills of exchange, promissory notes,
endorsements, cheques and orders for money or goods, and all bills of parcels,
invoices, receipts and letters, by, or on behalf of such partnership, such name
with the word "Limited," as the last word of such name, shall be
written, printed or engraved, in legible characters, and if, any business
transaction, or in any bill, note, endorsement, cheque, order, invoice, receipt
or letter, any other name is used, or the word "Limited," as the last
word of such name, omitted, any person thereby induced to deal with such
partnership, or, who deals with the same, in any such transaction, or into
whose possession any such bill, note, endorsement, cheque, order, invoice,
receipt of letters, may be or come, in the ordinary course of mercantile
dealings, shall have the same rights, and be entitled to the same remedies
against all the partners, whether general or special, of the said partnership
as he would have been entitled to, if the said partnership had not been formed
under the provisions of this Act. | Recorded name of partnership to be used. |
12. No partnership under this Act shall have a name
identical with that inserted in the memorandum of co-partnership of a
subsisting partnership, or, so nearly resembling the same as to be calculated
to deceive, and it shall be the duty of the Registrar General to refuse and
abstain from filing or recording any memorandum of co-partnership in which the
name of the proposed partnership is identical with that of a subsisting
partnership, under this Act, or which, in his opinion, so nearly resembles the
same as to be calculated to deceive. | Name of partnership not to be identical with any
other, or so nearly resembling as to deceive. |
13. Upon the renewal or continuance of any partnership
under this Act, beyond the time originally fixed for its duration, a memorandum
of co-partnership shall be made, acknowledged and verified, with a declaration
made, and the certificate of the manager of a bank obtained, and the said
memorandum, declaration and certificate shall be filed in the Registry of
Records in the same, and the like manner, as is hereinbefore provided for the
formation of such partnership; and public notice of such continuance, or
renewal, shall also be given in the same and the like manner, and for the same
period, and subject to the same provisions, as is hereinbefore provided, upon
the formation of such partnership. | Memorandum declaration and certificate in renewal or continuance
of partnership. |
14. During the period mentioned in the memorandum of
co-partnership, for the existence of the partnership, no alteration shall be
made, in the number of the partners, whether general or special, or, in the
name of the firm under which the partnership business is carried on, or the
nature of the business carried on, or the capital in cash, or stock, or in any
other matter specified, in the original memorandum of co-partnership; and any
partnership which shall in any way be carried on, after any alteration in any
of the above particulars shall have taken place, shall not be deemed a
partnership, with limited liability, within the meaning of this Act. | No alteration to be made in number of partners during
period mentioned in memorandum. |
15. During the continuance of the partnership, under
the provisions of this Act, no part of the capital stock thereof shall be
withdrawn, nor any division of interest or profits be made, so as to reduce the
said capital stock below the sum stated in the memorandum above mentioned; and
if, at any time, during the continuance, or, at the termination, of the
partnership, the property or assets shall not be sufficient to pay the
partnership debts, then the special partners shall, severally, be held
responsible for all sums, by them received, withdrawn or divided, with interest
thereon, from the time when such partnership is declared by the person
authorised by the provisions of section 36 of this Act, to have become
insolvent, such sums with interest thereon, to be over and above the amount
which such special partners may have contributed, upon the formation of such
partnership. | No capital stock to be withdrawn during continuance of
partnership. |
16. All suits respecting the business of such
partnership shall be prosecuted by, and against, the general partnership only;
except in those cases in which provision is made in this Act, that the
partnership shall not be deemed a partnership; and excepting, also, those cases
where special partners shall be held generally responsible, on account of any
sums, by them received or withdrawn, from the common stock, as above provided. | Suits, except in certain cases, to be prosecuted by
and against general partners. |
17. No dissolution of a partnership, with limited
liability, under this Act, shall take place, except by operation of law, before
the time specified in the memorandum before-mentioned; unless a notice of such
dissolution shall be recorded in the Registry of Records; and unless such
notice shall also be published, twelve weeks, successively, in all the
newspapers published in The Bahamas. | No dissolution, except by operation of law, to take
place before the time specified unless with notice given. |
18. A partnership may be wound up, by the court on its
Bankruptcy Side, under the following circumstances, that is to say- | Provision for winding up partnership. |
(a) whenever
the partners pass a special resolution requiring the partnership to be wound
up, by the court; |
(b) upon the
death of any of the partners; |
(c) whenever
the partnership is unable to pay its debts; |
(d) whenever
three-fourths of the capital of the partnership has been lost, or become
unavailable; |
(e) whenever
the special partners, or a majority of them, so require it. |
19. A partnership shall be deemed to be unable to pay
its debts- | When partnership shall be deemed unable to pay its
debts. |
(a) whenever a
creditor to whom the partnership is indebted, in a sum exceeding two hundred
dollars, then due, has served, on such partnership, by leaving the same, at the
place of business thereof, a demand in writing, requiring the partnership to
pay the sum so due, and the partnership have, for the space of one month,
neglected to pay such sum, or secure or compound for the same to the
satisfaction of the creditor; |
(b) whenever
execution, issued on the judgment, decree or order obtained, in any court, in
favour of any creditor, in any suit or other legal proceeding, instituted by
such creditor against the partnership is returned unsatisfied in whole or in
part. |
20. Any application for the winding up of a
partnership shall be by petition, and there shall be filed, or lodged at the
time when such petition is presented, an affidavit verifying the same, and such
petition may, in cases where the partnership is unable to pay its debts, be presented
either by a creditor or general partner, but when any other ground is alleged
for winding up the partnership, a partner alone is entitled to present the
petition. | Application for winding up shall be by petition. |
21. Upon the hearing of any petition presented by a
creditor, the court may dismiss such petition with or without costs, to be paid
by the petitioner, or it may make an order, or pronounce an interlocutor,
directing such partnership, by a day to be named in the order, or interlocutor,
to pay or secure payment to the creditor, of all moneys that may be found due
to him, together with such costs as the court may direct, or the court may, if
it so thinks fit, on the hearing of such petition, make an order or decree, for
winding up the partnership in the first instance, or such other order as it
deems just. | Court may dismiss petition with or without costs. |
22. If at the expiration of the time named in such
order or interlocutor such payment is not paid or security given, the court may
thereupon make an order or decree for winding up the partnership. | Court may make order for winding up partnership if
payment not made or security given. |
23. Upon the hearing of a petition presented by a
partner, the court may dismiss such petition with or without costs, to be paid
by the petitioner, or it may make an order or decree for winding up the
partnership, or such other order or decree as it deems just. | Power of court on hearing petition. |
24. After the date of such order or decree for winding
up the partnership, all suits against the partnership shall, if the court so
orders, be stayed; no general partner or other person connected with the partnership
shall, without the sanction of the court, dispose of any of the property,
effects or things in action of the partnership. | After date of order or decree suits to be stayed, etc. |
25. As soon as may be after making an order or decree
for winding up the partnership, the court shall cause the assets of the
partnership to be collected, and applied in discharge of its liabilities, in a
due course of administration. | After order assets to be collected. |
26. Any conveyance, mortgage, delivery of goods,
payments, execution or other act relating to property, as would, if made or
done, by or against any individual trader, be deemed, in the event of his
bankruptcy, to have been made or done, by way of undue or fraudulent
preference, of any creditor of such trader, shall, if made or done, by, or
against any partnership formed under this Act, be deemed in the event of an
order being made for winding up such partnership, to have been done, by way of
undue or fraudulent preference, of such creditor of such partnership, and shall
be invalid accordingly; and for the purposes of this section, the presentation
of a petition for winding up a partnership shall be deemed to correspond with
the filing of a petition, for adjudication of bankruptcy, in the case of an
individual trader, and any conveyance or assignment, made by any partnership
formed under this Act, of all its estate and effects, to trustees, for the
benefit of all its creditors, shall be void to all intents and purposes. | Conveyance, mortgage, etc., by undue or fraudulent
preference. |
27. The court may, after it has made an order, or
decree, for winding up the partnership, summon before it, any person known, or
suspected to have in his possession, any of the estate or effects of the
partnership, or supposed to be indebted to the partnership, or any person whom
the court may deem capable of giving information concerning the trade,
dealings, estate or effects of the partnership, and the court may require any
such person to produce any books, papers, deeds, writings or other documents,
in his custody or power, which may appear to the court requisite to the full
disclosure of any of the matters which the court thinks necessary to be
inquired into for the purpose of winding up the partnership; and if any person
so summoned refuses to come before the court, at the time appointed, having no
lawful impediment (made known to the court at the time of its sitting, and
allowed by it) the court may, by warrant, authorise, and direct the persons
therein named for that purpose to apprehend such person, and bring him before
the court for examination. | Proceedings of court on winding up. |
28. The court may examine, upon oath, either by word
of mouth, or upon written interrogatories, any person appearing or brought
before it in manner aforesaid, concerning the trade, dealings, estate or
effects of the partnership, and may reduce into writing the answers of every
such person, and require him to sign and subscribe the same. | Court may examine witnesses. |
29. If any partner of any partnership, for the winding
up of which an order or decree has been made under this Act, destroys,
mutilates, alters or falsifies any books, papers, writings or securities, or
makes or is privy to the making of the false or fraudulent entry in any
register, book of account or other document belonging to the partnership, with
intent to defraud the creditors or partners of such partnership, or any of
them, every person so offending shall be deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanour,
and upon being convicted shall be liable to imprisonment for five years. | Penalty on partner mutilating or altering books or
papers. |
30. All books, accounts and documents of the
partnership, and of the liquidators hereinafter mentioned, shall, as between
the partners of the partnership, be prima facie evidence of the truth of
all matters therein contained, and purporting to be therein recorded. | Books of partnership to be prima facie
evidence. |
31. All moneys received under the direction of the
court on account of the sale, or conversion of any of the assets of the
partnership, or of any other matters, shall be paid into a bank at Nassau, to
the credit of such account as the court may direct, and no money standing to
such account shall be paid out of the bank, except upon cheques signed in such
manner as the court directs. | Moneys received by court to be paid into bank. |
32. The court may at any time after the presentation
of a petition for winding up a partnership, and either before or after making
an order for winding up the same, upon motion of any creditor or partner,
appoint a receiver of the estate and effects of the partnership, and also, by
notice or advertisement, require all creditors to present and prove their
claims within a certain time, or be precluded from the benefits of any
distribution which may be made before such claim is proved. | Court may appoint receiver of estate. |
33. The court may, at any time after an order or
decree has been made for winding up a partnership, upon the application by
motion of any creditor or partner, and upon proof to the satisfaction of the
court that all proceedings in relation to such winding up ought to be stayed,
make an order staying the same, either altogether or for a limited time, upon
such terms and subject to such conditions as it deems fit. | Power of court to stay proceedings. |
34. As soon as the creditors are satisfied, the court
shall proceed to adjust the rights of the partners among themselves, and to
distribute the surplus that may remain amongst the parties entitled thereto. | When creditors satisfied, court to distribute surplus. |
35. The court may make such order as to the priority
of payment out of the estate of the partnership, of the costs, charges and
expenses incurred in winding up any partnership, as it thinks just. | Order as to priority of payment. |
36. For the purpose of conducting the proceedings in
winding up a partnership, and assisting the court therein, the Registrar
General shall be appointed by the court, and called "Official
Liquidator" under the provisions of this Act, but it shall be lawful in
cases where the winding up takes place at the suit of the creditor, for the
major part in value of the creditors assembled at a meeting to be held for the
purpose, and in cases where the winding up takes place at the suit of a
partner, for the major part in value of the partners assembled at a meeting to
be held for the purpose, to appoint another official liquidator to act
concurrently with the official liquidator so named by the court. | Registrar General to be official liquidator. |
37. The official liquidator shall be described by the
style of the official liquidator of the particular partnership in respect of
which he is appointed, and not by his individual name. He shall take into his
custody all the property, effects and things in action of the partnership and
shall perform such duties in reference to the winding up of the partnership as
may be imposed by the court. | Official liquidator to be described as such, and not
by name. |
38. The official liquidator shall have power, with the
sanction of the court to do the following things- | Powers of official liquidator. |
(a) to bring or
defend any action, suit or prosecution, or other legal proceeding, civil or
criminal, in the name, and on behalf of the partnership; |
(b) to carry on
the business of the partnership so far as may be necessary for the beneficial
winding up of the same; |
(c) to sell the
real and personal property, effects and things in action of the partnership by
public auction or private contract, with power, if he thinks fit, to transfer
the whole thereof to any person or persons, or to sell the same in parcels; |
(d) to execute
in the name, and on behalf of the partnership, all deeds, receipts and other
documents he may think necessary; |
(e) to refer
disputes to arbitration, and compromise any debts or claims; |
(f) to draw,
accept, make and endorse any bill of exchange, or promissory note, and also to
raise upon the security of the assets of the partnership from time to time any
requisite sum, or sums of money, and the drawing, accepting, making or
endorsing of every such bill of exchange or promissory note as aforesaid, on
behalf of the partnership, shall have the same effect, with respect to the
liability of such partnership, as if such bill or note had been drawn,
accepted, made, or endorsed by such partnership, in the course of carrying on
the business thereof; |
(g) to do and
execute all such other things as may be necessary for winding up the affairs of
the partnership, and distributing its assets. |
39. The official liquidator may, with the approval of
the court, appoint a counsel and attorney and such clerks or officers as may be
necessary to assist him in the performance of his duties. There shall be paid
to such solicitor and such clerks and officers such remuneration by way of
fees, or otherwise as may be allowed by the court. | May appoint a counsel and attorney. |
40. There shall be paid to the official liquidator
such salary, or remuneration, by way of percentage, or otherwise, as the court
directs. | Payment of official liquidator. |
41. When the affairs of the partnership have been
completely wound up, the court shall make an order or decree, declaring the
partnership to be dissolved from the date of such order or decree, and the
partnership shall be dissolved accordingly. | When the affairs of partnership wound up, court to
dissolve the same. |
42. Any order or decree so made shall be reported by
the official liquidator to the Registrar General, who shall make a minute of
the dissolution of such partnership, or the memorandum of co-partnership, and
the record thereof in his office. | Order so made to be reported to Registrar General. |
43. Nothing in this Act contained shall be construed
to affect the alien laws of The Bahamas. | Proviso as to alien laws. |
44. In this Act- | Interpretation. |
"court"
means the Supreme Court. |
SCHEDULE (Section 4) |
MEMORANDUM OF
CO-PARTNERSHIP OF A. B. C. D. AND COMPANY, LIMITED |
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The
name of the firm under which this partnership business is to be conducted is
A. B. C. D. and Company, Limited, and such business is to be carried on in
the city of Nassau, in the Island of New Providence.
The
objects for which this partnership is established are for carrying on a
general mercantile and commission business.
The
general partners interested in this business are-
A.
B., of the city of Nassau, merchant, residing in the City of Nassau;
C.
D., of the city of Nassau aforesaid, also residing in the city of Nassau.
The
names of the special partners interested therein are-
E.
F., at present of the city of Nassau, but residing in the city of London, in
Great Britain;
G.
H., also at present of the said Island of New Providence, but residing in
Matthew Town, in the Island of Inagua.
The
amount of capital stock which the above-named special partner E. F. has
contributed to common stock in dry goods is of the value of $2,000.
The
amount of capital stock which the above named special partner G. H. has
contributed to common stock in cash is $4,000.
This
partnership is to commence on Monday, the eighth day of April, A.D. 1961, and
will terminate on Wednesday, the eighth day of April, A.D. 1971.
We,
the several persons whose names and addresses are hereinbefore set forth, and
hereto subscribed, are desirous of forming a co-partnership, with limited
liability in pursuance of this memorandum of co-partnership, according to the
provisions of the Partnership Limited Liability Act.
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Witness
our hands this ................................ day of
............................................... A.D. 19 ......
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...................................................
A. B.
................................................... C. D.
................................................... E. F.
................................................... G. H.
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The above memorandum of
co-partnership was duly acknowledged before me by the within-named A. B., C.
D., E. F., and G. H., on this ...................... day of
.............................
A.D. 19 .....
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In verification whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal notarial the day and year last above
written.
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......................................
(L.S.)
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....................................
S. M.
Notary Public.
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