Christian Brothers’ Schools
Visitor Ordinance 1915
2020 REVISED EDITION
This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021
An Ordinance to incorporate the Visitor in the Straits Settlements of the Christian Brothers’ Schools.
[17 December 1915]
Whereas it has been considered expedient to repeal “The St. Joseph’s and St. Xavier’s Incorporation Ordinance, 1902”, in order that the whole of the property of the 2 Institutions may be vested in and held by one person called the Brother Visitor having authority to visit and inspect the Christian Brothers’ Schools in the Straits Settlements in place of 2 in different localities as thereby provided:
And whereas the present holder of the office of “Visitor in the Straits Settlements of the Christian Brothers’ Schools” is the Reverend James Joseph Byrne, generally known as Brother James, who was appointed by an instrument under the hand and seal of the Superior General of the Society of Christian Brothers known in French as the Institut des Frères des Ecoles Chrètiennes and it is expedient for the better carrying on of the financial business of the said Institution that the said James Joseph Byrne as such Visitor as aforesaid and his successors in that office should be incorporated:
It is hereby enacted by the Governor of the Straits Settlements with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof as follows:
Short title
1.  This Ordinance may be cited as the Christian Brothers’ Schools Visitor Ordinance 1915.
The Visitor in the Straits Settlements of the Christian Brothers’ Schools to be a body corporate
2.—(1)  The said James Joseph Byrne and his successors for the time being in the office of Visitor in the Straits Settlements of the Christian Brothers’ Schools duly qualified as hereinafter provided shall be a body corporate, hereinafter called the Corporation, and shall for the purposes of this Ordinance have the name of “The Visitor in the Straits Settlements of the Christian Brothers’ Schools”, and by that name have and use a corporate seal.
(2)  The said seal may from time to time be broken, changed, altered and made anew as to the Corporation seems fit.
(3)  The Corporation may acquire, purchase, take, hold and enjoy movable and immovable property of every description and may sell, convey, assign, surrender and yield up, mortgage, demise, re‑assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any movable or immovable property vested in the Corporation upon such terms as to the Corporation seem fit.
(4)  No person shall be deemed to be duly qualified as aforesaid unless and until he has first, with the approval of the Minister signified under his hand and seal, caused the power of attorney or other instrument constituting him such Visitor to be duly filed in the Registry of the Supreme Court at Singapore, pursuant to section 48 of the Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1886, and unless and until a notification of such filing has appeared in the Gazette.
[72/59]
(5)  Such notification shall be sufficient evidence of the appointment and that the person therein named is duly qualified as by this Ordinance is required.
Use of corporate seal
3.—(1)  No deed, document or other instrument sealed with the seal of the Corporation shall be deemed to be duly sealed unless such seal has been affixed in the presence of the said James Joseph Byrne or his attorney duly authorised by a power of attorney deposited under section 48 of the Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1886, or in the presence of his successor for the time being in his said office of Visitor and duly qualified as aforesaid, and unless such deed, document or other instrument is signed by the said James Joseph Byrne or his attorney or by his successor or his said attorney.
(2)  Such signing shall be taken as sufficient evidence of the due sealing of such deed, document or other instrument.
Property vested in Corporation
4.  All movable and immovable property situated in the Colony heretofore held, conveyed or assigned to or vested in either the Director in Singapore of St. Joseph’s Institution or the Director in Penang of St. Xavier’s Institution whether with or without the name of the Director for the time being holding the office is hereby vested in the Corporation for the respective estates and interests for which the same is held.
Saving of Government and other rights
5.  Nothing in this Ordinance shall affect the rights of the Government or of any body politic or corporate or of any other persons except such as are mentioned in this Ordinance and those claiming by, from or under them.
[7/97]