17Instrument on which no duty is payable

#### 17 Instrument on which no duty is payable (1) Where the Commissioner is satisfied that an instrument liable to duty has been duly stamped, he may put an impressed stamp in accordance with an approved style on a counterpart or copy of that instrument. (2) Where the Commissioner is satisfied that no duty or tax is payable in respect of an instrument, he may put an impressed stamp in accordance with an approved style on the instrument or on a counterpart or copy of the instrument. (3) Where a banker carrying on business in the Territory is satisfied that cheques drawn by a customer of the banker are exempt from stamp duty, the banker may impress a stamp or print on or perforate a cheque form supplied by the banker to the customer in accordance with an approved style. (4) A person shall not impress a stamp or print on or perforate an instrument in accordance with a style that resembles or purports to be an approved style under this section. Penalty: $10,000 or imprisonment for 2 years, or both. (5) An agreement for a lease or for a transfer or assignment of a lease or of an estate in fee simple, being an agreement executed after the commencement of this Act, shall, for the purposes of this Act, be treated as the original of the lease, transfer or assignment made subsequently to give effect to the agreement, and the lease, transfer or assignment so made shall be treated as the counterpart of the agreement. (6) Where: (a) 2 or more instruments together but not separately relate to the same matter, being a matter in respect of which duty is payable; (b) each such instrument contains a reference to the other instrument or instruments; and (c) one of those instruments is duly stamped; each such instrument shall be deemed to be duly stamped.