502
C. O. Despatch
CONSTITUTION OF COUNCILS-HONGKONG
And whereas by the Thirteenth Clause of Our Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet, bearing date the Nineteenth day of Jan- uary, 1888, accompanying Our said Letters Patent, We did constitute Our said Legislative Council as therein is set forth; and by the Six- teenth Clause of Our said Instructions We did provide for the prece-- dence of the Members of Our said Legislative Council;
And whereas We are minded to reconstruct Our said Legislative Council:
I. Now therefore We do, by these Our Additional Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet, revoke the aforesaid Thirteenth and Sixteenth Clauses of Our said Instructions of the Nineteenth day of January, 1888, but without prejudice to anything lawfully done there- under, and instead thereof We do declare Our pleasure as follows:-
II.—The Legislative Council of the Colony shall consist of the Gov- ernor, the Lieutenant Governor (if any), the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of Our Regular Troops within the Colony, the persons for the time being lawfully discharging the functions of Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, and Treasurer of the Colony, and such other persons holding offices in the Colony, and not exceeding three in number at any one time, as at the time of the receipt of tuese Our additional Instructions in the Colony are Official Members of the said Council, or as We may from time to time appoint by any Instructions or Warrants under Our Sign Manual and Signet, and all such persons shall be styled Official Members of the Legislative Council; and further of such persons, not exceeding six in number at any one time, as at the time of the receipt of these Our Additional Instructions in the Colony are Unofficial Members of the said Council, or as the Governor, ir pursuance of any Instructions from Us, through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, may from time to time appoint by any Instrument under the Public Seal of the Colony, and all such persons shall be styled Unofficial Members of the Legisative Council.
Every person who at the time of the receipt of these Our Additional Instructions in the Colony is au Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council may retain his seat until the end of six years from the date of his appointment, and every Unofficial Member appointed after the receipt of these Additional Instructions shall vacate his seat at the end of six years from the date of the Instrument by which he is appointed.
III. The Official Members of the Legislative Council shall take precedence of the Unoffical Members; and among themselves shall take precedence as We may specially assign, and, in default thereof, first the above-mentioned Officers in the Order in which their offices are mentioned. (except the Senior Military Officer, if below the rank of Lieuteuant- Colonel in Our Army, shall take precedence after the person lawfully discharging the functions of Attorney-General), then other Official Mem- bers according to the priority of their respective appointments, or if ap pointed by the same Instrument according to the order in which they are- named therein.
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS
·
By a Despatch from the Secretary of State, the following course is 7th August, 1983, followed in the appointment of unofficial members :-
and 29th May,
1900.
Appointed by the Governor (one at least of whom
being a member of the Chinese community). Elected by the Chamber of Commerce....... Elected by the Justices of the Peace..........
4
1
1
Total..
6.