1368
Contempt by members.
CAP. 167) Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges).
spoken, voted or acted or having so refrained shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding nine hundred and sixty dollars or to im- prisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
14. (1) Any member who-
(a) being a member of a committee, publishes any evidence taken by or documents presented to, the committee before such evidence or documents have been reported to the Council; or
(b) without the permission of the Speaker first had and obtained, gives evidence, before any court or person authorized by law to take evidence, relating to the con- tents of the minutes of evidence taken or any documents laid before a committee or in respect of any proceedings or examinations held before any such committee; or
(c) assaults or obstructs any other member within the Chamber or precincts of the Council; or
(d) assaults or obstructs any officer of the Council while in the execution of his duty; or
(e) is convicted of any offence under this Ordinance, shall be guilty of contempt of the Council.
(2) Where any member is guilty of contempt of the Coun- cil, the Council may order such member to be reprimanded by the Speaker or suspend him from the service of the Council for such period as it may determine :
Provided that such period shall not extend beyond the last day of the meeting next following that in which the resolution is passed, or of the session in which the resolution is passed, whichever shall first occur.
(3) No allowance payable to a member of the Council for his service as such shall be paid in respect of any period during which he is suspended from the service of the Council under the provisions of subsection (2).
(4) Nothing in this section contained shall be construed to preclude the bringing of proceedings, civil or criminal, against any member in respect of any act or thing done con- trary to paragraph (c) or (d) of subsection (1).