60
Governor to have
briginal and cast-
ng vote.
Manner of voting.
Dissent,
No discussion after question put.
Strangers.
President's uthority.
Rules and Re-
ulations under
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MARCH 8, 1912.
the other Members of the Council, and also, if upon any question the votes shall be equal, a casting vote.
31.-On a division, the roll of Members present shall be read by the Clerk, who shall record the votes beginning with the junior Member.
(
Each Member shall in his turn give his vote in the distinct terms Aye" or No".
The Clerk shall then read out the result, mentioning the total number of votes for and against respectively.
32.-Any Member who dissents from the opinion of the majority may, if he give notice forthwith of his intention to do so, lay upon the table a statement of the grounds of his dissent, either at the same meeting, or at the next ordinary meeting after the con- firmation of the Minutes.
33.-After a question has been put by the President no further discussion there- upon shall be allowed.
34.-Strangers may be present in the Council Chamber during debates, but shall withdraw when called upon to do so by the President on any Member taking notice of their presence. Any stranger expressing approbation or disapprobation shall be immediately removed under the supervision of the Clerk.
35.-It shall be the duty of the President on his own authority to enforce all these Rules and when the President addresses the Council, any Member speaking shall immediately resume his seat.
ORDINANCES.
36.—In the making of Laws the Governor and the Council shall observe, as far as
rhich Ordinances practicable, the following Rules:
re to be enacted.
'orm of enacting irdinances.
Ordinances to be
umbered and
bethodically rranged.
ntroductory peech.
'irst reading.
Inly title to be ead.
'ublication after rst reading.
econd reading.
ublication.
(1.) All Laws shall be styled "Ordinances ", and the enacting words shall be, "enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof ".
(2.) All Ordinances shall be distinguished by titles, and shall be divided into successive clauses or paragraphs, numbered consecutively, and to every such clause there shall be annexed in the margin a short summary of its contents. The Ordinances of each year shall be distinguished by consecutive numbers, commencing in each year with the number one.
37.-The Mover of a Bill, on moving the first reading thereof, shall state the object and intention of the measure and the reasons on which it is founded.
38.-After such motion has been seconded by another Member, the Bill shall be read a first time. The President may address the Council on the first reading of a Bill should he desire to do so, but no further discussion shall be permitted.
39.-On the first reading of a Bill, the Clerk shall read only the title of it.
40.-Except as provided for in Rule 48, every Bill shall be published in the Gazette for general information after having been read a first time.
41.- When, a motion for a second reading of a Bill shall have been made and seconded, a debate may be taken only upon the general merits and principles of the Bill, and if such second reading be assented to, the Council may either refer the Bill to a Standing or Special Committee or may, either forthwith or at a subsequent meeting, resolve itself into a Committee of the whole Council.
42.-Except as provided for in Rule 48, no Bill shall be read a second time before it shall have been published at least once in the Gazette, and, subject to the said ex- ception, no Bill which shall have been materially amended in Committee shall be read a third time until it has been published as so amended in the Gazette.