THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JULY 8, 1938.
the Colony. Persons so appointed are hereinafter referred to as Official Members or Unofficial Members according as they hold, or do not hold, office under the Crown in the Colony at the time of appointment.
Every Unofficial Member shall vacate his seat at the end vacation of of five years from the date of the Instrument by which he seats. is appointed or of such other period as may be specified in that Instrument, but shall be eligible to be re-appointed in the manner aforesaid for a further period or periods, each period not exceeding five years:
Provided that if any such Member is provisionally ap- pointed to fill a vacant seat in the Council and his pro- visional appointment is immediately followed by his definitive appointment, the said period of five years shall be reckoned from the date of the Instrument provisionally appointing
him.
If any Official Member cease to hold office under the Crown in the Colony his seat in the Council shall thereupon
become vacant.
V. The Members of the Executive Council shall have Precedence. seniority and precedence as We may specially assign, and in default thereof, first the er officio Members in the order in which their offices are above-mentioned (except that the Senior Military Officer if below the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in Our Army, shall take precedence after the person lawfully discharging the functions of Attorney-General); then the Official Members, according to the priority of their respective appointments, or if appointed by the same Instrument, ac- cording to the order in which they are named therein; then the Unofficial Members, according to the like priority, except that any Unofficial Member re-appointed immediately on the termination of his term of Office shall, as between himself and other Unofficial Members, take precedence according to the date from which he has been continuously a Member of the Council.
Legislative
XIII. The Legislative Council of the Colony shall consist Constitu of the Governor, the Senior Military Officer for the time being tion of in Command of Our regular troops within the Colony, the Council. persons for the time being lawfully discharging the functions of Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and Financial Secretary of the Colony, and such other persons holding office under the Crown in the Colony, and not exceeding four in number at any one time, as We may from time to time appoint by any Instructions or Warrants under Our Sign Manual and Signet, or as the Governor, in pursuance of Instructions from Us through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, may from time to time appoint by an Instrument under the Public Seal of the Official Colony, and all such persons shall be styled Official Members Members. of the Legislative Council; and further of such persons, not exceeding eight in number at any one time, as the Governor, in pursuance of Instructions from Us through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, may from time to time appoint by an Instrument under the Public Seal of the Colony, and all such persons shall be styled Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council.
Unofficial Members.
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