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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
Attorney General, the Secretary for Home Affairs, and the Financial Secretary), eight official members and 13 unofficial members. With the exception of the ex officio members, all members are appointed by the Queen or by the Governor on the instructions of the Secretary of State.
The primary functions of the Council are to enact legislation and to control the expenditure of public funds. The Queen has the power to disallow laws passed by the Legislative Council and assented to by the Governor. In addition, laws having effect within the Colony may also be made by the Parliament of the United Kingdom and by the Queen by Order in Council in exercise either of prerogative powers or of powers conferred by an English Act of Parliament.
The procedure in the Legislative Council is broadly similar to that of the House of Commons, with provisions for public debates and for questions. There is a debate on financial and economic affairs in February/March of each year during the second reading of the Appropriation Bill. A wider-ranging debate on social progress and government policy in general normally takes place at the open- ing of the new session of the Council in October of each year.
The Finance Committee of the Council, which consists of the Colonial Secretary (Chairman), the Financial Secretary, the Director of Public Works and all the unofficial members of the Legislative Council, considers requests for the supplementary provision of funds, and meets in private once a fortnight on average.
JUDICIARY
Under powers conferred on the Governor by the Supreme Court Ordinance, the Chief Justice, the Senior Puisne Judge and the puisne judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by Letters Patent issued under the Public Seal by the Governor on instructions from the Sovereign given through, and on the recommendation of, the Secretary of State; district judges and magistrates are appointed by the Governor by instrument under the Public Seal or by warrant. The qualifications of puisne judges are prescribed in the Supreme Court Ordinance and those of district judges in the District Court Ordinance.
The function of the Judiciary is to try all prosecutions and to determine civil disputes, whether between individuals or between
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