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315
PORT, CONSULAR, CUSTOMS, AND HARBOUR REGULATIONS, &c.
Consul may at any time when it appears to him needful, or on the requisition of the chairman of the land renters' committee, or on that of at least five of the land renters or their representatives, provided such requisition set forth satisfactory grounds for such request, convene a general meeting of land renters, giving seven days' notice of the meeting and its object. The resolutions passed by a majority at all general meetings, annual as well as occasional, upon subjects which these meetings are competent to consider, shall be binding upon all renters of land and their representatives within the limits of the settlement, provided that at such meetings at least one-third of the resident land renters or their representatives are present, and all registered owners of at least
mows of land within the said limits shall be entitled to a vote at the said annual and other duly convened general meetings. Provided always that this clause shall not entitle any land renter or any firm to more than one vote.
XIV.-H.B.M. Consul shall be ex-Officio chairman of all general meetings of land renters, and in his absence then such land renter as the majority of voters present shall nominate, and at all such general meetings the chairman shall have a casting vote in questions upon which the voters present are equally divided in opinion.
XV. In all cases in which land renters in public meeting duly assembled, as provided by these regulations, decide upon any matter of a municipal nature, not already enumerated and affecting the general interest, such decision shall first be submitted to the Consul for his approval, and unless such approval be officially given such resolution shall not be valid and binding. Provided always that a term of seven days shall elapse between the date of the resolution and the signification of approval by the Cousul, during which term any person considering himself prejudiced in property or interests by the resolution, may represent his case to the Consul for consideration.
After the expiration of the term of seven days, the consular ap- proval, if signified, shall be final. Provided also that should the Consul signify his disapproval of the resolution, and should his veto be protested against in writing by three or more of the land renters, within a further period of seven days from the date of its being made known, it shall be lawful for the said land renters to appeal through the Consul to H.B.M. Minister, whose decision shall be final.
XVI. In shall be lawful for the consular constable and the land renters' policemen, when these latter shall have been sworn in as special constables by H.B.M. Consul, to apprehend forthwith all persons whatsoever within the limits of the settlement who may be found in the act of committing a nuisance, or commit- ting a felony, or breaking the peace, or being drunk and disorderly, or who may be charged with the commission of the said offences; and H.B.M. Consul shall in the first instance enquire into the said charge, and deal with the accused according to law if he be a British subject, and, if not, the said Consul shall send the accused in custody to his own national authority, with a statement and with the evidence of the crime or offence on account of which he had been apprehended, and if the ac- cused have no Consular representative at Tientsin, then HB.M. Consul shall request the local Chinese authorities to deal with the case, and shall depute an officer of II.B.M. Consulate to act as an assessor at the trial of the accused.
Provided always, that no constable shall, without a special warrant, enter any occupied lot or compound for the purpose of apprehending any person or persons therein, unless called upon by one of its occupants to do so, or unless pursuing an offender into said lot or compound.
XVII. The masters, mates, and seamen of merchant vessels shall not be allowed to carry firearms or other dangerous weapons about the settlement, nor shall persons be permitted to drive or ride furiously along the Bund and roads, nor causelessly to create a noise or disturbance thereon. It shall be the duty of the consular constable and other special constables charged with enforcing these regulations, to apprehend any person whatsoever offending against this regulation, and to bring him in the first instance before H.B.M. Consul, who may punish the
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