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PORT, CONSULAR, CUSTOMS, AND HARBOUR REGULATIONS, &c.
expenditure shall have been sanctioned at the annual general meeting of land renters, or at any special general meeting called to vote expenses, provided they do not exceed the sum voted at such meeting.
Be it further ordered, that the said committee shall appoint an auditor at least seven days before the annual general meeting of land renters to audit the accounts kept by them during their year of office, and that they shall also draw up a statement of receipts and disbursements for the same period, and that the said statement and said accounts duly audited be left in the court room of H.B.M. Consulate for at least 24 hours before the assembling of the sai l annual general meeting, to be open for the inspection of the land renters generally, and that the said accounts be passed finally, if correct, at the said meeting.
XI.-The committee shall have power and authority from time to time to make bye-laws, for the purpose of better enabling them to carry out the objects of these regulations, and such bye-laws if adopted by a special general meeting of the land renters, and approved by H.B.M. minister, shall be of the san.e force and effect as these regulations.
XII. The committee shall be liable to be sued, through their secretary, in H.B.M. Consular Court at Tientsin, by any person who may deem himself injured by any act of the committee or its officers, and should the plaintiff obtain damages in any such suit, said damages and the costs of such suit shall be summarily recoverable by H.B.M. Consul, and paid out of the funds levied under the authority of these local regulations.
XIII. In addition to the annual general meeting of land renters, H.B.M. Con- sul 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 com- petent 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 pre- sent 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 Consul, during which term any person considering himself prejudiced in property or interest by the resolution, may represent his case to the Consul for consideration. After the expiration of the term of seven days, the consular approval, if signified, shall be final. Provided also that should the Consul signify his dis- approval 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.-It shall be lawful for the consular constable and the land renters' policemen, when these latter shall have been sworn in as special constables, by