CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12] — Page 654

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Governor or the Member presiding there be present at and throughout the meetings of the Council five Members at the least.

XX. The Official Members of the Legislative Council shall take precedence of the Unofficial Members; and among themselves shall take pre- cedence as We may specially assign, and, in default thereof, first the exfofficio Members, in the order in which their offices are 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 other Official Members and all Unofficial Members according to the priority of their re- spective appointments, or if appointed by or in pursuance of the same Instrument according to the order in which they are named therein.

Every Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council re-appointed immediately on the termi- nation of his term of Office shall take precedence according to the date from which he has been continuously a Member of the said Council.

XXI. The Governor shall attend and preside in the Legislative Council, unless prevented by illness or other grave cause; and in his absence any Member appointed by him in writing shall preside, or in default of such Member, the Member who is first in precedence of those present shall preside.

XXII. All questions proposed for debate in the Legislative Council shall be decided by the majority of votes, and the Governor or the Member presiding shall have an original vote in common with the other Members of the Council, and also a casting vote, if upon any question the votes shall be equal.

Quorum,

Procedence of Members,

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Who to preside.

Questious to be decided by a ma-

jority,

Governor to have original and

casting vote.

Rules and Orders to be made.

Questions, &c., for debate.

Rules and regulations under which

Ordinances are to be enncled.

Form of ensoling Ordinances.

Ordinances to be numbered and

methodically arranged.

XXIII The Legislative Council may from time

to time make standing rules and orders for the regulation of their own proceedings; provided such rules and orders be not repugnant to Our said recited Letters Patent, or to, these Our Instructions, or to any other Instructions from Us under Our Sign Manual and Signet.

XXIV. It shall be competent for any Member of the Legislative Council to propose any question for debate therein; and such question, if seconded by any other Member, shall be debated and disposed of according to the standing rules and orders. Provided always that every ordinance. vote, resolution, or question, the object or effect of which may be to dispose of or charge any part of Our revenue arising within the Colony, shall be proposed by the Governor, unless the proposal of the same shall have been expressly allowed or directed by him.

XXV. In the passing of Ordinances the Go- vernor and the Council shall observe, as far as practicable, the following Rules :-

1. All laws shall be styled Ordinances," and the enacting words shall be, "enacted by "the Governor of Hong Kong, 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.

Except in the case of Bills reserved for the signification of Our pleasure, all Ordinances passed by the Legislative Council in any one year shail, if assented to by the Governor, be assented

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