Directory_and_Chronicle_1920 — Page 428

372

Seats declared void in certain oages.

Resignation of Members.

Council may

notwithstanding vacancies.

Quorum.

CONSTITUTION OF COUNCILS– HONGKONG

Provided that if and such Member is provisionally appointed to fill a vacant seat in the Council and his provisional appointment is immediately followed by his definitive appointment, the aforesaid period of six years shall be reckoned from the date of the Instrument provisionally appointing- him.

Every such Unofficial Member shall be elegible to be re-appointed by the Governor by an Iustrument under the Public Seal of the Colony for a further period not exceeding six years, subject to Our approval conveyed through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State.

XVII.—If any Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council shall become bankrupt or insolvent, or shall be convicted of any criminal offence, or shall absent himself from the Colony for more than three months without leave from the Governor, the Governor may declare in writing that the seat of such Member at the Courcil is vacant, and immediately on the publication of such declaration he shall cease to be a Member of the Council. XVIII.—Any Unofficial Member may resign his seat at the Council by writing under his hand, but no such resignation shall take effect until it be accepted in writing by the Governor, or by Us through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State.

XIX.-The Legislative Council shall not be disqualified from the transact business transaction of business on account of any vacancies among the Members thereof; but the said Council shall not be competent to act in any case unless (including the Governor or the Member presiding) there be present at and throughout the meetings of the Council five Members at the least.

Precedence of Members.

Who to preside

Questions to be decided by a

majority.

XX.-The Official Members of the Legislative Council shall take pre- cedence of the Unofficial Members; and among themselves shall take precedence as We may specially assign, and, in default thereof, first the ex officio 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 respective 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 im- mediately on the termination 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 to have original of the Council, and also a casting vote, if upon any question the votes

shall be equal.

Governor

and casting vote.

Rules and orders to be made.

Question, &c. for debate.

XXIII.-The Legislative Council may from time to time make stand- ing 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