Directory_and_Chronicle_1926 — Page 455

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RULES OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-HONGKONG

votes of the Members present, the Bill may be carried through its remaining stages at one sitting.

403

Bill to a Com- mittee.

49.-A Bill may be referred either to a Special Committee or to a Reference of Standing Committee at any stage of its progress prior to the third reading.

50.-When a Bill has been read a third time, the question "that Passing of Bill this Bill do pass".shall immediately be put.

PETITIONS

51.—The Petitions addressed to the Council may be sent to the Clerk Petitions. or they may be presented by any Member of the Council.

No Petition shall be received which is not properly and respectfully worded, or which does not relate to matters of Legislation.

It shall be the duty of the Clerk or of the Member presenting a Petition to inform the President if he has any doubt whether the Petition comes under either of these prohibitions; and as to the first the decision of the President shall be final, and as to the second the President shall if he has any doubt refer the matter for the decision of the Law Committee. If the Petition be rejected under either of these prohibitions it shall be returned by the Clerk to the Petitioner.

Petitions not coming within the above prohibitions shall be received as of course without question.

Petitions relating to any Bills before a Special or Standing Com- mittee, shall on receipt be referred by the Clerk to the Committee, by whom they will be presented to the Council with their Report. Other petitions after being received, if it be so resolved, may be read, or may be printed and laid on the table, or may be referred to a Committee for consideration and report.

52.-No speech shall be made on presenting a petition, beyond such Speech on as may be necessary to explain its nature and object.

PRIVATE RIGHTS

petition.

53. In any case where individual rights or interests of property Petition to be may be peculiarly affected by any proposed Bill, all parties interested heard. may, upon petition for that purpose, or motion made, seconded and carried, be heard before the Council, or any Committee thereof, either in person, or by Counsel.

Witnesses.

54. When it is intended to examine any Witnesses, the Member, Examination of or the Petitioner requiring such Witnesses, shall deliver to the Clerk a list containing the names and residences of such Witnesses, at least two days before the day appointed for their examination. The evidence of every such Witness shall be taken down by the Clerk and be signed by the Witness.

Private Bill in the Gazette.

55.-Before any Private Bill, whereby the property of any private Notification of person may be affected, is introduced, notification of the intention of the parties to apply for such Private Bill shall be given by the parties, by two advertisements in the Gazette, and two in some daily Newspaper circulating in the Colony, and, if the parties affected are Chinese, in one Chinese Newspaper, and by publication of the proposed Bill at least once in the Gazette prior to the first reading and, if amended in Committee, once prior to the third reading. No Private Ordinance shall be passed whereby the property of any private person may be affected in which there is not a saving of the rights of His Majesty the King, His Heirs and Successors, and of all bodies politic or corporate and of all other persons except such as are mentioned in the Ordinance and those claiming by from and under them.