Directory_and_Chronicle_1929 — Page 419

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ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS-HONGKONG

proceed to

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VII.-The Executive Council, shall not proceed to the despatch of Executive business unless duly summoned by authority of the Governor, nor unless Council not, to two Members at the least (exclusive of himself or of the Member presid- business unless ing), be present and assisting throughout the whole of the meetings at Governor's which any such business shall be despatched.

summoned by

authority.

Quorum.

VIII. The Governor shall attend and preside at all meetings of who to preside. the Executive Council, unless when prevented by illness or other grave cause, and in his absence such Member as the Governor may appoint, or in the absence of such Member the senior Member of the Council actually present, shall preside.

Executive

IX.-Minutes shall be regularly kept of all the proceedings of the Minutes of Executive Council; and at each meeting of the Council the Minutes of Council to be the last preceding meeting shall be confirmed or amended, as the case kept. may require, before proceeding to the despatch of any other business.

Twice in each year a full and exact copy of all Minutes for the To be transmit- preceding half year shall be transmitted to Us through one of Our ted home twice Principal Secretaries of State.

a year.

tive Council.

X.-In the execution of the powers and authorities granted to the Governor to Governor by Our said recited Letters Patent, he shall in all cases consult consult Execu- with the Executive Council, excepting only in cases which may be of such a nature that, in his judgment, Our service would sustain material pre- judice by consulting the Council thereupon, or when the matters to be decided shall be too unimportant to require their advice, or too urgent to admit of their advice being given by the time within which it may be necessary for him to act in respect of any such matters. In all such urgent cases he shall, at the earliest practicable period, communicate to the Executive Council the measures which he may so have adopted, with the reasons therefor.

XI.-The Governor shall alone be entitled to submit questions to Governor alone the Executive Council for their advice or decision; but if the Governor entitled to sub- decline to submit any question to the Council when requested in writing by any Member so to do, it shall be competent to such Member to require that there be recorded upon the Minutes his written application, together with the answer returned by the Governor to the same.

act in opposition

grounds for so

XII. The Governor may, in the exercise of the powers and authori- Governor may ties granted to him by Our said recited Letters Patent, act in opposition to Executive to the advice given to him by the Members of the Executive Council, if Council. he sball in any case deem it right to do so; but in any such case he shall Reporting fully report the matter to Us by the first convenient opportunity, with doing. the grounds and reasons of his action. In every such case it shall be Members may competent to any Member of the said Council to require that there be adverse opinion recorded at length on the Minutes the grounds of any advice or opinion to be recorded he may give upon the question.

require their

on Minutes.

Constitution of

Legislative Council,

XIII.—The Legislative Council of the Colony shall consist of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor (if any), the Senior Military Officer for the time being in command of Our regular troops within the Colony, the persons for the time being lawfully discharging the functions of Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, and Treasurer of the Colony, and such other persons holding office in the Colony, and not exceeding three in number at any one time, as at the date of the coming into operation of Our said recited Letters Patent are Official Members of the said Official Members. Council, or as We may from time to time appoint by any Instructions or Warrants under Our Sign Manual and Signet, or as the Governor, in pursuance of Instructions from Us, through one of Our Principal Secre- taries of State, may from time to time appoint by an Instrument under the Public Seal of the Colony, and all such persons shall be styled Official Members of the Legislative Council; and further of such persons,