Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 433

RULES OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-HONGKONG

28.-THIRD READING OF A BILL

381

(1) When a bill has passed through committee the member in charge of the bill may at the same or any subsequent meeting report to the Council that the bill has passed through committee and may at the same time move that the bill be read a third time, provided that if in the opinion of the President any material amend- ment of the bill shall have been made in committee the bill shall not be read a third time at the same meeting except after the suspension of the Standing Orders. If the third reading of any bill is for this reason postponed to a subsequent meeting of the Council the bill shall be published in the Gazette as amended before it is read .a third time.

(2) If upon the third reading of a bill being proposed and seconded any mem- ber desires to omit or amend any provision contained in the bill, or to introduce any fresh provision into it, the bill may upon motion made and seconded be re-com- mitted, and thereafter the Council shall again resolve itself into a committee of the whole Council for the consideration of the proposed amendment, but no bill shall be re-committed after it shall have been read a third time.

(3) When a bill has been a third time it shall be deemed to have been passed.

29.-GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO BILLS

(1) On each reading of a bill the Clerk shall read only the long title of the bill. (2) If at any stage in the progress of a bill the President declares that in his opinion an emergency exists and that it is desirable in the public interest that the Standing Orders should be suspended in order to enable the bill to pass through all its stages, or all its remaining stages, at that meeting of Council, it may be moved and seconded that the Standing Orders be suspended accordingly and if the motion be adopted the bill may be carried through all its stages, or all its remaining stages, at that meeting.

30.-BILLS AFFECTING PRIVATE RIGHTS

(1) Where any bill shall be proposed which is intended to affect or benefit some particular person, association, or corporate body, notice of the bill shall be given by the promoters, by two advertisements in some daily newspaper published in the Colony, and, if any of the persons likely to be benefited or prejudiced may be Chinese, by two additional advertisements in some Chinese newspaper published in the Colony, and in any case by two successive publications of the bill in the Gazette, as required by Clause XXVII of the Royal Instructions of the 14th February, 1917: provided that, as laid down in the said Clause XXVII this paragraph shall not apply to any such bill which is a Government measure.

(2) If any person considers that his individual rights or interests would be affected by the provisions of any such bill, he may petition to be heard on the bill either in person or by counsel, and he shall be heard accordingly, either upon motion made, seconded and adopted, or by order of the President. The President shall direct whether the person in question or his counsel shall be heard before the Council, or before a committee of the whole Council, or before a standing committee or a select committee.

(3) On any such petition the petitioner, or any member, shall, upon motion made, seconded and adopted, or by order of the President, be entitled to call and examine witnesses on oath or affirmation, provided that a list containing the names, residences and occupations of the witnesses shall have been delivered to the Clerk at least two clear days before the meeting of the Council or committee as the case may be. Any such witness if called by the petitioner may be cross-examined by any member, and if called by any member may be cross-examined by any other member or by the petitioner. The oath or affirmation shall be tendered by the Clerk, or, in any committee, by the Chairman.