Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 272

224

Recites

Instructions o 14th February, 1917.

Substitutes

fresh Clause for Instructions of 14th February,

Clause XX of

1917.

Precedence of Members.

ADDITIONAL ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS-HONGKONG

And whereas by Our Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, 1917, We did constitute the said Legislative Council as therein is set forth, and by the Twentieth Clause of the said Instructions did direct that the Members of the said Council should have such precedence as therein is set forth:

And whereas We are minded to make other provision in regard to the precedence of the Members of the said Legislative Council:

Now therefore We do, as from the date of the receipt in the Colony of these Our Additional Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet, hereby revoke the Twentieth Clause of Our said Instructions of the Fourteenth day of February, 1917, without prejudice to anything lawfully done thereunder, and instead thereof We do direct and enjoin and declare Our will and pleasure that from the date of such receipt the aforesaid Instructions shall henceforth be construed and take effect as if the following clause had been inserted therein in place of the Twentieth Clause thereof:-

XX. The Members of the Legislative Council shall take precedence: as We may specially assign, and in default thereof, as follows:

(1) First, the Official Members in the following order:---

(a) 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).

(b) Other Official 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.

(2) Secondly, the Unofficial Members in the following order :-

(a) The Unofficial Members who are also Members of thei

Executive Council of the Colony according to the precedence taken as between themselves as Members of the Executive Council.

(b) Other 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: Provided that any such Un- official Member who is re-appointed immediately on the termination of his term of office shall as between himself and other Unofficial Members who are not also Members- of the Executive Council take precedence according to the date from which he has been continuously a Member of the Legislative Council.

Given at Our Court at Saint James's this Twentieth day of Novem- ber, 1929, in the Twentieth Year of Our Reign.