Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 286

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RULES OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-HONGKONG

committee of the whole Council to consider the bill clause by clause, or may refer the bill to a standing committee cr to a select committee.

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(2) The principle of a bill shall not be discussed in committee but only its details.

(3) In committee the Clerk shall read the marginal notes to the bill, clause by clause, unless the Chairman directs him to read the clauses, or any particular clause, in full.

(4) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (5) of this Order, the committee may make in the bill such amendments as they shall think fit, provided that the amendments are in the opinion of the Chairman relevant to the subject matter of the bill, and provided that if any amendments are in the opinion of the Chairman. not within the title of the bill the committee shall amend the title accordingly.

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(5) No amendment shall be moved which is inconsistent with any clause already agreed upon or with any decision already come to by the committee, and the Chairman may at any time during the discussion of a proposed amendment with- draw it from the consideration of the committee if in his opinion the amendment violates the provisions of this paragraph.

(6) The Chairman may require any proposed amendment to be handed to the Clerk in writing.

(7) If no amendment be proposed to any particular clause when the marginal note has been read by the Clerk, or when all the proposed amendments shall have been disposed of, the Chairman shall put the question "That the clause (or the clause as amended) stand part of the bill". If any amendment is proposed which the Chairman considers need not be disposed of separately he may put the question "That the Clause, amended as proposed, stand part of the bill”.

(8) If a new clause or a new schedule be proposed the Chairman may put the question "That the proposed clause (or schedule) stand part of the bill", and if the question is agreed to the clause (or schedule) shall thereupon stand part of the bill. A new clause or a new schedule may be proposed at any time which seems con- venient to the Chairman.

(9) On consideration of the schedules the Clerk shall call out the word "Schedule" if there is only one schedule, or shall read out the ordinal numbers of the schedules if there are more schedules than one, unless the Chairman directs him to read the schedules or any particular schedule in full, or to proceed in any other manner, and the Chairman may thereupon put the question "That this schedule stand part of the bill".

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(10) Any clause or schedule may be postponed for consideration at stage of the same meeting or for consideration at some future meeting of the committee. The whole bill may be left in committee for consideration at some future meeting of the committee.

(11) When all the clauses and schedules of the bill have been disposed of the Chairman shall put the question "That the enacting clause and title stand part of the bill". If the bill contains a preamble the above question shall be preceded by the question "That the preamble stand part of the bill".

(12) When the bill has been entirely disposed of the Council may upon motion made and seconded resume and proceed with the remaining business of the day.

(13) A bill may be referred to a standing committee or to a select committee at any stage of its progress prior to the third reading.

(14) If any standing committee or select committee to which a bill has been referred reports that it recommends any material amendment therein, the bill may be printed with such amendment and, after publication in the Gazette, may with the permission of the Council be substituted for the bill as read a second time. Every bill so reported shall be considered in the committee of the whole Council.