Citation, construction,
commence- ment and saving.
Replacement
of Article VI of principal Letters Patent.
ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING!
Know Ye that We have declared and by these Presents do declare Our Will and pleasure as follows-
1. (1) These Our Letters may be cited as the Hong Kong Letters Patent 1985 and shall be construed as one with the Hong Kong Letters Patent 1917 as amended (hereinafter called "the principal Letters Patent").
(2) The Hong Kong Letters Patent 1917 to 1982 and these Our Letters may be cited together as the Hong Kong Letters Patent 1917 to 1985.
(3) These Our Letters shall be published in the Hong Kong Government Gazette and, subject to paragraph (4), shall come into operation upon the date of such publication.
(4) Subject to any Instructions addressed to the Governor of Hong Kong under Our Sign Manual and Signet or through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong may make laws for giving effect to these Our Letters and for the holding of elections prior to the appointed date to elect persons to be Elected Members of the said Legislative Council in accordance therewith but, until the appointed date, nothing in these Our Letters or the said Instructions or laws shall affect the membership or powers and privileges of the said Legislative Council as constituted under the principal Letters Patent immediately before the date of coming into operation of these Our Letters.
(5) In these Our Letters "the appointed date" means such date as the said Governor shall appoint for the commencement of the session of the said Legislative Council commencing next after the current session thereof.
2. The principal Letters Patent are amended by deleting Article VI and substituting the following new Article-
"Legislative Council.
VI. (1) There shall be a Legislative Council in and for the Colony, and the said Council shall consist of-
(a) the Governor;
(b) three ex officio members, being the persons for the time being lawfully discharging the functions of Chief Secretary, Attorney General and Financial Secretary of the Colony;
(c) not more than seven persons holding office under the Crown in the Colony as the Governor may, from time to time, appoint (who, together with the ex officio members, shall be styled "Official Members");
(d) not more than twenty-two persons as the Governor may, from time to time, appoint (who shall be styled "Appointed Members"); and
(e) twenty-four elected members (who shall be styled "Elected Members") being persons who are qualified and elected as elected members in accordance with a law in that behalf in force in the Colony.
2
(2) Appointments to the Legislative Council shall be made by the Governor, in pursuance of any Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet or through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, by an instrument under the Public Seal of the Colony. Official Members and Appointed Members shall hold their places in the said Council during Our pleasure and, subject thereto, in accordance with any Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet.
(3) Subject to any Instructions under our Sign Manual and Signet, Elected Members shall hold their places in the Legislative Council, and vacate their seats, in accordance with a law in that behalf in force in the Colony.".
3. Article VII of the principal Letters Patent is amended by renumbering the same as paragraph (1) and by adding the following new paragraph--
Amendment of Article VII of
Letters Patent.
"(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), a law of principal the Colony may provide for the election of Elected Members of the Legislative Council and, in particular, may determine the constituencies and the number of members of the said Council to be elected by each constituency, the qualifications and disqualifications of electors, candidates and Elected Members, and the tenure of office of Elected Members.".
4. We do hereby reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors full power and authority to amend or revoke these Presents.
In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.
the
Witness Ourself at Westminster the
year of Our Reign.
day of
By Warrant under The Queen's Sign Manual.
Printed in the UK for Her Majesty's Stationery Office
Dd 5053804 3/85 3840 PS4420916 (4278)
in
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