564131-1929-Standing-Orders-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong — Page 11

692 THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, DECEMBER 27, 1929.

notion 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 com- mittee or a select committee.

(3) On any st ch 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 sh: 'I be tendered by the Clerk, or, in any committee, by the Chairman.

(4) Every bill intended to affect, or benefit some particular person, association or corporate body shall in accordance with Clause XXVII of the Royal Instructions of the 14th February, 1917, contain a section saving the rights of His Majesty the King, His Heirs and Successors, all bodies politic and corporate, and all others except such as are mentioned in the bill, and those claiming by, from, and under them

31. Relevancy of Amendments.

(1) When any bill, or clause of a bill, or motion, is under consideration in the Council or a committee thereof, an amendment may be proposed to such bill, clause or motion if it be relevant to the bill, clause or motion to which it is proposed.

(2) An amendment may be proposed to any amendment proposed from the chair if it be relevant to the original amendment.

(3) In committee on a bill a new clause or schedule may be proposed if it be relevant to the subject matter of the bill, and an amendment may be proposed to it if the amendment be relevant to the new clause or schedule.

(4) An amendment, or a new clause or schedule, shall not require notice. (5) The President, or the Chairman as the case may be, may require any proposed amendment to be handed to the Clerk in writing.

32. Seconding of Motions and Amendments.

A motion or amendment shall not be proposed from the chair in Council unless it shall have received a seconder, but in committee a seconder shall not be required for any amendment or for any new clause or schedule.

33. Method of Putting the Question on Amendments.

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Subject to the provisions of paragraph (7) of Standing Order 27, upon amendment to leave out words and insert other words instead of them question shall first be proposed from the chair "that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question", and if that question be negatived, the question for the insertion of the alternative words shall then be proposed, provided that on consideration of a bill in committee the Chairman shall if possible put as the test question on an amendment only such words as will not prevent a subsequent amend- ment which is in order from being moved. If the question so proposed be negatived the words proposed by the amendment to be left out shall be deemed to be left out without further question.

34. Withdrawal of Motions or Amendments.

When any motion or amendment has been proposed from the chair, it may be withdrawn at the request of the mover if, on the President or in committee the Chairman, asking whether it be the pleasure of the Council or committee that the motion or amendment be withdrawn, a dissenting voice be not raised thereto.