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amended or not, shall be considered on report by the house without question put, unless the member in charge thereof desire to postpone its consideration or a motion be made to re-commit the bill.

Committees of the whole House.

51.—Whenever an order of the day is read for the house to resolve When speaker itself into committee (not being a committee to consider a message from leaves chair withthe crown, or the committee of supply, or the committee on the East India out question put revenue accounts), Mr. Speaker shall leave the chair without putting any question, and the house shall thereupon resolve itself into such committee, unless notice of an instruction thereto has been given, when such instruction shall be first disposed of.

52.-When the chairman of a committee has been ordered to make a When chairman of report to the house, he shall leave the chair without question put.

committee leaves chair without question put.

53.-Every report from a committee of the whole house shall be Report to be brought up, without any question being put.

Select Committees.

brought up without question put.

54.-All committees shall have leave to sit, except while the house is Sittings. at prayers, during the sitting, and notwithstanding any adjournment of the

house.

55.-No select committee shall, without leave of the house, consist of Number, more than fifteen members; such leave shall not be moved for without notice; and in the case of members proposed to be added or substituted, after the first appointment of the committee, the notice shall include the names of the members proposed to be added or substituted.

56.-Every member intending to move for the appointment of a select Consent of memcommittee shall endeavour to ascertain previously whether each member bers. proposed to be named by him on such committee will give his attendance thereupon.

57.-Every member intending to move for the appointment of a select Notice of names committee, shall, one day next before the nomination of such committee, of members. place on the notices the names of the members intended to be proposed by him to be members of such committee.

58.-Lists shall be affixed in some conspicuous place in the committee Lists of members office and in the lobby of the house of all members serving on each select serving. committee.

59.-To every question asked of a witness under examination in the Entry of questions proceedings of any select committee there shall be prefixed in the minutes asked. of the evidence the name of the member asking such question.

60.-The names of the members present each day on the sitting of any Entry of members select committee shall be entered on the minutes of evidence, or on the minutes attending. of the proceedings of the committee (as the case may be), and reported to the house on the report of such committee.

61.-In the event of any division taking place in any select committee, Entry of divisions. the question proposed, the name of the proposer, and the respective votes thereupon of each member present, shall be entered on the minutes of evidence, or on the minutes of the proceedings of the committee (as the case may be), and reported to the house on the report of such committee.

62.-If,

Quorum.

Power to report

vations.

62.—If, at any time during the sitting of a select committee of this house, the quorum of members fixed by the house shall not be present, the clerk of the committee shall call the attention of the chairman to the fact, who shall thereupon suspend the proceedings of the committee until a quorum be present, or adjourn the committee to some future day.

63.-Every select committee having power to send for persons, papers, opinion and obser- and records, shall have leave to report their opinion and observations, together with the minutes of evidence taken before them, to the house, and also to make a special report of any matters which they may think fit to bring to the notice of the house.

Notice of prayers.

Discontinuance of stages on address in answer to

King's speech.]

Recommendation

from crown when required on application relating to public money.

Certain proceed. ings relating to public money to be initiated in

committee.

Restrictions on

64.-The serjeant-at-arms attending this house shall, from time to time, when the house is going to prayers, give notice thereof to all committees; and all proceedings of committees, after such notice, are declared to be null and void, unless such committees be otherwise empowered to sit after prayers.

Address in answer to King's Speech.

65.-The stages of committee and report on the address to His Majesty to convey the thanks of the house for His Majesty's most gracious speech to both houses of parliament, at the opening of the session, shall be discontinued.

Public Money.

66. This house will receive no petition for any sum relating to public service, or proceed upon any motion for a grant or charge upon the public revenue, whether payable out of the consolidated fund or out of money to be provided by parliament, unless recommended from the crown.

67. This house will not proceed upon any petition, motion, or bill, for granting any money, or for releasing or compounding any sum of money owing, to the crown, but in a committee of the whole house.

68.-This house will not receive any petition for compounding any sum receipt of petitions of money owing to the crown, upon any branch of the revenue, without relating to public a certificate from the proper officer or officers annexed to the said petition, money. stating the debt, what prosecutions have been made for the recovery of such debt, and setting forth how much the petitioner and his security are able to satisfy thereof.

Procedure on address to crown

for issue of public money.

Procedure on application for

charge on revenues of India.

Procedure on mo

public revenue.

69.--This house will not proceed upon any motion for an address to the crown, praying that any money may be issued, or that any expense may be incurred, but in a committee of the whole house.

70. This house will not receive any petition, or proceed upon any motion for a charge upon the revenues of India, but what is recommended by the crown.

71.-If any motion be made in the house for any aid, grant, or charge tion for charge on upon the public revenue, whether payable out of the consolidated fund or out of money to be provided by parliament, or for any charge upon the people, the consideration and debate thereof shall not be presently entered upon, but shall be adjourned till such further day as the house shall think fit to appoint, and then it shall be referred to a committee of the whole house before any resolution or vote of the house do pass therein.

Packet and Telegraphic Contracts.

72.-In all contracts extending over a period of years, and creating a Contracts to be public charge, actual or prospective, entered into by the government for approved by resothe conveyance of mails by sea, or for the purpose of telegraphic com- lution. munications beyond sea, there should be inserted the condition that the contract shall not be binding until it has been approved of by a resolution of the house.

73.-Every such contract, when executed, shall forthwith, if parlia- Contracts to be ment be then sitting or, if parliament be not then sitting, within fourteen laid on table. days after it assembles, be laid upon the table of the house, accompanied

by a minute of the lords of the treasury, setting forth the grounds on which they have proceeded in authorizing it.

74.-In cases where any such contract requires to be confirmed by act Contracts to be of parliament, the bill for that purpose shall not be introduced and confirmed by dealt with as a private bill, and power to the government to enter into public Act. agreements by which obligations at the public charge shall be undertaken, shall not be given in any private act.

Public Accounts.

75.-There shall be a standing committee, to be designated "the com- Standing committee of public accounts," for the examination of the accounts showing the mittee on public appropriation of the sums granted by parliament to meet the public expendi- accounts. ture, to consist of eleven members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum.

Public Petitions.

76.- Every member offering to present a petition to the house, not being Presentation of a petition for a private bill, or relating to a private bill before the house, petitions. shall confine himself to a statement of the parties from whom it comes, of the number of signatures attached to it, and of the material allegations contained in it, and to the reading of the prayer of such petition.

77.-Every such petition not containing matter in breach of the privileges No debate on preof this house, and which, according to the rules or usual practice of this sentation. house, can be received, shall be brought to the table by the direction of the speaker, who shall not allow any debate, or any member to speak upon, or in relation to such petition; but it may be read by the clerk at the table, if required.

78.--In the case of such petition complaining of some present personal Petition as to grievance, for which there may be an urgent necessity for providing an present personal immediate remedy, the matter contained in such petition may be brought grievance. into discussion on the presentation thereof.

79.-All other such petitions, after they shall have been ordered to lie Reference of petion the table, shall be referred to the committee on public petitions, without tiens to committee any question being put; but if any such petition relate to any matter or on public petitions. subject, with respect to which the member presenting it has given notice of a motion, and the said petition has not been ordered to be printed by the committee, such member may, after notice given, move that such petition be printed with the votes.

80.-Subject to the above regulations, petitions against any resolution Petitions against or bill imposing a tax or duty for the current service of the year shall imposition of a be henceforth received, and the usage under which the house has refused tax.

to entertain such petitions shall be discontinued.

81.-(1.) Whenever

Deputy speaker and deputy chair

man.

Seats not to be taken before prayers.

Seats secured at prayers.

Time for taking the oath.

Affirmation in lieu of oath

Administration of oath in house.

Administration of

Speaker.

81.-(1.) Whenever the house shall be informed by the clerk at the table of the unavoidable absence of Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the committee of ways and means shall perform the duties and exercise the authority of speaker in relation to all proceedings of this house, as deputy speaker, until the next meeting of the house, and so on from day to day, on the like information being given to the house, until the house shall otherwise order; provided that if the house shall adjourn for more than twenty-four hours, the deputy speaker shall continue to perform the duties and exercise the authority of speaker for twenty-four hours only after such adjournment.

(2.) At the commencement of every parliament or from time to time, as necessity may arise, the house may appoint a deputy chairman, who shall, whenever the house is informed by the clerk at the table of the unavoidable absence of the chairman of ways and means, be entitled to exercise all the powers vested in the chairman of ways and means, including his powers as deputy speaker.

Members.

82.-No member's name shall be affixed to any seat in the house before the hour of prayers; and the speaker shall give directions to the doorkeepers accordingly.

83.-Any member having secured a seat at prayers shall be entitled to retain the same until the rising of the house.

84.-Members may take and subscribe the oath required by law, at any time during the sitting of the house, before the orders of the day and notices of motions have been entered upon, or after they have been disposed of; but no debate or business shall be interrupted for that purpose.

85.-Every person returned as a member of this house, who may claim to be a person for the time being by law permitted to make a solemn affirmation or declaration instead of taking an oath, shall henceforth (notwithstanding so much of the resolution adopted by this house on the 22nd day of June 1880 as relates to affirmation) be permitted, without question, to make and subscribe a solemn affirmation in the form prescribed by the Parliamentary Oaths Act, 1866, as altered by the Promissory Oaths Act, 1868, subject to any liability by statute.

Witnesses.

86.--Any oath or affirmation taken or made by any witness before the house, or a committee of the whole house, may be administered by the clerk at the table.

87.-Any oath or affirmation taken or made by any witness before a oath in select com- select committee may be administered by the chairman, or by the clerk attending such committee.

mittee.

Power of serjeant

at-arms with re

Strangers.

88.-The serjeant-at-arms attending this house shall, from time to time, take into his custody any stranger whom he may see, or who may be reported spect to strangers. to him to be, in any part of the house or gallery appropriated to the members of this house, and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any other part of the house or gallery, shall misconduct himself, or shall not withdraw when strangers are directed to withdraw, while the house, or any committee of the whole house, is sitting; and no person so taken into custody shall be discharged out of custody, without the special order of the house.

89.-No member of this house shall presume to bring any stranger into Places to which any part of the house or gallery appropriated to the members of this strangers are not house, while the house, or a committee of the whole house, is sitting.

admitted.

house.

90.—If at any sitting of the house, or in committee, any member shall Withdrawal of take notice that strangers are present, Mr. Speaker, or the chairman (as strangers from the case may be), shall forthwith put the question, "That strangers be ordered to withdraw," without permitting any debate or amendment: provided that the speaker, or the chairman, may, whenever he thinks fit, order the withdrawal of strangers from any part of the house.

Letters.

bers.

91.-To prevent the intercepting or losing of letters directed to members Custody of letters of this house, the person appointed to bring letters from the general post addressed to memoffice to this house, or some other person to be appointed by the postmaster general, shall for the future, every day during the session of parliament, Sundays excepted, constantly attend, from ten of the clock in the morning till seven in the afternoon, at the place appointed for the delivery of the said letters, and take care during his stay there, to deliver the same to the several members to whom they shall be directed, or to their known servant or servants, or other persons bringing notes under the hands of the members sending for the same.

92.-The said officer shall, upon his going away, lock up such letters as Directions to shall remain undelivered; and no letter shall be delivered but within the officer in charge hours aforesaid.

of letters,

93.-The said orders shall be sent to the postmaster general at the Orders to be sent commencement of each session.

to postmaster general.

94. When any letter or packet directed to this house shall come to Mole of dealing Mr. Speaker, he shall open the same; and acquaint the house, at their next with letters sitting, with the contents thereof, if proper to be communicated to this directed to house. house.

Parliamentary Papers.

95.-If, during the existence of a parliament, papers are commanded to Presentation of be presented to this house by His Majesty at any time, the delivery of command papers. such papers to the librarian of the House of Commons shall be deemed to be for all purposes the presentation of them to this house.

CA. Ilbart

Clerk of the House of Commons.

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