3

H.—ll

Prorogation by Commission.

Further prorogation.

Sitting-days oi the House.

Hours of meeting.

Prayers.

Doors closed during Prayers

Notice of Prayers to be given to Committees.

House counted after Prayers.

Quorum,

House not counted when met according to Proclamation.

House not counted when summoned to attend the Governor or the Commissioners.

House adjourned if Twenty Members be not present.

during the Session, after which the Royal assent is signified to such Money Bills, and to any other Bills which have not yet received the Royal assent; and, after a speech from the Governor, Parliament is then prorogued to a day named. 38. When Parliament is to be prorogued by Commission, after a Session for despatch of business, a Message is brought from the Commissioners, requesting the attendance of the House ; and, accordingly, Mr. Speaker, with the House, goes up to the Chamber of the Legislative Council, where the Commission is read, and the Royal assent is declared to such Acts (beginning with the Money Bills taken up by Mr. Speaker) as have not yet been assented to ; and Parliament is then prorogued to a day named. 39. Other and further Prorogations of Parliament are effected by Proclamations issued from time to time by the Governor in the Neiv Zealand Gazette.

IV. —Sitting and Adjournment of the House. 40. Unless otherwise ordered, the sittingdays of the House are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. 41. Unless otherwise ordered, the House meets each day at half after Two o'clock p.m., and continues to sit until half after Five o'clock (unless previously adjourned), when Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair, resuming it at half after Seven o'clock p.m. 42. On taking the Chair, Mr. Speaker reads the Prayer appointed by the House. 43. The doors of the House are closed during Prayers. 44. The Serjeant-at-Arms is from time to time, when the House is going to Prayers, to give notice thereof to all Committees, and all proceedings of Committees, after such notice, are declared to be null and void. 45. After Prayers Mr. Speaker counts the House • and, unless he counts Twenty Members, inclusive of himself, no business is proceeded with; and he adjourns the House, without a Question first put, till the next sitting-day. 46. When the House meets for the despatch of business, pursuant to Proclamation by the Governor, the House is not counted. 47. When the attendance of the House in the Council Chamber is desired by His Excellency (or the Commissioners) the House is not counted, and on its return proceeds with business, although less than a Quorum be present, until notice be taken thereof. 48. If, after the business of the Session has commenced, it appear at any time, on notice being taken, or on the report of a Division of the House by the Tellers, that Twenty Members, inclusive of the Speaker, are not present, Mr. Speaker adjourns the House, without a Question first put, till the next sitting-day.

49. A Member who calls the attention o: Mr. Speaker, or of the Chairman of Committees, to the fact that there is not a quorum oj Members present shall be held to be presenl during the counting of the House. 50. If it appear, while the House is in Committee of the Whole, on notice being taken, or on the report of a Division, that Twenty Members, inclusive of the Chairman, are not present, the Chairman of the Committee reports the same to Mr. Speaker ; when Mr. Speaker counts the House, and if Twenty Members, inclusive of himself, be not present he adjourns the House, without a Question first put, till the next sittingday. 51. The doors of the House are unlocked whenever Mr. Speaker is engaged in counting the House. 52. Whenever Mr. Speaker is obliged to adjourn the House for want of a Quorum the hour at which such adjournment is made, and the names of the Members then present, are inserted in the Journals of the House. 53. If, on the days on which Motions have precedence, all Motions shall not have been disposed of when the House rises at half after Five o'clock, the debate on any Motion under discussion is adjourned by Mr. Speaker, and the House, on resuming at half after Seven o'clock, shall proceed to the Orders of the Day. If there be no Order of the Day the discussion on Motions may be continued. The debate on Motions may be resumed after the Orders of the Day are disposed of, on Motion to that effect being put and carried. 54. The business under discussion, and any other Motions not disposed of at the hour of going to the Orders of the Day, are set down in the Order Paper after the list of Motions for the next day on which the House shall sit. 55. No Order of the Day or Notice of Motion : shall be called on after Twelve o'clock at '. night. The Speaker or Chairman of Committees shall leave the chair at Twelve o'clock on ; Saturday night, and no sitting of the House ; shall take place between Twelve o'clock on Saturday night and One o'clock on Monday morning. 56. Except in the cases mentioned in Nos.: 45, 48, and 50, when Mr. Speaker adjourns J the House without putting any Question, the House can only be adjourned by its own Resolution. 57. The Serjeant-at-Arms is from time i to time to take into his custody any stranger \ whom he may see, or who may be reported c to him to be, in any part of the House or i Gallery appropriated to the Members of the House, and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any 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 is to be

I Member calling attention of Bpeaker to want f of quorum to be t counted as present.

1 Quorum in Committee of the » Whole. .

Doors open while House is counted.

Names of Members present inserted in Journals.

Debate on Motions adjourned at half after Five o'clock.

Business not disposed of.

No new business after 12 at night.

"No Sunday sittings.

House adjourns itself except in certain eases.

Strangers to be taken into custody if in parts if the Houae ippropriated to "Vl embers.