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 grievance, for which there may be an urgent necessity for providing an immediate remedy, the matter contained in such petition may be brought into discuss.o on the presentation thereof.

79. All other such petitions, after they shall have been ordered to lie on the table. shall be referred to the committee on public petitions, without any question being put; but if any such petition relate to any matter or 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 or bill imposing a tax or duty for the current service of the year shall be henceforth received, and the usage under which the house has refused to entertain such petitions shall be discontinued.

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

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 twentyfour hours the deputy speaker shall continue to perform the duties and exercise the authority of speaker for twenty-four hours only after uch adjournment.

(2.) At the commencement of every parlianent, or from time to time, as necessity may rise, the house may appoint a deputy chairnan, who shall, whenever the chairman of ways and means is absent from the chair, be entitled o exercise all the powers vested in the chairnan of ways and means, including his powers 18 deputy speaker.

Members.

Seats not to

before

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

secured at

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

84. Members may take and subscribe the Time for ath required by law at any time during the oath.

sitting

taking the

Affirmation in lieu of oath.

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.

serjeant-at

house shall, from time to time, take into his arms with

respect to

custody any stranger whom he may see, or who strangers may be reported 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 this house. 89. No member of this house shall presume Places to to bring any stranger into any part of the house strangers or gallery appropriated to the members of this mitted. house while the house, or a committee of the

whole house, is sitting.

which

are not ad

of strangers

90. If at any sitting of the house, or in Withdrawal committee, any member shall take notice that from house. strangers are present, Mr. Speaker, or the chairman (as 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. Provided that any order made under this Standing Order shall not apply to members of the House of Lords

Custody of letters addressed to members.

Directions 10 officer in charge of letters.

Orders to be sent to postmaster

general.

Mode of dealing with letters directed to house.

Letters.

91. To prevent the intercepting or losing of letters directed to members of this house, the person appointed to bring letters from the General Post Office 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 of 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 shall remain undelivered; and no letter shall be delivered but within the hours a foresaid.

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