PARLIAMENTARY LAW 



PARLIAMENTARY LAW 



tion correspond to those of tho Bnti>h Parlia- 

 ment. In New Zealand tho legislature is called 

 the General Assembly, but in the other Do- 

 minions it is known officially as the Parliament. 

 The upper house is called the Senate in Canada, 



ralia and South Africa, and Legislative 

 Council in New Zealand. The lower house is 

 called the House of Commons in Canada, the 

 House of Representatives in Australia and New 



:iid. and House of Assembly in South 

 Africa. For further details, see dor. rnm< tit, in 

 the article- in the-e volumes, on AISTRAUA; 

 CANADA; Ni:\v ZEALAND; SOI-TH AFRICA, UNKIN 



OF. E.D.F. 



Consult Ilberfs Parlinmrnt: Its History, Con- 

 stitution and Practice; Dickinson's The Develop- 

 f of rarlirunrnt tlurimj the Nineteenth Cen- 



tnrir. 



Helnt. ,l HiihjrctN. A discussion of the legis- 

 lative bodies of other countries will be found in 

 the following articles in thrs.- volumes: 

 ss of tho United Duma 



States Reichstag 



PARLIAMENTARY, pahrlimen'ta ri, LAW, 

 tli.- >y>tem of rules by which deliberative bodies 

 air ornani/ed and conducted. Organizations are 

 found in every hamlet; many rural school 

 districts have their debating societies, and 

 churches, lodges and other organizations are 

 l>.tnd< d together in such a way that at least all 

 ings for business purposes need to be con- 

 ducted in a systematic manner. Everyone 

 >hould therefore be acquainted with the funda- 

 mental principles of parliamentary law and be 

 able to apply them in organizing and conduct- 

 ing any society of which he may be a member. 



The fundamental principles of parliamentary 

 law are universal in their application, but each 

 organization should have a set of rules by 

 winch it is guided in the transaction of its 

 -e rules form its constitution and 

 by-laws. 



Organizing a Society. The first step in or- 



/.ing a Mx-iety of any sort is to secure the 



mten>ted in tin- project at 



a meeting called to effect the oriMni/aiion. 



Some one should call the meeting to order, 



when a temporary chairman should be elected. 



Following the election of the chairman should 



by the election of a secretary. Such measures 



may then be taken towards completing the 



nization as those assembled decide upon. 



The usual method of procedure is to appoint 



a committee to prepare a const it 



laws to be presented later for adoption. When 



n are adopted and the officers provided for 



have been elected, the society is permanently 

 organized. 



Officers. Every organization, no matter what 

 its purpose, must have a president, a secretary 

 and a treasurer. Most societies have a vice- 

 president to preside in the absence of the presi- 

 dent. In small organizations the offices of sec- 

 retary and treasurer may be combined in one 

 person, if such a combination appears desirable. 

 'The President. It is the duty of the presi- 

 dent to preside at all meetings and see that 

 they are conducted in accordance with the con- 

 stitution and the principles of parliamentary 

 law. He should conduct the business in the 

 order prescribed in the by-laws of the so< ; 

 entertain all motions, decide all questions of 

 order, state a motion to the society when it ia 

 ready to vote upon it and declare the result of 

 the vote. He is also required to perform such 

 other duties as the constitution may provide, 

 such as appointing committees and looking 

 after the general welfare of the society. 



The vice-president performs the duties of the 

 president in his absence. 



The Strrt'tary. The secretary's duties con- 

 sist in keeping a record of each meeting of the 

 society, and in being custodian of all its 

 ords and other papers. 



The Treasurer. The treasurer is required to 

 receive all money due the society, to be re- 

 sponsible for its safe keeping, and to pay the 

 money out as the society may direct. At stated 

 times the treasurer should render a written 

 report, showing how much money he has re- 

 ceived, and from what sources, and how much 

 he has paid out, and the purposes for which it 

 has been paid. 



Conducting a Meeting. After the society i- 

 called to order the secretary's report of the last 

 meeting should be read and approved. Then 

 the order of business set forth in the by-laws 

 should be followed. It is the president's duty 

 to take up each item in this order and see that 

 it i- di -posed of. If there are any items not 

 requiring attention at that particular meeting 

 he passes on to the next until he has i- 



through the entire h>t. When the last item 



has been disposed of the society adjourns. 



The usual order of business, in absence of any 

 rule to the contrary, is as follows: 

 (a) Reading minutes of last meeting and t 



approval. 



(6) Reports of stand Ing (or regular) committee*, 

 i report* of mmlttees. 



fully disposed of at 

 meeting). 

 \>w business. 



