Page:Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure Upload 2.pdf/43

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§ 35
Parliamentary Inquiry.
39

34. A point of order should not be raised until the question is fully before the assembly, i. e., until it has been stated by the presiding officer, since it is the presiding officer's first privilege to rule it out of order, but if he fails to do so any member may even interrupt a speaker to make the point. After the point of order is raised it is not amendable or debatable. If, however, the chair is in doubt he may ask the advice of members before deciding the point (this advice should not partake of the nature of debate) and the chair may at any time put an end to the discussion by rendering his decision; or, if the chair is unwilling to assume the responsibility of the decision, he may at once submit it to a vote of the assembly. But if an appeal (124) from the decision of the chair on a point of order is taken the merits of the point of order may be fully debated under the appeal. (See, also, 95b.)

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY.

35. If at any time a member is in doubt as to whether a rule of the assembly or of