Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/68

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46
PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE

than is necessary to make clear the reasons for or against referring the question to a committee. The reason for this is that the question will be open for debate when it comes back from the committee and it can then be discussed more intelligently.

The usual form of the motion to commit is, "I move to refer the question to a committee of [specifying the number] to be appointed by the chair." If the motion does not specify how the committee is to be appointed, when it is adopted the chair asks, "How shall the committee be appointed?" Any members, without rising, simply say, (1) "By nominations from the floor," or "By open nominations" as it is called; (2) "Nominations by the chair"; or (3) "Appointed by the chair."[1] If only one of these methods is mentioned, the chair assumes that to be the will of the assembly just as if a vote had been taken. Otherwise the chair puts the questions to vote without any motion in the order (1), (2), (3) without reference to the order in which they were made. If it is adopted the chair at once calls for nominations from the floor. If objection is made no member can nominate more than one member of the committee, until every member has had an opportunity to make a nomination. Except in very large bodies nominations are made by calling out the name without rising. The chair repeats each name as he hears it, thus, "Mr.

  1. As nominations are made only for the purpose of an election by the assembly, such an election is always understood when the method of nomination is stated.