SECT. 25. Each committee elected on the part of this board shall organize at its first meeting by the choice of a chairman, and shall report the same to this board; and in all cases where the chair appoints a committee, unless otherwise provided for, the member first named shall be chairman, and in his absence, the member next in order who shall be present shall be chairman pro tempore.

SECT. 26. Committees of the board, to whom any matter is specially referred, may be required to report within four weeks, or ask for further time.

SECT. 27. No standing or special committee of the board of aldermen shall be authorized to contract or expend from the appropriations provided by the city council an amount exceeding five hundred dollars, unless otherwise provided in the ordinances of the city, or unless authority for such contract or expenditure be first had and obtained from the mayor and aldermen.

SECT. 28. No committee shall draw any moneys from the city treasury for the purpose of paying the expense of said committee, or any portion of the same, while absent from the city of Boston, unless authorized by special vote of the board.

SECT. 29. The foregoing rules shall not be altered, amended, suspended or repealed at any time, except by the vote of two-thirds of the members of the board present at the time.

JOINT RULES AND ORDERS

OF THE

CITY COUNCIL.

SECTION 1. At the commencement of the municipal year, the following joint standing committees shall be constituted, viz:

A committee on finance, to consist of seven members of the common council, to be chosen by ballot; and the mayor, and the chairman of the board of aldermen, ex officiis.

A committee on accounts, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council, all to be chosen by ballot.

And the following committees shall be appointed, viz:

A committee on public lands, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on public buildings, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on public instruction, to consist of three aldermen and the president and four members of the common council.

A committee on institutions at South Boston and Deer Island, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on the assessors' department, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on the city hospital, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on fuel, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on water, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on the treasury department, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on the city engineer's department, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on the city surveyor's department, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on the harbor, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council. A committee on printing, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on public library, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on the overseers of the poor, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on ordinances, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on fire alarms, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council.

A committee on public baths, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on claims, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on East Boston ferries, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on legislative matters, to consist of two aldermen and three members of the common council, who shall, unless otherwise ordered, be authorized to appear before committees of the general court and defend the city's interest.

A committee on the common and public grounds, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

A committee on the fire department, to consist of three aldermen and five members of the common council.

The members of the board of aldermen and of the common council, who shall constitute the joint standing committees, shall be chosen or appointed by their respective boards.

The mayor, the president of the common council, and the chairman of the committee on finance, on the part of the common council, shall, according to the ordinance, constitute the committee on the reduction of the city debt.

The member of the board of aldermen first named on every joint committee, of which the mayor is not a member, shall be its chairman; and, in case of his resignation or inability, the other members of the same board, in the order in which they are named, and after them the member of the common council first in order, shall call meetings of the committee, and act as chairman.

SECT. 2. In every case of disagreement between the two branches of the city council, if either board shall request a conference, and appoint a committee of conference, and the other board shall also appoint a committee to confer, such committee shall, at a convenient hour, to be agreed upon by their chairman, meet and state to each other, verbally or in writing, as either shall choose, the reasons of their respective boards for and against the matter in controversy, confer freely thereon, and report to their respective branches.

SECT. 3. When either board shall not concur in any action of the other, notice of such nonconcurrence shall be given by written message.

SECT. 4. Either board may propose to the other, for its concurrence, a time to which both boards shall adjourn.

SECT. 5. All by-laws passed by the city council shall be termed "ordinances," and the enacting style shall be: Be it ordained by the aldermen and common council of the city of Boston, in city council assembled.

SECT. 6. In all votes, when either or both