House

House of Commons, Clerk of, an officer appointed by the Crown, whose duty it is to record the proceedings of the House, which are entered by himself or his deputies upon its journals. He also receives and takes charge of the petitions presented to the House, and generally assists the Speaker in the details of his onerous duties. He is usually a barrister-at-law. Similar officers are employed in the House of Lords. By a statute passed in the 33rd year of the reign of George III. the Clerk of Parliament is directed to indorse on every Act, immediately after the title thereof, the day, month, and year when the same shall have passed, and shall have received the Royal assent, and such indorsement shall be taken as part of the Act, and shall be the date of its commencement where no other is provided by the Act.