756

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

No. 33

15. If the number of persons nominated for any election is not more than
    the number of vacancies to be filled, the persons nominated shall be declared
    to be duly elected.

16. In any case in which a ballot becomes necessary the Returning
    Officer shall, immediately after the nominations are closed, prepare and
    post to each elector entitled to vote at the election a printed ballot-paper
    containing, in alphabetical order of surnames, a list of all the duly nominated
    candidates for such election; and such ballot-paper shall be in the form or
    to the effect following:

GENERAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION.

Election by Members of the Education Boards in the North Island (or as the case may be).

BALLOT PAPER.

FOR USE AT ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE DAY OF , 19

CANDIDATES.

[Full names of all duly nominated candidates, in alphabetical order of surnames.]
THE vote of [Name of voter] is hereby recorded as above this day of , 19 .

[DIRECTIONS.

The number of candidates to be elected is
The voter must draw a line through the name of every candidate for whom he does
not intend to vote, and the number of names left uncancelled must not exceed the number
of candidates to be elected.

This ballot-paper must be signed by the voter and sent to the Returning Officer in
a closed envelope, and must either be posted on or before the day of the election, or
must be delivered before the day of the election, or not later than 5 o'clock in the afternoon of that day.

The envelope is to be addressed [Name, address, and description of Returning Officer].

17. The poll shall close at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the day of the
    election; but all ballot-papers shall be included and counted which are
    received by the Returning Officer in due course of post before the close of
    the eighth day after the day of election.

18. A ballot-paper shall be informal in any of the following cases, that
    is to say:

(1.) If it is not duly signed by the elector, or if the number of ballot-
papers signed by him exceeds one; or
(2.) If the number of names of candidates left uncancelled exceed the
number of candidates to be elected; or
(3.) If, being personally delivered to the Returning Officer, it is not
delivered at his office before the close of the poll; or if, having been
forwarded by post, it is not received at the office of the Returning
Officer on or before the eighth day after the day of the election;
or
(4.) If, from the postmark on the envelope or otherwise, the Returning
Officer is satisfied that it was not posted until after the day of the
election.

19. On the close of the eighth day after the day of the election the Returning
    Officer shall open and examine all the ballot-papers duly received by him
    as aforesaid, and, after rejecting informal ballot-papers, if any, shall ascertain
    the candidates (not exceeding the total number to be elected) who have
    received the greatest number of the votes, and shall declare such candidates
    to be elected.

20. If by reason of an equality of votes given for two or more candidates
    the election is not complete, the Returning Officer shall complete the election
    by casting lots in the presence of the Director of Education, or, in his absence,
    of the Assistant Director.

21. Forthwith after the completion of the election, the Returning Officer
    shall notify in the Gazette the result of the election, specifying the names of
    the candidates, and the number of votes received for each candidate, the
    number of informal votes, and the candidates who have been elected.

22. The voting-papers shall, after being counted, be locked up in a sealed
    packet, and, unless an inquiry into the election is demanded, shall be kept
    unopened in the custody of the Returning Officer for two months, and shall
    then be destroyed.

23. If any dispute or question arises touching the regularity of any
    election such dispute or question shall be determined by the Minister of
    Education, whose decision shall be final.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this twenty-
seventh day of February, one thousand nine hundred and
fifteen.

J. ALLEN,
Minister of Education.