1148
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 53

9. If the number of candidates duly nominated is less than the number required to be elected, the candidates duly nominated shall be declared duly elected, and the Minister shall appoint such persons as he deems fit to make up the number of members of the Committee to the number required.

10. As soon as all the votes have been recorded the Chairman shall declare the ballot closed and hand the ballot-papers to scrutineers, if any have been appointed by the meeting, or, if no scrutineers have been appointed, he shall, in the presence of the meeting, himself open the ballot-papers, and those five candidates shall be declared duly elected for whom the highest number of votes has been recorded.

11. Where any two or more candidates have received the same number of votes, the Chairman shall, if necessary, give a casting-vote.

12. At an election every elector may vote for any number of candidates not exceeding the number of members of the Committee to be elected, but no elector may give for any one candidate more than one vote.

13. If any dispute shall arise respecting the validity of the proceedings, the matter in dispute shall be submitted to the judgment of the Minister, whose decision shall be final. Pending the settlement of any such disputes, the Minister may appoint some person to exercise the functions of the Committee during the interval.

14. As soon as the election is over, the members of Committee present shall proceed to elect a Chairman. The Chairman shall enter the names of the new Committee in the minute-book provided for the purpose, and shall forward to the Department, through the teacher, the names of the members. The members shall hold office until their successors are appointed.

15. If an elected member of the Committee dies, or resigns, or otherwise vacates his office, the remaining members shall appoint a successor, and the Chairman shall duly report the appointment to the Department.

16. A certificate that he is the holder of the position will be issued by the Department to the Chairman of the Committee.

17. The Committee should meet at least once in every three months, but a meeting may be convened at any time at the request of two or more members of the Committee, or by order of the Chairman himself. At every meeting of the Committee three members shall form a quorum. Minutes of proceedings shall be kept in the book provided for the purpose, and at every meeting of the Committee the minutes of the previous meeting shall be read over and signed by the Chairman. The minutes may be drawn up by a member of the Committee or by the teacher, and may be in Maori or in English.

18. If a member of a Committee be absent without leave of the Committee during three consecutive months from all meetings of the Committee, except from illness or other cause which the Committee, deem to be sufficient or if a member ceases to reside in the school district, he shall cease to be a member of the Committee, and his office shall thereupon be vacant.

19. Nothing in these regulations shall preclude or prevent the Minister from declaring vacant the position held by any person as Chairman or member of the Committee who has been shown to be guilty of immoral conduct or gross misdemeanour, or to be otherwise unfitted for the position.

20. The principal duty of the Committee is to see that a proper average attendance is maintained at the school.

21. It is also the duty of the Committee to provide a proper supply of firewood for use in the school, and to arrange that the schoolroom shall be cleaned every night and scrubbed out at least once a month, and to see that proper provision is made for keeping the outbuildings in good order.

22. The Committee should, if occasion arise, forward to the Department any complaint they may have to make with regard to the school. It is no part of the duty of the Committee to interfere with the teacher personally in any way. That officer has the sole charge of the schoolhouse, the residence, and the grounds, and is responsible to the Department alone for the general management of the school.

III. TEACHERS.

1. The person appointed to be teacher of a Native school shall be a married man, whose wife shall be required to accompany him; provided, however, that if the circumstances warrant it a school may be placed in charge of a mistress. In case no suitable certificated teacher is an applicant for appointment to a school, preference shall be given to other qualified persons who have had experience in teaching.

2. Before the appointment of an assistant is made to a school the head teacher may recommend a person whom he deems suitable for the appointment, but such recommendation shall not be held to limit the discretion of the Public Service Commissioner in making such appointment. No unmarried male assistant shall be employed on the staff of any Native school.