2432

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 86

(7.) If the nomination-paper does not bear the written consent of the candidate nominated, such consent may be given by him to the Returning Officer before the nominations are closed, and every nomination-paper shall be void in so far as concerns any candidate whose written consent is not duly given as aforesaid.

(8.) Nominations shall close at noon on the tenth day before the day of the election.

(9.) If the number of nominations received does not exceed the number of vacancies to be filled, the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare the candidate or candidates so nominated to be duly elected. In all other cases he shall, as soon as the nominations are closed, prepare and post to each elector at his address as appearing on the roll a printed voting-paper containing in alphabetical order of surnames a list of all the duly nominated candidates for whom such parent is entitled to vote; and such voting-paper shall be in the form or to the effect following :—

VOTING-PAPER FOR USE AT ELECTION TO BE HELD ON THE DAY OF , 19, OF MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE GORE HIGH SCHOOL.

CANDIDATES.

[Set out in alphabetical order of surnames the full name of every duly nominated candidate.]

[DIRECTIONS.

The number of candidates to be elected is [specify the number].

The voter is required to draw a line through the name of every candidate for whom he does not intend to vote.

The number of candidates whose names are left uncancelled must not exceed the total number of candidates to be elected.

This voting-paper must be signed by the voter and enclosed in a sealed envelope, bearing on the outside thereof the words "Voting-paper," and, if posted to the Returning Officer, must be posted on or before the day of election, or, if delivered to him, shall be delivered at his office, Street, before the day of election, or not later than 5 o'clock in the afternoon of that day.

(10.) The poll shall close at 5 o'clock on the afternoon of the day of election ; but all voting-papers shall be included and counted which are not informal and are received by the Returning Officer in due course of post before the close of the sixth day after the day of the election.

(11.) A voting-paper shall be informal in any of the following cases, that is to say,—(a.) If it is not duly signed by the parent; or(b.) If the candidates whose names are left uncancelled exceed in number the total number of candidates for whom the person is entitled to vote, or if in any other way the paper fails to indicate clearly for whom the vote is intended to be given; or(c.) If, being delivered to the Returning Officer, the sealed envelope containing the voting-paper is not delivered at his office before the close of the poll; or(d.) If, having been forwarded by post, the sealed envelope containing the voting-paper is not received at the office of the Returning Officer before the close of the sixth day after the day of election, or if, from the post-mark on the envelope or otherwise, the Returning Officer is satisfied that it was not posted until after the day of the election.

(12.) On the seventh day after the day of election the Returning Officer shall open and examine all voting-papers duly delivered to him, or received by him through the post as aforesaid, and, after rejecting all informal voting-papers, shall ascertain the candidates (not exceeding the total number to be elected) who have received the greatest number of votes, and shall declare such candidates to be elected.

(13.) If, by reason of an equality of votes given for two or more candidates, the election is not complete, the Returning Officer shall decide by lot, in the presence of two members of the Board, which candidate or candidates shall be elected, and thereby complete the election.

(14.) Forthwith after the completion of the election the Returning Officer shall notify to the Board and to the Minister the names of the persons elected.

(15.) If any dispute or question arises touching the regularity of any election, such dispute or question shall be determined by a Stipendiary Magistrate in manner provided by sections 45 to 54 of the Local Elections and Polls Act, 1908, all the provisions of which shall, mutatis mutandis, apply.

5. (1.) One member out of each of the groups (a), (b), and (c) of subclause (l) of clause 2 hereof shall retire on the 31st December in each year, and the member so to retire shall be the one who has been longest in office since his last appointment or election.

(2.) On the 31st December in the year 1916, and in every second year thereafter, the member appointed under paragraph (d) of the said clause shall retire.

6. Retiring members shall be eligible for reappointment or re-election.

7. (1.) A casual vacancy shall be created in the same way and for the same causes as are set out in section 20 of the Education Act in the case of members of an Education Board.

(2.) Every casual vacancy shall be filled in the same manner and by the same appointing or electing authority as in the case of the vacating member; provided that the member appointed or elected shall hold office only for the residue of the term of the vacating member.

(3.) Whenever a casual vacancy occurs it shall be the duty of the Board forthwith to report the fact to the Minister if the vacancy is to be filled by the Governor, or to the Secretary of the Education Board if the vacancy is to be filled by that Board, or to the appointing body in the case of a member to be appointed under paragraph (d) of subclause (1) of clause 2 hereof.

8. (1.) The appointment or election of a member to fill a vacancy caused by the expiry of the ordinary term of office shall be made in the first week of the month of December at the end whereof such expiry takes place, or as soon thereafter as may be convenient, but shall not take effect until such expiry.

(2.) The appointment or election of a member to fill a casual vacancy shall be made not later than fifty days after the vacancy occurs.

9. The Board shall hold an annual meeting in the month of February or March in each year, at such time and place as the Board shall direct.

10. From time to time as may be necessary the Board shall appoint a Secretary, and shall appoint him or some other person with authority to receive and to pay moneys on its account. The Board shall in each case forthwith inform the Minister of such appointment.

11. (1.) At the annual meeting and at such other times as may be necessary the Board shall elect a Chairman.

(2.) During the election of Chairman the Secretary to the Board shall preside. The person presiding shall have no vote; ties shall be decided by lot.

(3.) The Chairman's ordinary term of office shall be one year, and he shall be eligible for re-election.

(4.) If the Chairman shall from any cause cease to be a member of the Board or resign the office of Chairman, the Board shall as soon thereafter as conveniently may be elect another member of the Board to be Chairman in his stead, who shall hold office only until the next annual meeting.

12. At all meetings of the Board the Chairman, or in his absence such member of the Board as the majority of the members assembled shall choose, shall preside, and such Chairman or presiding member shall have a deliberative vote, and in all cases of equality of votes shall also have a casting-vote.

At all meetings of the Board a majority of all the members then in office shall constitute a quorum.

13. Subject to the provisions of this scheme, the Board shall make, and may from time to time revoke, vary, and make fresh regulations for the conduct of business at its meetings, for determining how meetings shall be convened, and for such other like matters as may be requisite for the conduct of the business of the Board.

14. Minutes of the proceedings of the Board shall be regularly entered in a proper book to be kept for that purpose, and at every meeting of the Board the minutes of the previous meeting shall be read over and signed by the Chairman of the meeting at which the same are read, and the minutes when so signed shall be held to be a true statement and record of the proceedings of the Board for all purposes whatever.

15. (1.) The Board shall keep full and true accounts, in which shall be entered every sum received into and paid out of the Board fund in the order of date of each such receipt and payment, including all moneys received from rents or profits derived from lands or other property vested in the Board or under its control or management.

(2.) The Board shall cause its accounts for the preceding calendar year to be balanced, and a true statement and account to be prepared, in the prescribed form, of the receipts and expenditure of the Board and of its assets and liabilities.

(3.) All such accounts shall be audited by the Audit Office, which for that purpose shall have and may exercise all such powers as it has under the Public Revenues Act, 1910, in respect of public moneys.

16. All things required by the Education Act or this scheme to be done by the Board shall be done in accordance with and in pursuance of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Board, and no act of the Board shall be invalid or liable to be questioned on the ground that one or more than one of the members thereof was or were incapacitated, or had ceased to hold office, or on the ground that the seat of any member was vacant.