JUNE 21.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1907

17. 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 consent is not duly given as aforesaid.

18. Nominations shall close at noon of the twenty-first day before the day of the election.

19. Within three days after the nominations are closed, the Returning Officer shall prepare and post to each elector at his address as appearing on the roll of electors entitled to vote a printed voting-paper containing in alphabetical order of surnames a printed list of all the duly-nominated candidates for whom such elector 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(s) of the Council of the Canterbury University College by [Set out the class of electors].

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 must draw a line through the name of every candidate for whom he does not intend to vote, and the number of candidates whose names are left uncanceled must not exceed the total number of candidates then to be elected.

This voting-paper must be signed by the voter and enclosed in a sealed envelope, and if posted to the Returning Officer must be posted on or before the day of the election, or if delivered to him must be delivered before the day of the election or not later than 5 o’clock in the afternoon of that day.

20. The poll shall close at 5 o’clock on the afternoon of the day of the election, but all voting-papers shall be included and counted which are received by the Returning Officer in due course of post before the close of the sixth day after the day of the election.

21. A voting-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

(2) If the candidates whose names are left uncanceled exceed in number the total number of candidates then to be elected ; or

(3) If the elector votes more than once at the same election ; or

(4) 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

(5) 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 seventh 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.

22. On the seventh day after the day of the election, the Returning Officer shall open and examine all the 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 by each class of electors) who have received the greatest number of the votes of such electors, and shall declare such candidates to be elected.

23. Forthwith after the completion of the election the Returning Officer shall notify in the Gazette the names of the persons elected and the respective classes of electors by whom they are elected.

24. If any candidate is nominated for election to the same Council by more classes of electors than one, he shall before the day of the election notify to the Returning Officer the seat he desires to hold in the event of his receiving votes qualifying him for election to more seats than one on that Board ; or, if he fails to duly give such notification, the Returning Officer shall himself, before the close of the poll, determine the seat which such candidate shall hold in such event as aforesaid, and post to him a written notification thereof, and on the happening of such event the Returning Officer shall declare him elected to that seat accordingly, whereupon every other seat for which he is so qualified shall be deemed to be vacant, as in the case of a casual vacancy.

25. If any dispute or question arises touching the regularity of any election, such dispute or question shall be determined by a Magistrate in manner provided by the Local Elections and Polls Act, 1925, all the provisions of which shall, mutatis mutandis, apply in so far as the same are applicable.