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Waikato Times, Issue 2920, 2 April 1891, Page 2

Some little time since we promised to give a, short synopsis of " The School Committees Election Act, 1890," when the time for such elections drew near. As that time is fast approaching, we tfive the following short resume of the Act, omitting such portions as do not apply to thi3 district. Section 1 fixes"the title of the Act. Section ■J deliues the term •' householder," which means every adult, male or female, who (beinij the owner, lessee or tenant) resides in any dwelling house within the school district, and the parent or guardian or other person who has the actual custody of any child attending a State school within such district. Tents or other temporary shelter nre not. included in the term •' dwelling-house." Any paid servant of the Education Department or board or school committee cannot be elected a member of any school committee. Section J provides that the Education Board shall appoint the time and place of holding the annual meeting of householders, notice of which has to be published by the first Monday in April. .Nominations of those (who miist be householders) to serve upon the eoinujittee for the ensuing year must bo sent to the chairman of the committee ou or before the third Monday in April, duly signed by the proposer and by the candidate in the form set forth in the following schedule:—To the Chairman of the. -School Committee. I, the undersigned, hereby nominate (Christian name and surname of candidate) for election as a member of the above school committee for the ensuing year. (Signature of aominator). I hereby consent to the above nomination. (.Signature of candidate). Dated April —■ 189 . Section 4 orders the chairman to have a list of the candidates nominated placed on the outer door of every school within the district on the third Tuesday in April. Section 5 deals with proceedings at elections. The chairman of the meeting of householders will read the list of persons nominated, and if tiiere bo only sever., they will be duly elected. If more than seven are nominated a ballot will be held, and the seven receiving the greatest number of votes will be elected. Tf less than seven are nominated, those nominated will be electcd, and the meeting shall proceed to fill the vacant scats by nomination ; and if uiore than the required number are nominated, then by ballot. If there should be a tie between any of the candidates, the chairman may decide it by giving it casting vote, or by takina a fresh ballot between such candidates. Every householder mayexercise as many votes as there ate candidates to be elected, Jut shall not be entitled to record more than on/i votej'oi' uny oan candidate. This does away with the cumulative vote. Section (3 says a ballot box "shall be placed in the sehoolhouse or place of election in some accessible position during the whole of the day of election, from nine in the morning until the hour appointed for holding the householders' meeting. Any one entitled to vote may deposit a voting paper containing the names of the candidates for whom they vote in this box, but the signature of the votes must be attested by a Justice of the Peace, a postmaster, or a State schoolmaster (as provided bv Section 8); if the signature is nut. so attested the voting paper will be informal and of no effect, Those who vote per the ballot box will be excluded from voting at the meeting, but their votes will be placed together with the votes recorded at such meeting —if from any of the beforeuientioned causes voting at the meeting is necessary--and be used in determining th<; elec f ion. Section 7 provides that in school districts not situated withiu the bounds of any borough, any householder may send his voting paper, enclosed in an envelope marked outside " ballot lor school committee," to the chairman of the school committee, but it must be delivered to him not later than 4 p.ui. on the day of election, and must be attested in a similar manner to those placed in the ballot box. Section 8 deals with the attestation of voting papers as above, and Section 9 alters the date of election from January to April.