The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-23 00:00:00

THE NEW REGULATIONS FOR SCHOOL
BOARD ELECTIONS.

The new code of orders for regulating the election of
members to till up casual vacancies on school boards in
boroughs is now complete. It includes provisions for
the taking of votes by ballot, and these elections have
been intentionallydelayed until after the first municipal
elections under the Ballot Act. The document, which
will be immediately issued to returning officers in
boroughs where school boards have expressed a desire
that casual vacancies should be filled up, is called an
"order regulating the elections for filling up casua
vacancies in a 'school board. Schedule IL, part 1.,
section 15." The words in the schedule on which
the order is mainly based are first : "The election
of a school board shall be held at such time
and in such manner, and in accordance with
such regulations as the Education Department may
from tune to time by order prescribe ; " and, secondly,
after describing how a poll shall be taken in the metro.
polies, the schedule save the poll "shall be taken in any
other district in like manner as a poll of burgesses or
ratepayers (as the case may be) is usually taken in such
district." By the construction put upon these last
words by the Committee of Council on Education the
votes in school board elections in boroughs should be
token by ballot, but not in country parishes.
Hence these orders begin with a recital of that portion
of Schedule 11., and the words we have last quoted
are followed immediately by these words :—" And
whereas, in pursuance of the Ballet Act 1872,
a poll of burgesses is usually taken by ballot"—
leading up to a proclamation of the vacancy or
vacancies now required to be filled up in a particular
school board. It would seem from the construction of
this proclamation that though the Ballot Act has been
the law of the land since the 18th of lost July, a school
board electioncould not properly beheld by ballot until
after the first municipal elections ; for not until after
the Ist of November. 1872, could it be said with ac-
curacy that "a poll of burgesses is usually broken by
ballot." The order proceeds to prescribe that the re-
turning officer shall be the mayor of the borough or
other officer who presides at municipal elections; that
the election shall be held on a day to be fixed by the
returning officer within twenty-eight clear days after
the date of this order ; that fourteen clear days'
notice shall be published ; that nominations must be
made not less than ten clear days before the day
of election ; that the names of the candidates shall
be advertised eight deer days Wore the election ;
that candidates desiring to withdraw must do so six
clear days before the date of election; that in case of
a contest proper notice shall be given of the polling ;
that three clear days' notice shall be given of the situa-
tions of the polling stations ; that "no public-house
shall be used as a polling place or for the purpose of an
election ;"that 'the polling shall commence at such
an hour not earlier than eight a.m., and close at such an
hour not later than eight p.m., as shall be fixed by the
returning officer, but the poll shall not be open fcr
more than seven hours ;" and then follow the clauses
relating to the taking of the votes by ballot which run
thus :
Subject to the provisions of this order, the poll shall be
taken in like manner as spoil at a contested municipal elec-
tion is directed by the Ballot Act, 1572, to be taken; and the
provisions of that Act shall apply to the election in like
mant.er as if they were contained in this order, with the
substitution of the term "School Board Election" for the
term 4' Municipal Election :'' Provi ed that :-1. Every
voter shall be entitled to a number of votes equal to the
nailer of the members of the School Board to be elected
to till up the vmanciea, and may give all such vets
to one canoldate, or may distribute them among the
candidates as he thinks fit. 2. Tho voter may piece
agaimt the name of any candidate tor whom he votes
the number of v.tes he gives to such candidate in
lieu of a cross. and the form of direction. for the guidance
of the voter in voting, contained in the Ballot Act, 1572,
shall be altered accordingly. 8. The previsions of sections
3,4, 11, awl 21 of the Bellot Act, 1872, shall be deemed te be
regulations contained in this order which involve a penalty
within the meaning of section 90 of the Elementary Ellice-
, tion Act, 1870.
It is next provided that any voter on applying for a
ballot-paper at the polling-place shall answer two
questions—first, whether he is the person whose name
appears as "A. 11" on the burgess list ; and secondly,
whether he has already voted at that election. The
orders as to the publication of the result of the election
are of the usual descriptions and it is finally provided
" that the expenses of the election and of taking the
poll shall be paid by the School Beard out of School
Fund." At the end of the order appears a form of
Odic noticd of an election, in accordance with the
foregoing regulations. Orders for new school board
elections in boroughs are not yet ready for issue.