CHAP. 52. and any other educational institutions receiving aid from

Existing division province, continued.

Meetings of boards.

the province.

(2.) To enforce the provisions of this Chapter and the regulations of the Council.

(3.) To promote the establishment and efficiency of county academies.

(4.) To hold public meetings and institutes of teachers. (5.) To inquire and report respecting the qualifications of teachers and management of schools..

(6.) To inspect, as often as possible, all the county academies, and, when directed by the Council, any school receiving provincial aid.

(7.) To prepare printed instructions and blank forms for all purposes required by this Chapter, and to furnish them gratuitously to the inspectors, district boards, trustees and teachers.

(8.) To make annually for the information of the legislature a report on the state of the academies and schools subject to his inspection and supervision, accompanied by full statistical tables and detailed accounts of the expenditure of the moneys appropriated under this Chapter.

(9.) To collect as far as possible the statistics of all educational institutions in the province, and to offer such suggestions on educational subjects as he deems proper.

(10.) To apportion annually as hereinafter provided, with the assistance of the inspectors, the municipal fund among trustees, and to pay the provincial grants to teachers semi-annually, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. 1895, c. 1, s. 4.

DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS OF SCHOOLS.

7. The division of the province into districts and the present districts boards, are hereby continued until altered by the Council.

8. Every district board shall consist of not less than seven commissioners of schools, appointed by the Council, for such district, and shall be a body corporate, under the name of "The Board of School Commissioners for the District of 1895, c. 1, s. 3 (17), part.

9.-(1.) Every district board shall meet annually on the day appointed by the Council, and shall elect a chairman at each regular meeting, who shall call a special meeting when required by two members of the board, or when directed by the Council. In case of a special meeting the chairman shall notify the inspector of the same, and if the inspector is unable to attend, the board shall appoint a secretary pro tempore, who shall record the proceedings of the meeting, and preserve such record for the inspector, and transact any

other necessary business as directed by the board. In case CHAP. 52. of the absence of the chairman, the commissioners may

appoint a chairman pro tempore.

(2.) Three members of the board shall constitute a Quorum. quorum. 1895, c. 1, s. 6.

ing, Council to

10. If when a meeting of a district board has been duly When no meetcalled, no quorum attends, the Council shall, on the recom- perform duties mendation of the inspector, perform the duties and exercise of board. the powers which should have been performed and exercised by such district board at such meeting. 1895, c. 1, s. 3 (17), part.

11. Every district board shall have power,-
(a) to make alterations in the existing boundaries of
sections, and to create new sections, either where
none previously existed, or by uniting or sub-
dividing existing sections, provided that in no case
shall any creation of a new section, sub-division of
an old section, or union of two or more sections,
take effect until the same is ratified by the Council;
(b) to annex to any incorporated town for school
purposes territory lying beyond the limits of the
town and not forming part of any other school
section;

(c) to have in all cases of alteration of the boundaries
of sections,the sub-division of old sections and creation
of new sections, due regard to regulations made by
the Council and the number of children in each
section and the ability of such section to support an
efficient school;

(d) to number consecutively the school sections
within the district;

(e) to declare upon the inspector's report or other
reliable information, the school house, or the houses
or buildings used as school houses, or the appur-
tenances or grounds thereof, unfit for school purposes,
and every such declaration shall be forwarded to the
trustees of the section, and the condemnation shall,
unless otherwise specified, take effect at the com-
mencement of the next ensuing school year;
(f) to appoint trustees or a trustee for any section in
the special cases provided for in this Chapter;
(g) to determine, subject to the ratification of the
Council, that portion of the boundary of a border
section which lies within the district. 1895, c. 1, s. 7,
5, part; 1898, c. 41, s. 1.

Powers of board.

Board may acquire profor school pur

12. Every district board may take by conveyance, devise or bequest, and hold, any real or personal property in perty in trust trust for the purpose of erecting and keeping in repair a poses.

CHAP. 52. school house or houses, and such district board

and

may sue be sued in respect thereto, but shall have no control over any school house or houses or lands as against the trustees of the school section or the inhabitants, other than is. expressed by the conveyance or will. 1895, c. 1, s. 8. Board may ap 13. Every district board shall have power to appoint a committee of not less than three of its number to perform the duties imposed upon it as to the appointment of trustees. and the approval of sums to be rated and collected by the trustees of any section, and such committee when so appointed is hereby authorized to perform such duties. 1895, c. 1, s. 9.

point committee.

Special aid to poor sections.

Power of board on change of

of section.

14. Every district board shall at its annual meeting determine what sections under its supervision are entitled to special aid as poor sections during the following school year. 1895, c. 1, s. 10, part.

15. When any district board makes any alteration in boundaries, &c., the boundaries of a section, sub-divides a section or unites two or more sections, it may from time to time make such order or orders as it deems proper respecting the continuance and constitution of the board or boards of school trustees, and respecting the rights, property and liabilities. of the sections affected by such alteration, sub-division or union, and generally to order and direct all things which become necessary to give effect to such alteration, subdivision or union. 1895, c. 1, s. 11.

When union of

16. (1.) No such alteration, sub-division or union shall sections to take take effect until the beginning of the next ensuing school.

effect.

Islands and sparsely settled districts.

year.

(2.) Notice of the next annual school meeting after such alteration, sub-division or union shall be given by the inspector, and such meeting shall elect a board of threetrustees for the new section or sections. 1895, c. 1, ss. 7, 12. 17. Every district board may exempt from the sectional school rate, either wholly or in part, persons dwelling more than two and one-quarter miles from the school house in the section in which they reside, or on islands too distant from the mainland to permit children to attend school; and every such board may also make such arrangements as it deems necessary to establish schools on such islands, and in sparsely peopled places, for at least four months in the year. 1895, c. 1, s. 14.

Existing sections, continued.

SCHOOL SECTIONS.

18. The division of every district into sections as now existing, shall be continued until altered by the district board for such district.

19. An annual meeting of persons liable to pay school CHAP. 52. rates and poll tax shall be held in every section, and shall Annual school be called the annual school meeting.

meeting.

20. The school or schools of every section shall be Trustees. managed by trustees, who shall be elected at the annual school meeting.

ANNUAL SCHOOL MEETING.

school meeting.

21.-(1.) Except as in this section otherwise provided Date of annual the regular annual school meeting of every school section shall be held in the school house of the section on the last Monday in June, at the hour of eight o'clock in the evening.

(2.) The Council may in the case of any inspectorial division, county or school section, fix an earlier day and another hour for the holding of such meeting.

(3.) If the school house is unsuitable for holding such meeting, any other suitable place in the section may be designated therefor by the trustees or, if there are no trustees, by the inspector.

(4.) Notice of every such meeting, signed by the secretary or by the trustees, or if there are no trustees, by the inspector, shall be posted up in not less than three public places in the section for not less than five days before the day fixed for the meeting.

(5.) Except in the case of a section in respect to which an earlier date than the last Monday in June has been fixed for holding such meeting by the Council, or in respect to which a place other than the school house has been designated for holding the meeting, no such meeting nor any election made nor business transacted thereat shall be held invalid because of any irregularity or failure in the posting of such notices. 1895, c. 1, s. 63.

22. The business of the annual school meeting shall be Business at as follows:

(a) to elect a trustee or trustees;

(b) to determine the amount which shall be raised by
the section to supplement the sums provided by the
province and the municipality for the support of public
schools in the section for the ensuing school year;
(c) to determine whether any and what amount shall
be raised for the purchase of land for school sites,
for the purchase or building of school houses, for
the purchase or improvement of school grounds, for
school libraries, or for general school purposes;
(d) to decide, unless they are already applicable,
whether the provisions of this Chapter as to com-
pulsory attendance shall apply to the section;

annual school meeting.

CHAP. 52.

meeting.

(+) to consider any subject deemed of importance to the educational interests of the section. 1895, c. 1, ss. 16 (part), 64 (part), 76.

Organization of 23. (1.) The ratepayers, male and female, of the section present at any school meeting shall elect from their own number or otherwise a chairman to preside over the meeting, and a secretary to record its proceedings.

Powers of chairman.

Votes, declaration of, qualifi -cation.

Penalty for false declaration.

Poll tax payers -exempt.

Poll tax payers qualified to vote.

Auditors.

(2.) The chairman shall decide all questions of order, and shall take the votes of ratepayers only, except as in this Chapter otherwise provided in the case of the election of trustees; he shall not vote except in case of a tie, when he shall have the casting vote. 1895, c. 1, s. 64, part. 24. (1.) If any person who offers to vote at an annual or other school meeting is challenged as not qualified, the chairman presiding at such meeting shall require the person so offering to make the following declaration :

I do declare and affirm that I am a ratepayer of this school section; that I have paid all sectional school rates for which I have been rated up to the close of the school year which ended on the 31st of July last, and that I am legally qualified to vote at this meeting."

Every person who makes such declaration shall be permitted to vote on all questions proposed at such meeting; but if any person refuses to make such declaration his vote shall be rejected.

(2.) Every person who wilfully makes a false declaration of his right to vote shall be liable to a penalty of not less than five nor more than ten dollars, to be recovered by the trustees of the section, for its use, as a private debt.

(3.) This section shall not apply to persons who offer to vote at the election of trustees as poll tax payers under the provisions of the next succeeding section. 1895, c. 1, s. 65. 25.-(1.) On depositing with the secretary of trustees previous to or at any school meeting the sum of one dollar, any person who is liable to pay the poll tax, and has paid all poll taxes previously imposed, including that of the current year, though not rated in respect to real or personal property, shall be qualified to vote in the election of a trustee or trustees at such meeting, and at any other meeting held for the election of trustees within a year from such deposit, unless the deposit has been refunded.

(2.) Money so deposited shall be refunded on demand in every case where no assessment is authorized by such meeting; otherwise it shall be retained as payment of the poll tax of the depositor. 1895, c. 1, s. 46.

26. The ratepayers present at each annual meeting shall appoint two competent persons to act as auditors for the ensuing year. The auditors shall, at least three days