The Short Title of this Act is “The Regulation of Local Elections Act Amendment Act, 1888.” It shall be read together with “The Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876” (hereinafter referred to as “the said Act”).

At any time either before or during an election, before it is completed, the local body may appoint a substitute to a Returning Officer who is unable to act, and unable or fails to appoint a substitute when such an appointment is necessary. Every substitute so appointed shall be deemed to have been appointed under section six of the said Act.

Where any local body has its public office outside of the limits of the district under its jurisdiction, such public office shall be deemed to be within the limits of the said district for all purposes incident to or connected with any election to be held under the said Act.

No election shall be liable to be questioned by reason only that any nomination of candidates, taking of votes, or declaration of the poll, has occurred at any place outside of the district to be affected by such election, or that any polling-place was appointed outside of the said district, if such public office or polling-place has been actually appointed.

The said Act is hereby amended as follows:—

In section eleven the words “addressed to the Returning Officer” arc hereby repealed, and the following substituted: “delivered to the Returning Officer or addressed to him.”

In section twelve, after the word “noon,” there shall be inserted “or as soon thereafter as possible.”

In section twenty-one, after the words “Every scrutineer,” there shall be inserted “and poll-clerk (if any).”

In section forty-five, after “no person,” there shall be inserted “is nominated or;” and after “appointed for such” there shall be inserted “nomination or.”

Section twenty-six of the said Act is hereby repealed, and the following substituted: “No scrutineer or other official or unofficial person shall speak to any voter in a polling-booth either before or after such voter has given his vote, except only the Returning Officer (with an interpreter, if necessary), who may ask the questions be is authorised to put, and give such general directions as may assist any voter to give his vote. Every person offending against this section shall be liable for each such offence to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, and may be at once removed from the booth by order of the Returning Officer.”

Section thirty-two of the said Act is hereby repealed, and the following substituted: “If any voter is blind or physically incapacitated from reading or writing, or so desires, the Returning Officer and, if necessary, an interpreter shall retire with him into the inner compartment, and there make up the voting-paper according to the instruction of the voter; and such Returning Officer shall sign his own name at the foot thereof.”