Page:Representation of the Peoples Act 1918 (ukpga 19180064).pdf/8

260 area, the register in force at the time when the fresh register should have come into force shall continue to operate as the register for the area or part of an area in respect of which default has been made.

Registration officers and areas.

12.—(1) Each parliamentary borough and each parliamentary county shall be a registration area, and there shall be a registration officer for each registration area.

(2) Where the registration area is a parliamentary county and is coterminous with, or wholly contained in, one administrative county, the clerk of the county council, and where the registration area is a parliamentary borough and is coterminous with, or wholly contained in, one municipal borough, the town clerk of the borough, shall be the registration officer for the area. In any other case such clerk of the county council, or town clerk, shall be registration officer for the area as the Local Government Board may by order direct, subject to any conditions which may be made by the order as to the appointment of deputies for any part of the area.

(3) Any of the duties and powers of the registration officer may be performed and exercised by any deputy for the time being approved by the Local Government Board, and the provisions of this Act shall apply to any such deputy so far as respects any duties or powers to be performed or exercised by him as it applies to the registration officer.

(4) In the event of any vacancy in the office of any clerk of the county council or town clerk who is a registration officer, or in the event of his incapacity to act, any acts authorised or required to be done by or with respect to the registration officer may be done by or with respect to any person temporarily appointed in that behalf by the Chairman of the county council or the mayor, as the case may be.

Registration duties.

13.—(1) It shall be the duty of the registration officer to compile the spring and autumn register, and to place, or cause to be placed, on the register in accordance with the rules set out in the First Schedule to this Act the names of those entitled to vote as parliamentary electors or local government electors in his registration area, and to comply with any general or special directions which may be given by the Local Government Board with respect to the arrangements to be made by the registration officer for carrying out his duties as to registration.

If a registration officer refuses, neglects or fails without reasonable cause to perform any of his duties in connection with registration, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

(2) His Majesty may by Order in Council prescribe the forms to be used for registration purposes and any fees to be taken in connection therewith, and alter the rules contained in the First Schedule to this Act for the purpose of carrying this Act into full effect, or for carrying into effect any Act for the time being in force amending or affecting this Act.