S.I. No. 35/1925 - Constituency Returning Officers' Charges at Seanad Elections Order of 1925.

ORDER by the Minister for Finance, dated 22nd August, 1925, prescribing a scale of maximum charges of Constituency Returning Officers at an Election of Members to Seanad Eireann held pursuant to the Electoral Act, 1923 , as amended by the Constitution (Amendment No. 1) Act, 1925 , and the Electoral (Seanad Elections) Act, 1925 .

IN pursuance of the powers conferred upon me by Sections 25 (5) and 43 of the Electoral Act, 1923 , I, Earnan de Blaghd, being the Minister for Finance of Saorstát Eireann, hereby prescribe that the Constituency Returning Officer shall be entitled in respect of the performance of his statutory duties in connection with an Election of Members to Seanad Eireann in a constituency (other than a University constituency) to his reasonable charges not exceeding the sums hereinafter set forth, provided that the charges for disbursements are in no case to exceed the sums actually and necessarily paid or payable.

In this scale, unless the context otherwise requires:—

(a) The expression "constituency" means any constituency named in the Eighth Schedule to the Electoral Act, 1923 , other than a University constituency;

(b) The expression "borough constituency" means any constituency named in Part I. of the said Schedule;

(d) For the purpose of ascertaining the maximum fee or expense payable pursuant to an Article of this Scale the term "Electors" means the number of registered Seanad Electors on the Register of Electors for that portion of the constituency in respect of which the Constituency Returning Officer or Assistant Constituency Returning Officer discharges the duties mentioned in such Article.

II.

A.—FOR SERVICES OF CONSTITUENCY RETURNING OFFICER.

(1) To the Constituency Returning Officer or the Assistant Constituency Returning Officer for conducting the election and generally performing all the duties which a Constituency Returning Officer is required by law to perform (other than duties in connection with the matters specially provided for at paragraphs (2) and (3) below).

	As respects a county constituency—		£	s.	d.
		For every complete 100 of the electors for the constituency
		up to 20,000 electors ... ... ...	0	5	0
		beyond 20,000 electors ... ... ...	0	4	0
As respects a borough constituency—
	For every complete 100 of the electors for the constituency
	up to 100,000 ... ... ... ...		0	4	0
	beyond 100,000 ... ... ... ...		0	1	0
(2) To the Constituency Returning Officer for despatch and receipt of ballot papers of postal voters:—
			£	s.	d.
	For every 100 postal voters or fraction thereof on the register ... ... ... ...		1	5	0
(3) To the Constituency Returning Officer for all duties appertaining to the counting of the votes in a constituency:—
	For the first 30,000 electors ... ... ...		6	0	0
	For each complete 1,000 electors in excess of 30,000		0	2	0
	Provided that the same Officer shall not be paid in respect of the counting of the votes of more than one constituency.
NOTE.—The foregoing payments for services of a Constituency Returning Officer shall include any payments made to a Deputy Constituency Returning Officer for the discharge of any duties of a Constituency Returning Officer which may be assigned to him.
		B.—DISBURSEMENTS OF RETURNING OFFICER.
(1) Taking the Poll			£	s.	d.
(a) Each Presiding Officer, to include all expenses, other than travelling expenses and subsistence allowances authorised by this scale ...			3	0	0
(b) One Poll Clerk for each Presiding Officer ...			1	10	0
(c) An additional Clerk at a Polling Station to which more than 600 Seanad electors are assigned			1	10	0
(d) To provide for emergencies, each constituency Returning Officer may appoint one Presiding Officer in addition to those authorised for the taking of the Poll, provided that in a case where a constituency comprises two or more portions, as mentioned in I (d) of this Scale, two such additional Presiding Officers may be appointed. Such Presiding Officer may be paid a retaining fee of £1 15s., which may be increased to £3, as provided under (B) (1) (a) of the Scale, if he is necessarily employed as a Presiding Officer at the Election.
(2) Counting the Votes.
	A minimum sum of £25 together with a sum of £1 for each complete 6,000 Electors.
	Provided that for every complete additional 10% of the total electorate of the constituency polling over 20% the foregoing sums shall be increased by 10%. For the purpose of calculating the increase, bad or doubtful votes shall be included.
The total sum ascertained in accordance with the foregoing scale shall be divided at the discretion of the Constituency Returning Officer between all competent persons appointed to assist him in counting the votes.
(3) Miscellaneous.			£	s.	d.
(a) For clerical, legal and other assistance employed by the Constituency Returning Officer or Deputy or Assistant Constituency Returning Officer for the purposes of an election, excluding any services for which payment is otherwise authorised by this Scale, and for all expenses of the Constituency Returning Officer not otherwise authorised by this Scale—
	A minimum sum of £10 and for each complete 100 electors in the whole constituency or portion thereof:
		In a county constituency ... ...	0	3	9
		In a borough constituency ... ...	0	3	3
(b) For the remuneration of persons engaged in the despatch and receipt of Postal Voters'
Ballot Papers—
For every 100 Postal Voters or fraction thereof on the Register ... ...			1	10	0

(c)	Constituency Returning Officers' or Deputy or Assistant Constituency Returning Officers' travelling expenses, where necessary to make arrangements for the poll or otherwise in connection with the conduct of the election.	First Class Railway expenses, or, where railway service is not available, actual and necessary cost, with subsistence allowance at the rate of £1 a night when necessarily absent from home on account of duty.
(d)	Travelling expenses of Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks, excluding any expenses incurred in conveying the ballot boxes from the polling station to the place where the votes are counted.	Third Class Railway expenses, or, where railway service is not available, actual and necessary cost, with subsistence allowance at the rate of 10s. per night if necessarily detained from home on account of duty after 10 p.m. and 15s. per night if after 12 midnight.
(e)	Travelling expenses of clerical or other assistants employed by the Constituency Returning Officer or Deputy or Assistant Constituency Returning Officer where necessary to make arrangements for the poll or otherwise in connection with the conduct of the election.	Third Class Railway expenses, or, where railway service is not available, actual and necessary cost, with subsistence allowance at the rate of 7s. 6d. per night if necessarily detained from home on account of duty after 10 p.m. and 12s. 6d. per night if after 12 midnight.
(f)	For the conveyance of polling screens, ballot boxes, ballot papers, etc., in connection with the election.	Actual railway charges, or, where railway service is not available, actual and necessary cost.
(g)	For the conveyance of ballot boxes from the polling station to the place where the votes are counted.	Actual railway charges, or, where railway service is not available, actual and necessary cost.
(h)	For printing and providing notices and other documents required in and about the election or poll and costs of publishing same.	As charged by Stationery Office, or, where such printing is necessarily arranged for by the Constituency Returning Officer, actual and necessary cost.
(i)	For the hire of any building or room for the purposes of the election, or expenses attending the use of such building or room.	Actual and necessary cost.
(j)	For fitting up a polling station, including the provision and fitting up of voting compartments, and the hire of the necessary furniture where this is not otherwise obtainable.	As charged by the Office of Public Works, or, if the work is done locally, actual and necessary cost.
(k)	For every ballot box required to be purchased, hired, or repaired.	As charged by the Office of Public Works, or, if the work is done locally, actual and necessary cost.
(l)	For every stamping instrument required to be purchased, hired, altered or repaired.	As charged by the Stationery Office.
(m)	For stationery at each Polling Station.	As charged by the Stationery Office.
(n)	For copies of the Register, not exceeding five, for each constituency.	Actual cost.
(o)	For general stationery, postage and telegrams and telephone messages.	Actual and necessary cost.
NOTE.—Mileage expenses of Constituency Returning Officers or Deputy or Assistant Constituency Returning Officers shall not in any case exceed the amount calculated as though the journey were taken from the County Courthouse of the whole Constituency, or the portion thereof, as described above.

Given under the official seal of the Minister for Finance this twenty-second day of August, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

J. J. McELLIGOTT,

Assistant Secretary, Department of Finance.