25. The council of any town may pass a by-law to withdraw the town from the jurisdiction of the council of the county within which the town is situated, upon obtaining the assent of the electors of the town to the by-law in manner provided by this Act, subject to the following provisions and conditions:

1. After the final passing of the by-law, the amount which the town is to pay to the county for the expenses of the administration of justice, the use of the gaol, and the erection and repairs of the registry office, and for providing books for the same, and for services for which the county is liable, as required by and under the provisions of any Act respecting the registration of instruments relating to lands, as well as for the then existing debt of the county, if not mutually agreed upon shall be ascertained by arbitration under this Act; and the agreement or award shall distinguish the amount to be annually paid for the said expenses, and for the then debt of the county, and the number of years the payments for the debt are to be continued ;

2. In adjusting their award, the arbitrators shall, among other things, take into consideration the amount previously paid by the town, or which the town is then liable to pay, for the construction of roads or bridges by the county without the limits of the town; and also what the county has paid, or is liable to pay, for the construction of roads or bridges within the town; and they shall also ascertain, and allow to the town, the value of its interest in all county property, except roads and bridges within the town;

3. When the agreement or award has been made, a copy of the same, and of the by-law, duly verified by affidavit, shall be transmitted to the Lieutenant-Governor, who shall thereupon issue his proclamation, withdrawing the town from the jurisdiction of the council of the county;

4. After the proclamation has been issued, the offices of reeve and deputy reeve or deputy reeves of the town shall cease; and no by-law of the council of the county thereafter made shall have any force in the town, except so far as relates to the care of the court house and gaol, and other county property in the town; and the town shall not thereafter be liable to the county for, or be obliged to pay to the county, or into the county treasury any money for county debts or other purposes, except such sums as may be agreed upon or awarded as aforesaid;

5. After the lapse of five years from the time of agreement or award, or such shorter time as may be stated in the agreement or award, a new agreement or a new award may be made, to ascertain the amount to be paid by the town to the county for the expenses of the administration of justice, the use of the gaol, erection and repairs of the registry office or offices, the providing books for the same, and for services for which the county is liable, as required by and under the provisions of any Act respecting the registration of instruments relating to lands;

6. After the withdrawal of a town from the county all property theretofore owned by the county, except roads and bridges within the town, shall remain the property of the county. 46 V. c. 18, s. 25.

NOTE-Provisions are here made by which a town may withdraw from the jurisdiction of a county, and matters incident to a settlement by agreement or arbitration are clearly set forth. After proclamation by the Lieutenant-Governor the town ceases to be represented in the county council.

26. (1) The council of a town which has withdrawn from a county, or union of counties, may, after the expiration of five years from the withdrawal, pass a by-law (to be assented to by the electors in manner provided for by this Act in respect of by-laws for creating debts) to reunite with such county or union of counties.

(2) The by-law shall have no effect unless ratified and confirmed by the council of the county or union of counties, from which the said town had previously withdrawn, within six months after the passing of the by-law, and unless the terms and conditions which the town shall pay, perform or be subject to, have been previously agreed upon or settled in manner following, that is to say:

(3) Before the by-law is confirmed by the council of the county, the councils of the town and county shall determine by agreement the amounts of the debts of the town and county respectively which shall be paid or borne by the county after the reunion, or what amount shall be payable by a special rate to be imposed upon the ratepayers of the town, over and above all other county rates, and all other matters relating to property, assets, or advantages consequent upon the reunion, and as affecting the county or

town respectively, and such other terms or conditions as appear just shall be settled by such agreement; and in default of such agreement being come to within three months after the passing of the by-law by the council of the town, the said matters shall be settled by arbitration, as provided by this Act. 46 V. c. 18, s. 26.

NOTE. After five years from the time of the withdrawal of a town from the county, the council of the town may pass a by-law to be assented to by the electors, and reunite with the county, provided the council of the county agrees to such reunion and ratifies the by-law so passed by the council of the town. Assets and liabilities, and all other matters relating to finance and property of the town and county must be settled by agreement or arbitration before the by-law is confirmed by the council of the county.

AN ACT RESPECTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

(R. S. O., 1887, Cap. 225.)

(CONTINUED.)

27.-(1) No school corporation shall cease to exist by reason of the want of trustees, but in case of such want any two ratepayers of the section, or the inspector, may, by giving six days' notice, to be posted in at least three of the most public places of the section, call a meeting of the ratepayers, who shall proceed to elect three trustees, in the manner prescribed in section 17 and the following sections of this Act; and the trustees thus elected shall hold and retire from office in the manner prescribed by section 30 of this Act. 48 V. c. 49, s 27.

(2) When the ratepayers of any school section, for two years neglect or refuse to elect trustees, after being duly notified as herein provided, the municipal council of the township may appoint trustees for the said school section, who shall hold office for the same term as if elected by the ratepayers. 50 V. c. 39, s. 4.

NOTE.

Provision is here made for the election of trustees, when, by reason of death, removal, or other cause, a school section is without trustees, notice to be given by two ratepayers or by the inspector, for six days, calling a meeting for the election. The notices must be posted in at least three of the most public places of the section. The proceedings to be conducted as provided by section 17. The terms of office are regulated by section 30. The township council may appoint trustees for a school section when the ratepayers of such section fail to do so for two years. For filling vacancies, see section 40, s.s. 1.

The inhabitants of a school section are not a corporation. See sec. 33.

28. Where a new school section is formed in any township, as provided in section 81 of this Act, the clerk of the township shall give notice of the number and description of such school section to the county inspector, who shall cause copies of the notice so received by him to be posted in three of the most public places in the new school section at least six days before the last Wednesday in December in the year in which such new school section was formed, and the first meeting in every new school section shall be held at the same time as the annual meeting in rural school sections. 50 V. c. 39, s. 5.

NOTE. The clerk of the township must give notice to the inspector of the number and description of the new section, and by section 81 the clerk must furnish to the trustees and inspector a copy of the by-law and minutes relating to the formation, or alteration, or union of a school section or sections.

29. The meeting shall be organized, and the proceedings conducted (as near as may be), according to the provisions of sections 17 to 22 of this Act, inclusive. 48 V. c. 49, s. 29.

30. The trustees elected at a first school section meeting shall respectively continue in office as follows:

1. The first person elected shall continue in office for two years, to be reckoned from the annual school meeting next after his election, and thence until his successor has been elected;

2. The second person elected shall continue in office for one year, to be reckoned from the same period, and until his successor has been elected;

3. The third, or last person elected, shall continue in office until the next ensuing annual school meeting in such section, and until his successor has been elected;

4. In case of a poll being taken for one or more trustees at a first school section meeting, then the trustees shall rank in seniority according to the number of votes polled, and in case of a tie, then in the order of their nomination. 48 V. c. 49, s. 30.