Cuuncillors.—On the let day of November in every year (or if it be Sunday, then on the following day) an election of councillors takes place. The number of councillors is various in different towns. When a town is divided into wards, each ward elects its own councillors. The qualifications for the office are these :—The candidate must be on the burgess-roll for the current year ; and, in case the borough be divided into four or more wards, be must be possessed of property to the amount of 1000/., or rated to the poor of the borough upon an annual value of not less than 30/. If the borough be divided into less than four wards, it is sufficient if he be worth 500/., or rated to the poor upon an annual value of not less than 15/. No person in holy orders nor regular dissenting minister can be elected, nor any one holding any office in the gift of the council, except that of mayor ; nor one having any interest in any contract or employment with, by, or on behalf of the council. Conviction of bribery at a municipal electiou also constitutes a disqualification. The recorder of the borough is prohibited from being a member of the council. One-third of the whole number of councillors go out of office every year, according to seniority of election, so that the office is held by each councillor for three years.
Aldermen.—The number of aldermen is one-third of the number of councillors. One half of the whole number of aldermen go out of office every third year, being those aldermen who have held the office for the longest time without re-election. The places of the outgoing aldermen are supplied by the council, who, on the 9th day of November, elect the necessary number of persons from the council or from amongst the burgesses who are qualified to -be councillors, An outgoing alder man may be re-elected. Every alderman may be called upon once in three years, upon the requisition of any two members of the council, to make and subscribe a declaration that he is qualified to the same amount in real orrnional estate, or both, as the amount mentioned in the declaration originally made by him.
In case of the death of the mayor, or his incapacity to attend to his duties, one of the aldermen may be temporarily chosen by the council to supply his place. Aldermen are also chosen by the councillors in each ward to preside at ward elections. Every alderman is a member of the council during his tenure of office. In other respects the functions of the alderman do not differ materially from those of the councillor.
The llfayor.—The mayor is elected on the 0th day of November in every year, by the council, out of their own body, consisting, as we have seen, of aldermen and councillors. The outgoing mayor may be re-elected. In case of a vacancy occurring during the year, a new mayor must within ten days be elected, who holds office for the remainder of the current year. The council may award the mayor an allowance or salary. The mayor takes precedence in all places within the borough, and during his year of office and the succeeding year is a justice of the peace. lle presides at all meetings of the council, and may call meetings as often as he pleases. lle may appoint au alderman or councillor to act as his deputy during his illness or absence, which deputy, however, cannot ex act as a justice of the peace. nor
preside at any meeting of the council unless appointed by the meeting to do so.
auditors for the borough are elected by the burgesses on the 1st of March in each year. The mayor also nominates one auditor on the same day. The elective auditors are elected from per eons qualified to be councillors; the mayor's auditor must be a member of the council. The duties of these officers are to examine and audit the borough accounts half-yearly.
Aaressors.—Two assessors for the borough are elected by the burgesses on the lst of March in every year, whose duty it is to assist the mayor in the revision of the burgess-lista. If the town be divided bite wards, two assessors are also annually elected for each to preside with the alderman of the ward at ward elections.
Town Clerk—This important officer is appointed by the council, and holds his office during pleasure. The council may award him a salary; and he must not be a member of the council. lle may be, and in fact usually is,an attorney. All the charters, deeds, muniments, and records of the borough, or relating to the property thereof, are placed iu hls chalice and custody, under the control and direction of the council.
Treasurer.—This officer is also appointed by the council, and holds office during pleasure. He may receive a salary, and must net be a member of the council. The offices of town clerk and treasurer cannot be united in one person. The treasurer keeps the borough accounts, and makes and receives all payments from or to the borough fund.
Other Officers.—The council also appoints a clerk of the peace, and a borough coroner in boroughs having a separate court of quarter sessions ; and they may also appoint such other officers as have been usually appointed In the borough, or as they shall think necessary. The offices of recorder, borough justices, and police magistrates, when such are required, are in the appointment of the crown.
Declarations and ()Whs.—Under the statute 9 Geo. IV., c. 17, every person elected to the office of mayor, alderman, town clerk, or common councilman, or to any office of magistracy, or place of trust or employ ment relating to the government of any city, corporation, borough, or cinque port within England and Wales or Berwick-upon-Tweed, must, one calendar month before or upon his admission to office, make and subscribe this declaration : " I, A. B., do. solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, upon the true faith of a Christian, that I will never exercise any power, authority, or influence which I may possess by virtue of the office of to injure or weaken the Protestant Church as it is by law established in England, or to disturb the said Church, or the bishops and clergy of the said Church, in the possession of any rights or privileges to which such Church, or the said bishops and clergy, are or may by law be entitled." The statutes 1 & 2 Vict. c. 5, 1 & 2 Vict. c. 15, and 8 & 9 'Viet. c. 52, by a slight alteration of this declaration (omitting the words " upon the true faith of a Christian"), have adapted it to the scruples or religious differences of Quakers, Moravians, Separatists, and Jews, so that mem bers of all these persuasions can be elected to municipal offices in common with their fellow-citizens.