226 ADMIEAL MORESBY'S ADDRESS. 
Chief Magistrate or Councillor, or at a meeting 
called for the public service. 
" No new law can be established, or a present 
one revoked, without a majority consenting at a 
public meeting, summoned by the Chief Magis- 
trate, at the instance of at least one-third of the 
householders or elders. If a majority of two- 
thirds fails to carry the proposition, it is to be 
referred, ten days after, to a meeting of the 
elders, a majority of whom will decide the ques- 
tion. 
" The right of voting as an elder is vested in 
married householders, widowers, or widows, 
being 25 years of age ; bachelors and spinsters, 
not householders, at 28 years of age. 
" The Chief Magistrate is to take cognizance 
of all complaints or breach of the law. In the 
first instance, in trifling circumstances, he must 
endeavour to judge between the parties com- 
plaining, and arrange their differences. Should 
his attempt be unsatisfactory, he must call the 
Councillors to his assistance : before them a re- 
hearing is to take place, and the verdict of the 
majority given. Should this again fail, the par- 
ties are to be warned that all reasonable ex- 
penses for loss of time must be paid : a jury of 
the elders must be summoned, and their verdict 
considered decisive. In all public meetings, 
when an equal number of votes occur for and 
against, the Magistrate shall have the casting 
vote. 
" The Magistrate must keep a list of voters ; 
and, on a jury being summoned, he is to place 
the names, carefully concealed from view, in a 
