The chairman shall propose to the meeting the resolution, and the meeting shall decide for or against its adoption : Provided, that if any owner or ratepayer demands that such question be decided by a poll of owners and ratepayers, such poll shall be taken by voting papers in the form O. in schedule IV. to this Act, in the same way and with the same incidents and conditions as to the qualification of electors and scale of voting, as to notice to be given by the returning officer, delivery filling up and collection of voting papers, as to the counting of votes, as to penalties for neglect or refusal to comply with the provisions of the Act, and in all respects whatsoever as is provided by the rules for the election of local boards in schedule II. to this Act; except that in districts or places where there is no register of owners and proxies under this Act, any owner or proxy shall be entitled to have a voting paper delivered to him if at least fourteen day3 before the last day appointed for delivery of the voting papers he sends a claim in writing to the summoning officer containing the particulars required by schedule II. to this Act to be contained in claims to be entered on the register of owners land proxies, and except that the provisions with respect to certain specified days of the month shall not apply.

For the purposes of such poll the summoning officer shall be the returning officer, and shall have the powers and perform the duties of a returning officer under schedule II. to this Act, so far as the same are applicable to a poll under this schedule.

If no poll is demanded, or the demand for a poll is withdrawn by the persons making the same, a declaration by the chairman shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be sufficient evidence of the decision of such meeting.