176. (1) Whenever a deputy returning officer dies or refuses or is unable to act, the returning officer may appoint a person to act in his place as deputy returning officer; and, if no such appointment be made, the poll clerk, without taking another oath of office, shall act as deputy returning officer.
(2) Whenever the poll clerk acts as deputy returning officer, he shall, by a commission in form 18, appoint a poll clerk to act in his stead, who shall take the oath according to form 17.