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CANTERBURY SOCIETY OF MODEL
AND EXPERIMENTAL ENGINEERS, INC.
CONSTITUTION
1.
NAME OF SOCIETY
The Society shall be known
as “Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Incorporated”.
A condensation to Canterbury Model Engineers will be recognised.
2.
OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY
The Objects of the Society
are;
(a) To bring together
persons who are interested in the design, construction and operation of models
and machines.
(b) To develop and exchange
ideas through the reading and discussion of papers of mutual interest and
generally promoting mutual assistance and fellowship of it’s members.
(c) The holding of
exhibitions and competitions to which the public may be invited.
3.
SPECIAL POWERS
Without limiting the other
terms of this Constitution, the Society shall have the following special
powers, namely to;
(a) Acquire and hold land
and premises, equipment and such other property as may be necessary for the
purpose
(b) Raise funds and receive
contributions from any person or persons by way of subscriptions, donations or
otherwise, provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading
activity in raising funds for it’s primary activity.
(c) Take and accept gifts
of property, whether subject to any special trust or not.
(d) Do any other things
considered by the Executive Committee or Society in general meeting which may
be incidental to or conducive to the attainment of the aforesaid objects or
the exercise of any powers provided for in this Constitution.
4.
MEMBERSHIP
(a) All applications for
membership must be made on the Society’s printed form titled “Application for Membership “
(b) All applications for
membership proposed and seconded by financial members, will be considered by
the Executive Committee, and the application displayed on the Club notice
board for a period of one month, subject to the applicants’ permission. Any member who wishes to object to the application may do so
by making their reason known to the President.
The Executive Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any
application and the Executive Committee shall not be obliged to give reasons
for it’s decision on any application.
(c) There shall be seven
(7) classes of membership. Viz: Members,
Country Members, Student Members, Junior Members, Honorary Members, Life
Members and Associate Members.
(d) Throughout this
document, reference to Members and Membership is deemed to include the seven
classes of Membership, unless there is a specific exclusion stated.
(e) The term Financial
member is deemed to mean a member who has paid up all dues to the end of the
previous financial year.
(f) All Members, except
Junior members, shall be sixteen (16)
years of age or more.
(g) Country Members may be
members residing more than thirty kilometres from the Christchurch Square.
(h) Student Members shall
be non-wage-earning persons aged between sixteen and twenty-five years, and in
full time study at an educational institution.
(i) Junior Members shall be
under the age of sixteen years, and shall transfer automatically to the
appropriate class of membership on reaching the age of sixteen years.
The minimum age for Junior Members shall be thirteen years, however
juniors under the age of thirteen may be accepted provided that their parent
or guardian is a financial member of the Society.
(j) Honorary Members may be
absentee members of the Society or members whose circumstances the Executive
Committee considers justifies the granting of this class of membership.
A visitor from a kindred society may be granted Honorary Membership.
Honorary Membership may be accorded only upon the majority
recommendation of the Executive Committee. Honorary Membership shall be of a
temporary nature, and may be exempt from subscriptions.
(k) Life Membership is
reserved for members who have made a notable contribution to the Society over
the years. On the recommendation
of the Executive, and the endorsement of the membership at a general meeting,
a member may be made a Life Member in recognition of notable contribution to
the Society, and be exempted from the payment of subscriptions.
There shall be no more than eight Life Members at any one time.
(l) An Associate Member is
a member whose circumstances preclude regular attendance at the Society’s
functions.
(m) While participating in
the activities of the Society, all members and visitors shall abide by the
provisions of the Society’s Constitution and Bylaws.
5.
ENTRANCE FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) An entrance fee shall
be paid to the Society on delivery of the “Application for Membership”,
such sum to be returned to the applicant in the event of the application not
being approved.
(b) Entrance fees and
subscriptions shall be as set from time to time by the Annual General Meeting.
(c) Variations to
individual members subscriptions may be authorised by the Executive Committee
on the advice of the Treasurer.
(d) Any member who resigns
may be re-elected, on application, at any time without the payment of a new
entrance fee.
6.
RESIGNATIONS
Resignations will be
effected by a written notification to the Executive.
Resignation from any class
of membership shall not entitle the member to the return of any part of dues,
which the member may have paid in advance.
7.
OVERDUE SUBSCRIPTIONS
Members who have become in
arrears in their dues for a period of one year or more may be dropped from the
roll of the Society. Re-admission
to membership of the Society of such former members may be granted, provided
that all arrears have been paid in full, and upon the recommendation of the
Executive Committee.
8.
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Notwithstanding the
provisions of Clause 7, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee and
the endorsement by a majority vote of financial members present at a regular
meeting, a member may be given notice of termination of membership.
The person whose membership is under review has the right of appeal,
and if exercised, shall be heard at a general meeting within one calendar
month of their notification of the intended termination.
9.
MEETINGS
(a) Regular meetings will
be held as advised by the Executive from time to time.
(b) The Annual General
Meeting shall be held on the first Tuesday of the month of May each year at
such time and place as advised by the Executive.
Notification by post or newsletter of the meeting shall be given to
members not less than seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting.
(c) Special General
Meetings may be called by the Executive, or by request of not less than ten
(10) financial members. At least seven (7) days notice of the date, time,
place and agenda of the meeting shall be given by post or newsletter to all
members. Only the matters
specified in the agenda may be considered at the Special General meeting.
(d) Voting at all meetings
shall be by voice, a show of hands or, if called for, by a secret ballot, in
which case three (3) scrutineers shall be appointed.
It shall be the responsibility of the scrutineers to report the vote
count to the chairman, who shall announce the final result. The Chairman’s
declaration of the result of the voting will be final.
After the Chairman’s declaration of the result of a secret ballot all
voting papers shall be destroyed.
(e) A simple majority of
Members who are entitled to vote and are present at the meeting may pass a
motion except where a special resolution is required in which case 66 % of the
Members entitled to vote may pass a special resolution. Note. A special
resolution is one amending the Constitution.
See clause 19 (a).
(f) All financial members,
except Honorary members shall be entitled to vote at meetings.
In the event of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting
vote for the status quo, except in the case of the election of officers the
Chairman shall not have a casting vote.
In this case of equality a new ballot shall be held.
(g) A Quorum for an
Executive meeting shall be five (5) Members of that Committee, and for General
and Special meetings, the quorum shall be twenty percent (20 %) of the total
financial membership.
(h) If a Quorum is not
present within 30 minutes after the appointed time for the meeting, the
meeting shall be adjourned to the same day of the following week at the same
time and place, or such other date, time and place as the President appoints,
and if, at the adjourned meeting a Quorum is not present within 30 minutes
after the appointed time for the meeting, the Members present shall be a
Quorum.
(i) The President shall
preside over all regular, special and general meetings and in his/her absence,
the Vice President shall preside. If
both are absent, the financial members present shall elect a chairman for the
meeting, and the Chairman so elected shall preside over the meeting.
(j). A resolution in writing signed by all of the Executive
Committee entitled to receive notice of an Executive Committee meeting is as
valid and effective as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Executive
Committee duly convened and held. Such
resolution may consist of several documents including facsimile or other
similar means of communication in like form, each signed or assented to by one
or more Executive Committee Members
10. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a) The Executive Committee
shall consist of:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Locomotive Foreman
Commodore
Not less than four (4) or more than six (6) other financial members
elected to the Committee
Librarian
Clerk of Works
Immediate Past President
Chairman of the Boiler and Safety Committee
11.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
(a) The President, Vice
President, Secretary, Treasurer, Locomotive Foreman, Commodore, additional
committee members, Librarian, and the Clerk of Works, having been proposed and
seconded by financial members, shall be elected by financial members present
at each Annual General Meeting.
(b) The members of the
Boiler and Safety committee, chosen for their skill and knowledge of the
construction of boilers and general engineering shall have their membership of
that committee put before the Annual General Meeting for endorsement by
ordinary resolution.
(c) The Chairman of the
Boiler and Safety Committee shall automatically become a member of the
Executive Committee.
(d) The Loco Foreman shall
be an ex Officio member of the Boiler and Safety Committee.
(e) Subcommittees may be
appointed from time to time, and shall be confirmed at the next Annual General
Meeting if they are required to continue their work beyond the next Annual
General Meeting.
12.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Subject to direction of the
Executive Committee,
(a) The President shall
preside at general, executive and special general meetings, and shall perform
any other duties, which may from time to time be required of the office.
Note: The President shall
be a ex officio member of all of the Society’s committees and subcommittees.
(b) The Vice President
shall perform the duties of office of the President in the absence of that
officer.
(c) The Secretary shall
keep a record of all meetings and shall maintain a record of all
correspondence and other communications, which the Society may from time to
time receive or dispatch.
(d) The Treasurer shall
collect and account for all moneys payable to the Society, pay all accounts
when approved for payment, and shall operate such bank accounts as may be
required. The treasurer shall
present the annual accounts and balance sheet to the Annual General Meeting.
The Treasurer shall keep an up to date list of members, their
occupations and financial status in the Society.
(e) The Locomotive Foreman
shall oversee the organisation and operation of the Railway Track, Road, and
environs. He shall ensure that
all steam boilers being operated on the Society’s premises have a current
boiler certificate. All
locomotives and rolling stock together with attendant personnel shall be under
the jurisdiction of the Locomotive Foreman or his appointee at all times. He
may suspend operations or order any person or locomotive or rolling stock to
be removed from the track. In the event of such a suspension he shall present
a full report to the next Executive meeting.
(f) The Commodore shall
have full jurisdiction over the pond and its environs and shall have the power
to suspend operations at any time if necessary.
He shall ensure that all steamboats operated on the Societies premises
have current boiler certificates. He
may order any boat or operator from the pond at any time. In the event of such a suspension he shall present a full
report to the next Executive meeting.
(g) The Clerk of Works
shall co-ordinate and oversees maintenance and capital projects as required.
(h) The Librarian shall
manage and supervise the activities of the library.
(i) The Immediate Past
President shall act in an advisory capacity and perform such duties as may
from time to time be required of him.
13.
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee
shall in addition to the special powers in clause 3 have all the powers and
authority necessary or deemed expedient for the promotion and carrying out of
the Objects of the Society, including the following;
(a) It shall be responsible
for the maintenance of the Society’s grounds, buildings, and any other
assets.
(b) It shall make and
enforce such Bylaws as may be required for the day to day operation of the
Society and do all such things as may be necessary to ensure the safe
operation of the Society’s activities.
(c) It shall publish the
Bylaws for the operation of steam boilers as laid down by the Boiler and
Safety committee.
(d) It shall be responsible
for the proper compliance with any statutory law, rule or regulation
applicable to the Society
(e) It shall arrange for
the publication of a Society Newsletter four or five times a year as
appropriate.
(f) It shall ensure the
maintenance of the Society’s library and subscribe to such publications as
may be appropriate to the Society.
(g) It shall arrange
regular exhibitions to which the public may be invited to attend.
(h) It shall investigate
any proposal put forward by any club member or members for the advancement or
extension of the Society’s activities.
(i) It shall have the power
to set up Sub-committees for special projects and to co-opt members for
special tasks.
(j) It shall have the
authority to expend money on any item or project for the good of the Society,
subject to the provisions of clause 16 (c)
(k) Further to the
provisions of section 3 (b), the Executive Committee may from time to time
charge the public for admission to the Society’s premises.
It may also sell such goods and services that it considers may assist
the Society to achieve its objectives. The
following shall be excluded from the above.
Club models and any of the Society’s property having an estimated
value of over one hundred dollars ($100) or other value as may be set from
time to time by an annual general meeting.
Such items may only be sold
by tender on the recommendation of the Executive Committee and with the
approval of the membership at a general or special general meeting.
14.
DUTIES OF THE BOILER AND SAFETY COMMITTEE
The Boiler and Safety
Committee shall;
(a) Ensure that all boilers
are designed and constructed in accordance with the appropriate codes and
standards.
(b) Issue and record all
boiler certificates issued for complying boilers.
(c) Make recommendations to
the Executive on safety matters and on the compliance with statutory safety
and operating procedures.
(d) Abide by the reasonable
and proper directions of the Executive Committee.
15.
FILLING OF VACANCIES
If, during the year a
vacancy occurs for an officer of the Society, and where there is less than six
(6) months to run to the next Annual General Meeting, the vacancy may
or may not be filled at the discretion of the Executive Committee. If the
period is more than six (6) months, an election to fill the vacancy shall be held as
soon as reasonably possible by way of a special general meeting.
16.
CONTROL AND INVESTMENT OF FUNDS
(a) All income shall be
deposited in a trading account and funds not required for the month to month
operation of the Club shall be transferred to an investment account at the
Treasurers discretion, and in line with good business practice.
(b) All monetary
transactions shall be verified by appropriate documentation.
(c) The Executive may use
the Society’s funds for any purpose, for the good of, and in keeping with
the objects of the Society. However, expenditure authorised by the Executive
Committee on any one capital item or project may not exceed $3000, or such
other limit as may be set from time to time by an Annual General Meeting.
If, because of cost escalation, the cost of a capital project is likely
to exceed the original cost by more than 10 %, approval for the extra
expenditure shall be sought from a General meeting.
Where quotations for any capital projects are in excess of the above
limit, approval shall be sought from a Special General Meeting for which at
least seven (7) days notice of motion has been given.
(d) Where applicable,
written quotations shall be obtained for proposed capital expenditure in
excess of $500, or such other amount as may be set at an annual general
meeting, on an item or project.
(e) There shall be two
officers authorised by the Executive Committee to sign cheques on behalf of
the Club, however only one signature is required on any one cheque.
(f) The Society need not
appoint an Auditor, provided that at any Annual General Meeting 10 % of the
Membership may require the Society to appoint an Auditor for the ensuing year.
17.
FINANCIAL YEAR
The financial year shall be
from the first of April to the thirty-first of March in the following year.
18.
POWER TO BORROW MONEY.
To enable the Society to
achieve its Objects it may be desirable to borrow money from time to time.
The Society may borrow money on the following conditions;
(a) Subject to the approval
of the membership at a Special General Meeting, the Executive Committee may be
authorised to raise monies by way of mortgage, debentures, overdraft, loans or
any other means from time to time, as may be appropriate at the time of the
loan.
(b) Borrowed money may only
be used for capital projects authorised by the membership.
(c) The terms and
conditions of any borrowing must be agreed to by the membership by ordinary
resolution.
19.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
(a) Any amendment or
addition to this Constitution may only be made by special resolution at an
Annual General Meeting or Special General meeting for which at least seven (7)
days notice has been given,
including the notice of motion.
(b) No alteration, addition
or recession of this Constitution may be approved if it affects the winding up
or pecuniary profits clauses 21 and 22, without first obtaining the approval
of the Inland Revenue Department.
20.
COMMON SEAL
(a) The Common Seal shall
be in the custody of the Secretary, and may be affixed only on the authority
of the Executive, or by a majority vote of financial members present at a
general or special general meeting.
(b) Any document to which
the Seal is required to be affixed shall be signed by two (2) members of the Executive Committee, in whose presence the
Seal was affixed.
21.
WINDING UP OF THE SOCIETY
(a)
In the event of the winding up of the Society, any surplus funds or other assets, if any ,shall be donated
to such kindred bodies as the final meeting shall decide.
This aspect of the Constitution may only be amended by a Court Order.
22.
PERSONAL BENEFITS
(a) No member or person
associated with a member of the Society shall derive any income, benefit or
advantage from the Society where they can materially influence the payment of
the income, benefit or advantage, except where that income, benefit or
advantage is derived from professional services to the Society rendered in the
course of business charged at no greater rate than the current market rates.
(b) No member or person
associated with a member of the Society may gain any financial payment,
benefit or advantage from the dissolution or winding up of the Society, or
from the disposal of the assets of the Society.
23.
MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR
If any matter should arise
which is not, or in the opinion of the Executive, is not provided for in the
Constitution, the Executive shall act in a manner it deems as appropriate.
The Executive must then within 14 days notify all members of its
action. A permanent solution shall then be put in place as soon as
practicable.
24.
PREVIOUS CONSTITUTIONS
This Constitution
supersedes all previous “Constitution and Rules”, which are hereby
revoked.
Dated........................
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President.
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