Waiheke Island Historical Society P O Box 206, Ostend, Waiheke Island 1843, New Zealand

CONSTITUTION

[as last amended at AGM of 30 March 2008]

1. The Name of the Society shall be Waiheke Island Historical Society Incorporated.

    

2. The Aims and Objects of the Society shall be:-

    

   1. To benefit the Waiheke Island community by recording, preserving, and furthering the appreciation of its history.

   2. To collect chattels, photographs, documents and any material suitable for the Waiheke Island Museum.

   3. To preserve and record historical sites and trees of special interest.

   4. To ascertain changes in natural history as a result of European settlement.

   5. To collect authentic information about historical sites, events and characters on Waiheke Island and surrounding areas.

   6. To co-operate or join with any Society or Societies having objects similar to above.

   
   

3. Membership of the Society shall be open to all persons interested in the objects of the Society and who are willing to abide by these rules.

   
   

   The Committee, on receiving a complaint in writing against any member and, after due investigation and confirmation, having decided that the conduct of such member is against the interests of the Society, shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider expulsion of the said member. Such member, if expelled, shall be deprived of all rights and privileges of membership.




4. Subscription
   The Subscription shall be such amount as may be fixed from time to time by an Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be due for payment at each Annual General Meeting or from the date of acceptance as members.

   
   

5. No Member who is in arrears with his or her subscription for more than three months shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society.




6. Officers
   The Officers of the Society shall be a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Minute Secretary and a Treasurer.




7. Committee
   The management of the Society and its property and assets shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the Officers of the Society for the term of one year.

   
   

   Nominations for election of Officers or as other members of the Committee shall be received by the Secretary not later than seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. All such nominations shall be in writing signed by the Proposer and Seconded and shall be with the written consent of the nominee. All such nominations shall be subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting. At such Annual General Meeting if the number of nominations received and approved equals the number of Officers and other members to be elected then the persons so nominated shall be declared elected to the positions for which they are respectively nominated. If the number of nominations is fewer than the number of persons to be elected, then those nominated shall be elected and nominations for the remaining positions shall be called for at the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations is greater than the number of vacancies then the persons to be elected shall be determined by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Should any vacancy occur on the Committee, the remaining members of the Committee shall have the power to fill such vacancy in the interim. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member for special circumstances.




8. Sub-Committees
   The Committee may appoint members of the Society to constitute a sub-committee or sub-committees, and may define the work to be done by each sub-committee. The Convenor of each sub-committee shall become a member of the Committee if not already holding such office. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all sub-committees.




9. President
   The President or, if absent, a Vice President shall act as Chairman at all General Meetings and shall be responsible to the Committee to see that the rules of the Society are carried out. If neither President nor a Vice President is present the other members present shall elect a Chairman.




10. Secretary
    The Secretary or the Minute Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Society. The Secretary shall keep a register of names and addresses of members and deal with all correspondence and other Secretarial duties as required.




11. Treasurer
    The Treasurer shall receive all monies and issue receipts for same, pay all accounts passed for payment and make financial reports to the Society.




12. Year
    The financial year of the Society shall end on the Thirty-first Day of December each year.




13. Standing Orders
    Recognised Standing Orders shall be observed at all meetings.

 

14. Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the last day of August in each year. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:-

    
    

    1. To confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and of any Extraordinary General Meetings held during the year.

    2. To receive the report and financial statement of the accounts of the outgoing Committee.

    3. To elect the Office bearers and Committee for the ensuing year.

    4. To appoint the Society’s Patron.

    5. Voting may be by show of hands, by ballot, or, in special circumstances by postal vote.

    6. To transact any business, notice of which has been circulated to each member at least fourteen days previously.

    7. Notice of the Annual General Meeting be advertised in the local press at least fourteen days prior to meeting.




15. Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Secretary on the instructions of the Committee, or MUST be called if five members make a written request to the President. Circulars shall be sent to the last known addresses of members stating the business for which the meeting is called. No other business except that as stated may be transacted. Twenty members shall constitute a quorum at any Extraordinary General Meeting. Voting may be by show of hands or by ballot, or, in special circumstances by postal vote. Notices of such meeting shall be circulated to each member and be advertised at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.




16. Quorum
    The quorum at any Committee meeting shall be five and at any General Meeting shall be fifteen members personally present.




17. Bank Account
    The Bank Account of the Society shall be operated on by such person or persons as the Committee may from time to time appoint. Cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and counter-signed by the President or Secretary.




18. Borrowing Powers
    The Committee, on authority of an Annual General or an Extraordinary General Meeting, shall be empowered to borrow money at usual terms to finance approved projects.




19. Common Seal
    The Common Seal of the Society shall be in the custody of the Secretary, and may be affixed to any document only in the presence of two members of the Committee who shall sign the document as witnesses.




20. Alteration to Rules
    These rules shall not be added to or amended except pursuant to a resolution passed at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting, due notice of such meeting and such business having been circulated to members at least fourteen days before the meeting. The resolution must be passed by a majority of at least three quarters of the members present.




21. Winding Up
    If any property remains after the winding up or dissolution of the organization and the settlement of all the Society’s debts and liabilities, that property must be used to further the charitable purposes of the Society and in accordance with its rules.




22. Registered Office
    The registered office of the Society shall be at 165 Onetangi Road, Waiheke Island, or at such other place as the Committee may from time to time decide.




23. Private Profit
    Any income, benefit, or advantage that shall accrue to the Society must be used to advance the charitable purposes of the Society.

    
    

    Any payments made to a member of the Society, or person associated with a member, must be for goods or services that advance the charitable purposes of the Society and must be reasonable and relative to payments that would be made between unrelated parties. No member of the Society, or anyone associated with a member, is allowed to take part in, or influence any decision made by the Society in respect of payments to, or on behalf of, the said member or associated person of any income, benefit, or advantage.