County Club Rules 1998

RULES
OF THE
COUNTY CLUB
(Incorporated)

HASTINGS
1998

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RULES
OF THE
COUNTY CLUB
(Incorporated)

NAME OF THE CLUB
1. This Club shall be called “The County Club (Incorporated)” and shall be registered under The Incorporated Societies Act 1908.

OBJECTS OF THE CLUB
2. The Objects of the Club are as follows: To establish Club premises in Hastings, and to maintain and conduct the same for the convenience and social intercourse of members.

MANAGEMENT
3. (a) The general affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the President, Vice-President, and seven (7) other members duly elected at the Annual General Meeting, and shall hold office until the election of their successors.

(b) The Committee from time to time shall make, alter, or rescind such By-laws and Regulations consistent with these Rules as it may think fit, necessary or expedient for the well-being of the Club, and such By-laws and Regulations and the decisions of the Committee on all questions shall be binding upon members until set aside by a Special General Meeting of the Club to be called as directed in Rule 10 (b).

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(c) The Committee shall have power in the corporate name of the Club to enter into any Agreement or Agreements it may think necessary or expedient in the interests of the Club, and to execute any transfer lease assignment or mortgage of the Club’s assets or any of them for the purpose of carrying into effect the Objects of the Club or any of them. Such Agreement or other document shall bear the Common Seal of the Club and shall be executed in the manner provided by Rule 3 (j).

(d) The Committee from time to time at its discretion may borrow for the purpose of the Club from any person, company or bank any sum or sums of money either without security or upon the security of all or any of the Club’s Assets and effects either under mortgage or charge with powers of sale and other usual powers or debentures or bonds of the Club and on such terms and conditions as to rate of interest or otherwise as the lender and the Club shall arrange.

(e) Surplus Funds – The surplus funds of the Club may be invested by the Committee in the name of the Club in such securities as are approved by the Committee. Deeds and other documents in connection with investments shall be prepared by the Solicitor of the Club and certified by him as in order and all dividends and interest arising out of such investment shall go to augment the funds of the Club.

(f) Secretary and Treasurer – The Committee shall from time to time appoint a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall hold office at its pleasure. One person may hold both offices and the holder of either or both offices need not necessarily be a member of the Club.

(g) Signing of Cheques – All cheques must be signed by the Treasurer and one member of the Committee.

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(h) Financial Year – The financial year of the Club shall end on the last day of July in each year.

(i) Audit of Accounts – The Accounts of the Club shall be audited annually by an Auditor or Auditors to be appointed by the members assembled at the Annual General Meeting and the Committee shall settle the amount of the Auditor’s fee.

(j) Common Seal – The Club shall have a Common Seal which shall be affixed to documents to be executed by the Club under seal in the presence of two members of the Committee and the Secretary.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
4. (a) The officers of the Club shall consist of President, Vice-President, and seven (7) other members of the General Committee who shall be elected by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Each candidate for election must be nominated by one member and seconded by another, and the nomination paper containing the name and signature of the candidate and the signature of the nominator and seconder shall be delivered to the Secretary and posted by him on the notice-board of the Club for not less than twenty-one (21) days immediately preceding the date of ballot.

(b) Voting papers shall be prepared, on which shall be printed the names of all candidates for election to the offices of President and Vice-President and as members of the Committee, and shall be posted to members at least fourteen (14) days prior to the ballot. Each member shall strike out from the voting paper the name of any candidate against whom he desires to vote. Each member shall leave uncancelled the name of any

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candidate for whom he desires to vote. In the case of the election of President and Vice-President he shall vote for one candidate for each office, and in the case of the election of the Committee for no more than seven (7) of the candidates.

(c) No member shall vote by proxy. Any member who desires to vote as provided by Rule 4 (b) shall place his voting paper in an envelope which shall be provided by the Club and marked “Voting Paper” and affix his signature on the slip attached thereto, and either place it in the Club Ballot Box or post it under separate cover to the Secretary who shall place it in the Ballot Box. The Ballot Box shall be opened at closing time (being the time of the calling of the appropriate meeting) by the Secretary who shall check the signature slips and having withheld any votes which under these Rules are not entitled to be recorded, remove the said signature slips and hand the remaining envelopes to the Scrutineers appointed by the meeting for that purpose.

(d) Scrutineers may either be appointed by the meeting or, in order to expedite the result of the election, be nominated by the President who may instruct them to commence the count at any time within one (1) hour before the closing time of the Ballot in the manner provided for in Rule 4 (c).

(e) At the close of the Ballot or as provided for in Rule 4 (c) and (d) the Scrutineers shall open the voting papers, count the votes for and against each candidate, and announce the result to the Chairman of the meeting without giving the numbers.

In the event of a tie for any position being balloted for, the scrutineers shall decide the tie by lot.

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(f) In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Committee, the remaining members of the Committee shall fill up such vacancies for the unexpired term of office.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS
5. (a) The Committee, as laid down in Rule 3 (a) shall hold meetings whenever called together by the Secretary or by the President or the Vice-President and at least three (3) days’ notice of Committee meetings shall be given to each member of the Committee.

(b) The President or the Vice-President, or in their absence one of the members present, shall take the chair at all Committee meetings and the Chairman shall have both a deliberative and casting vote.

(c) A quorum shall consist of not less than five (5) members.

(d) Any member of the Committee other than the President or Vice-President absenting himself from three consecutive meetings without leave of absence shall cease to be a member thereof of the Committee so determines and it may appoint a substitute for the unexpired term of office of the absent member.

(e) Sub-Committees -The President, or the Vice-President, at the first Committee Meeting after each Annual General Meeting shall appoint the following Sub-Committees:-
(i) Finance
(ii) Sports
(iii) House
(iv) Membership Selection

Members of these Sub-Committees shall continue in office until the next following Annual General Meeting,

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unless sooner removed by death, resignation, or otherwise. All vacancies in the Sub-Committees occurring in the meantime shall be filled up by the President or Vice-President.

(f) The Sub-Committees shall carry out the directions of the Committee, and subject thereto conduct the ordinary internal business of the Club, and see that the Rules and By-laws for the government thereof are properly carried into effect.

(g) Each of the Sub-Committees shall hold an ordinary meeting at least once in every calendar month, three to form a quorum. Any member of the Sub-Committee may cause a Special Meeting thereof to be held at any time, by the Secretary giving to each member as much notice thereof as possible.

(h) Every member of the Sub-Committee failing to attend three consecutive meetings shall cease to be a member thereof if the President so determines.

MEMBERSHIP
6. Membership of the Club shall be divided into the following categories:-
(a) Ordinary
(b) Reciprocal
(c) Country
(d) Life
(e) Honorary

(a) Ordinary
(i) The number of ordinary members paying a full annual subscription shall not exceed 600 or such other greater or smaller number as may be

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determined by the Club in General or Special Meeting from time to time, and of which due notice has been given in accordance with these rules.

(ii) Each candidate for admission must be above the age of 20 years.

(iii) The name of each candidate for admission as an ordinary member shall be proposed and seconded by two ordinary members both of whom shall be of not less than eighteen months standing and shall be submitted to the Committee through the Secretary on a proposal card in such form as approved by the Committee from time to time.

(iv) No member whose subscription is in arrear for three calendar months may propose or second a candidate for election while his subscription remains unpaid.

(v) No candidate shall, unless with the express permission of the Committee, be eligible for election until he shall have been resident within a radius of 70 kilometres from Hastings for three months next preceding the date of his nomination.

(b) Reciprocal – A Reciprocal member shall be a member of any other Club with which this Club shall have made, or may hereafter make, an agreement for Reciprocal membership, and only during the currency of such agreement. Further, such Reciprocal membership shall be subject to the recommendation of the then Committee of his Club.

(c) Country – A Country member shall be one who resides outside a radius of 70 kilometres from Hastings.

(d) Life – On the recommendation of the Committee General Meeting may on the votes of two thirds of the

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members present thereat elect any member of the Club of not less than five years’ standing to be a life member. Any member so elected shall be entitled to the privileges of membership, without payment of any subscription, but shall be subject to the Rules and By-laws of the Club.

(e) Honorary
(i) Any person residing outside a radius of 70 kilometres from Hastings, and who is in temporary residence in Hastings, shall be eligible for honorary membership of the Club.

(ii) Any person eligible for honorary membership upon arrival in Hastings and upon being proposed in writing by a member may be admitted as an honorary member by any two members of the Committee. The name, residence, occupation of the proposed honorary member shall be entered upon a nomination paper, which shall be signed by the proposer, and by two members of the Committee approving of the admission, where-upon the name of the honorary member shall be entered in a book to be kept by the Secretary for that purpose, and a card of invitation sent to him. No member whose subscription is in arrear for three calendar months may propose or second any person as an honorary member.

(iii) The period for admission under the last preceding rule shall be one calendar month, during which no fee or subscription shall be charged. After the expiry of such calendar month the admission may be extended by the Committee, upon application of the proposer, from month to month, for a period not exceeding six consecutive months, upon

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payment of subscription per month to be fixed by the Committee from time to time.

(iv) No person admitted as an honorary member shall be re-admitted within six calendar months from the expiry of his previous honorary membership without the approval of the Committee.

(v) Honorary members shall make themselves acquainted with and observe the Rules of the Club. The member who proposes an honorary member shall be held responsible for his obligations to the Club for the month of his membership.

(vi) Persons who may have been proposed and seconded for membership may, at the discretion of the Committee, be admitted as honorary members for the period between their being proposed and seconded and their nominations being submitted to the ballot.

(vii) The Committee shall have power to revoke the admission of any honorary member at any time.

(viii) No honorary member shall be permitted to attend or vote at any meeting of members of the Club, or to bring strangers into the Club Rooms.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS
7. (a) With the exception of Life and Honorary Members, members shall be elected by ballot either among the Committee or the members as determined from time to time by the Committee. The name of the candidate with the signature of the proposer and seconder in the form provided, must be posted on the notice-board of the Club for at least twenty-one (21) days immediately prior to the date of ballot.

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(b) No candidate shall, unless with the express permission of the Committee, be eligible for election until he shall have been resident in the Provincial District of Hawke’s Bay for six months next preceding the date of his nomination.

(c) Voting papers shall be prepared, on which shall be printed the names of all candidates for election, together with the names of the proposer and seconder of each, and these shall be posted to members at least fourteen days (14) prior to the ballot. Each member shall strike out from the voting paper the name of any candidate against whom he desires to vote. He shall leave uncancelled the name of any candidate for whom he desires to vote. He shall write the words “No Vote” against the name of any candidate for whom he does not wish to record his vote.

(d) No member shall vote by proxy. Any member who desires to vote shall place his voting paper in an envelope which shall by the Club be provided and marked “Voting Paper”, and affix his signature on the slip to be attached thereto and either place it in the Club Ballot Box or post under separate cover to the Secretary who shall place it in the Ballot Box. The Ballot Box shall be opened at closing time (being the time of calling of the appropriate meeting) by the Secretary who shall check the signature slips and having withheld any votes which under these Rules are not entitled to be recorded, remove the signature slips and hand the remaining envelopes to the Scrutineers appointed by the Meeting for that purpose.

(e) Scrutineers may either be appointed by the Meeting or, in order to expedite the result of the election, be nominated by the President who may instruct them to

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commence the count at any time within one hour before the closing time of the Ballot, and as provided for in Rule 7 (c) above.

(f) No ballot shall be valid unless at least thirty (30) members entitled to do so shall vote. At least five members shall be present for the ballot.

(g) At the close of the ballot the Scrutineers shall open the voting papers, count the votes for and against each candidate, and announce the result to the Chairman of the meeting without giving the numbers. One adverse vote in six shall exclude, or such adverse votes are equivalent to more than five per centum of the number of members for the time being eligible to vote at such meeting.

(h) No rejected candidate shall be proposed again for election within one year after rejection, unless with the sanction of a majority of the whole of the Committee at a meeting convened for the purpose of considering the question.

(i) On the election of each new member, the Secretary shall notify the fact to him, furnishing him at the same time with a copy of the Rules, and stating the amount of the entrance fee and the annual subscription, on payment of which within one month he shall be enrolled on the books of the Club, and become entitled to its privileges.

RESIGNATION OR CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
8. (a) Any member may resign his membership at any time by notifying his resignation in writing, under his own hand, to the Committee, and there-upon he shall, ipso facto, cease to be a member of the Club; but no such resignation shall relieve any member from the payment

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of any subscription or other money due or payable by him, or from his proportion of any of the outstanding liabilities of the Club for which he is liable under these rules or any of them at the time of such resignation.

(b) Any member whose subscription is unpaid for a period of six months subsequent to the first August of that year shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club. But this Rule shall not apply to members for the time being absent from New Zealand.

(c) Any member wilfully infringing the Rules, By-laws or Regulations of the Club, or becoming a defaulter, or whose conduct in or out of the Club after his election, shall, in the opinion of the Managing Committee be derogatory to the character of a gentleman, or prejudicial to the interests of the Club, shall be subject to suspension or expulsion, as hereinafter provided. Charges of this nature shall first be considered by the Committee, who, if they consider such a course necessary, shall direct the Secretary to inform the member of the charge brought against him with a view of giving him an opportunity of explaining his conduct to the Committee. The Secretary shall, if called upon by any such member to do so, within seven (7) days after such member shall be notified of the charge brought against him call a meeting of the Committee for the purpose of allowing such member to explain his conduct. Should such member decline or fail to satisfactorily explain his conduct, the Committee shall convene a Special General Meeting of the Club before which they shall lay their report on the subject. Such Special General Meeting shall not be competent to deal with the case unless it consists of at least twenty (20) effective members of the Club.

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The opinion of the meeting shall be ascertained by ballot, when if two-thirds of the members present shall decide that the accused member has merited suspension, he shall be suspended for any period not exceeding twelve(l2) calendar months, during which period such member shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club. If two-thirds of the members present at such meeting shall decide that the accused member has merited expulsion, he shall be expelled, and shall forthwith cease to be a member of the Club.

(d) No member retiring from the Club, or ceasing, from any cause, to be a member, shall be entitled to, or have any claim upon the property of the Club or any portion thereof.

ENTRANCE FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
9. (a) Entrance Fees:-
(i) For a member residing within a 70 kilometre radius of Hastings, the Entrance Fee shall be such amount as shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting from time to time.

(ii) Members resident outside the 70 kilometre radius of Hastings shall be admitted without payment of Entrance Fee, but in the event of such members becoming resident within 70 kilometres of Hastings, he will become liable for payment of Entrance Fee.

(iii) A Reciprocal member shall also be admitted without payment of Entrance Fee.

(iv) Any member of the Club who shall be admitted to membership without payment of Entrance Fee and who continues to be liable for Entrance Fee shall not be entitled to a share of the disposition of the

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assets of the Club as provided by Rule 15 and shall not be deemed to be a member for the purpose of Rule 15.

(b) Subscriptions:-
(i) The Annual Subscription shall be at the rate as fixed by the Annual General Meeting of the Club each year.

(ii) Members elected at Meetings other than the Annual General Meeting, shall be charged one-fourth only of the Annual Subscription for each quarter until the expiry of the current financial year.

(iii) If a newly-elected member does not pay this Entrance Fee and Subscription within one month after his election, his election may be declared void at the discretion of the Committee.

(iv) The Annual Subscription is due on the first day of August in each year. No member shall be entitled to vote at any meeting either for election of Members, or for any other purpose, if his subscription has been in arrear for three calendar months.

(v) Interest at the rate of ten dollars per centum shall be added to all subscriptions other than full or maximum subscriptions unpaid after three calendar months in each year. But this rule shall not apply to members for the time being absent from New Zealand.

(vi) Any member who shall be absent from within 70 kilometres of Hastings for Twelve consecutive calendar months shall be liable for a proportionate amount only of his Annual Subscription due at the date of his departure. He shall during his absence retain full membership by payment at the rate of

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$5.00 per annum, and upon his return shall again become liable for a proportionate part of his full subscription for the remainder of the then current year.

(vii) Any person who has voluntarily ceased to be a member of the Club may be re-elected at any time in the manner prescribed for the election of new members on payment of an entrance fee as fixed by the Committee from time to time, but no ex-member shall be required to pay an entrance fee if he has resigned from the Club within the previous ten (l0) years.

MEETINGS
10. (a) General Meeting:-

(i) An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held within three (3) months of the balance date. Fourteen (14) days prior notice of such meeting and of the business to be discussed thereat shall be sent by the Secretary to each member. The business of the meeting shall be to elect officers for the year, to fix rates of Entrance Fees and Subscriptions, to receive from the Committee a report and A Statement of the financial affairs of the Club for the past year, and to discuss any other business of which due notice has been given.

(ii) No General Meeting shall be competent to transact business, excepting the election of new members, as provided by Rule 7 (e), unless at least ten (10) ordinary members be present and vote; and no proposition for altering or adding to or repealing the Rules, or dealing with the property of the Club

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shall be adopted without the sanction of a majority consisting of two thirds of the members at a General Meeting voting thereon.

(iii) No subject other than those which relate to the management of the affairs of the Club shall be considered at any General Meeting.

(iv) Half-yearly General Meetings shall be held during the months of December and June on such days as shall be fixed by the Committee at 8.00 pm. With power of adjournment, for election of new members, and for such other business as may be necessary.

(v) Notice of all General Meetings, and of the business to be transacted thereat, shall be exhibited in the Club, see 10 (a) (i).

(vi) All notices to members in respect of meetings shall be posted to each member at his address recorded in the Club’s roll of members and shall be deemed to have been delivered two (2) days after posting.

(b) Special Meeting:
A Special General Meeting of the Club may be called by the Committee on its own motion, and shall be called on the written request of six (6) members of the Club. All Special General meetings shall have the same powers as an Annual General Meeting, provided that twenty-one (21) days notice of the subject matter to be discussed at such meeting shall be posted in the Club, and that fourteen (l4) days prior notice of such meeting shall be sent to each member.

(c) All resolutions passed at any meeting of the Club shall be conclusive and binding on all members of the Club, whether they shall be present at such meeting or not,

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provided that such meetings are held in conformity with the Rules.

(d) In ordinary cases the mode of voting shall be by show of hands; but if required by a majority of the members present, by actual division or ballot. In all cases of voting the matter shall be decided by a majority, except in cases otherwise expressly provided for by these Rules.

(e) All Meetings, whether of Committee or members, to transact any business of the Club shall be held at the Club’s premises from such other place as the Committee may from time to time decide.

(f) At all meetings of the Club, the President, or the Vice-President, or a member of the Committee, or in the event of their absence some member to be elected by the Meeting shall be the Chairman of the meeting. The Chairman shall have a deliberative and a casting vote at such meeting.

CLUB PREMISES
11. (a) The Club Rooms shall be open and ready for the reception of members at a time or times to be provided for in the By-laws, and shall be finally closed at the hour for the time being fixed by the Committee; after which hour no game shall be played or refreshments provided, except on special occasions by direction of the Committee.

(b) Subject to the By-laws, members shall not appoint the Club Rooms, by advertisement or otherwise as a business medium, or use the same for business or advertising purposes, or as a place for meeting applicants for employment.

(c) No member shall bring a dog into the Club on any

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pretext whatever.

(d) No member of the Club shall take away from the Club Room in which it is customarily kept, or deface, tear, or damage any newspaper, book, pamphlet, or other article the property of the Club.

(e) Any member breaking or damaging any article belonging to or in the use of the Club, shall pay to the Secretary the necessary cost of replacing such article, the price to be fixed by the House Committee.

(f) Games which may be deemed by the Committee gambling games shall not be allowed in the Club.

(g) All suggestions shall be made to the Secretary in writing or entered and signed by the member complaining, in a book to be kept for that purpose in the Reading Room of the Club. Such suggestion shall be laid before the Committee as its next ensuing meeting, and an answer sent by the Secretary under its direction.

VISITORS
12. Subject to such regulations as the Committee may make any member of the Club shall have the privilege of introducing friends to the Club provided that such member shall remain in the company of his friend throughout the duration of the visit of his friend.

STAFF
13. (a) All servants of the Club except the Secretary/Manager, who shall be appointed by the Committee, shall be appointed by, and shall be under the control of the Secretary/Manager.

(b) Members shall not give any money or gratuity to any of

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the servants of the Club. Servants of the Club shall not directly or indirectly receive any present, money or gratuity from any member, or from any tradesman or other person employed by the Club, under pain of immediate dismissal by the Committee.

(c) All complaints of any inattention or improper conduct of a servant shall be stated in a letter signed by the member complaining, addressed to the secretary, and shall be by him laid before the House Committee with as little delay as possible.

LIABILITY OF MEMBERS
14. Subject as hereinafter provided the members of the Club shall be liable jointly and severally for the amount of the Club’s bank overdraft or for any other debt or liability of the Club, and if at any time the Club shall be called upon to discharge such liability or pay such debt every member shall forthwith upon demand bear and pay his proportionate share of such liability or debt, but in no case shall any member be liable to pay more than the sum of twenty dollars. This obligation will remain in full force and effect against a member whether he has resigned from the Club or not or whether his connection with the Club is severed by expulsion or otherwise howsoever. Provided also that the liability of any member under the rule shall continue for one year after his connection with the Club ceases and no longer.

DISSOLUTION
On application in writing made to the Committee by twenty ordinary members signifying their desire that the Club should be dissolved, a Special General Meeting

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shall be called to consider the question at which meeting the votes of at least two-thirds of the ordinary members on the books of the Club shall be necessary to carry the proposition for dissolution, and upon such resolution being carried the assets of the then existing liabilities, be disposed of as shall be determined by the ordinary members in general meeting.

ALTERATION OF RULES
16. (a) These rules may be altered, added to, rescinded or otherwise amended by a resolution passed by a majority of those present at a General Meeting called under Rule 10 (b) or the Annual General Meeting [Rule 10 (a) (i)] of which appropriate notice has been given.

(b) The notice of the meeting shall set forth the purpose of the proposed alteration, addition rescission or other amendment.

LEVY
17. At any General Meeting, upon the recommendation of the Committee, two thirds of the members present and voting at that meeting may impose a financial levy on all members of the Club to be paid upon such terms and conditions as shall be approved by such meeting provided due notice of such intention is given to all members as if it was a proposed alteration to these Rules.