New Zealand Model Railway Guild

Rules of The New Zealand Model Railway Guild Inc.

1. The name of the Guild shall be: New Zealand Model Railway Guild Inc.

2. The objects of the Guild shall be: To provide a link between model railway enthusiasts for the encouragement of the modelling of New Zealand prototype.

3. Membership of the Guild shall be open to all persons in New Zealand or overseas who are interested in New Zealand prototype model railway engineering, operation or in model railways generally. All applications for membership shall be on an approved form drawn up by the Executive Committee. There shall be no need for a proposer or seconder to support a membership application. The Executive Committee, however, shall have power to refuse at its discretion any application for membership.

4. Termination of membership: Membership of the Guild will be terminated -

a) When the annual subscription becomes overdue. The Secretary must advise the member in writing that his or her membership has been terminated.

b) When a member is notified by the executive Committee, in writing, that his or her membership has been terminated because of misconduct.

c) When a member resigns by notifying the Guild in writing.

5. Rules: The Rules of the Guild may be altered, added to or rescinded as follows:

At an Annual or Special General Meeting, providing notice of motion in writing proposing the amendment is received by the Secretary not later than six weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting before which such motion is to be placed. The Secretary shall notify all members resident in New Zealand of the proposal not later than two weeks before the date of the meeting.

No amendment or alteration to the Rules shall be effective unless and until it shall have been passed by a majority of the members present and voting.

6. Annual General Meetings of the Guild shall be held on a suitable date in March or April each year as determined by the Executive Committee subject to a minimum of two weeks notice in writing being given to members resident in New Zealand.

Special General Meetings may be convened by the Executive Committee subject to a minimum of two weeks' notice in writing of the meeting and of the business to be dealt with being given to all members resident in New Zealand. Any group of six or more financial members of the Guild may require the Executive Committee to call a Special General Meeting to deal with a specific matter. The request for the Special General Meeting must be received by the Secretary, in writing, at least six weeks before the suggested date for the meeting. If the Special General Meeting is approved by the Executive Committee the Secretary shall advise, in writing, all members resident in New Zealand of the date, time and place of the meeting and of the specific matter to be discussed.

Should the Executive Committee not take the required action the said group of members may themselves call a Special General Meeting subject to a minimum of two weeks notice in writing and the business to be dealt with thereat being given to all members resident in New Zealand and subject to the meeting being held at such a time and place as shall reasonably enable New Zealand members to attend. A quorum at an Annual or Special General Meeting shall consist of 15 members, and at an Executive Committee Meeting of 4 members.

At all meetings of the Guild or its Executive Committee the President, if present, shall occupy the Chair. In his absence the Vice President shall preside. In the event of neither officer being present, the meeting shall elect a Chairman, who shall not be the Secretary or the Treasurer.

7. Voting at General Meetings of the Guild shall be on the voices or if required by any member present on a show of hands or by ballot.

In the event of equal voting on any motion before a meeting, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

8. Appointment of Officers: At each Annual General Meeting the members present and voting shall appoint a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a minimum of three committee men to hold office as the Executive Committee of the Guild for the ensuing twelve months. All members of the Executive Committee must be financial members of the Guild.

Nominations of members to fill positions on the Executive Committee may be submitted in writing to the Secretary prior to the date set for the holding of the Annual General Meeting or may be made from the floor at the time of the Annual General Meeting.

9. Common Seal: The common seal shall be in the custody and under the control of the Secretary, who shall affix the same to all instruments requiring the same, but only in pursuance of a resolution of the Committee to that effect.

10. Investment of Funds: The control and investment of the funds of the Guild shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee.

A bank account shall be kept at a convenient bank.

The Treasurer or two trustees nominated by the Executive Committee, shall have the power to sign withdrawal slips or cheques.

11. Borrowing Money: The Executive Committee may borrow money to further the objects of the Guild subject to the prior consent of a majority of all financial members.

12. Winding up of the Guild: The members present and voting at a Special Meeting called for the purpose may resolve that the Guild be wound up as from a date to be named in the resolution. They may resolve subject to the resolution being passed by a majority of the members present to dispose of the funds and property of the Guild after the winding-up thereof, in such a manner, as they shall see fit after first providing for the payment of all costs and liabilities of the Guild.

13. Auditor: At each Annual General Meeting, one member of the Guild, not being a member of the Executive Committee, shall be appointed to audit the books and accounts of the Guild for the then current financial year, and the manner of the auditor's appointment shall be the same as for appointment of members of the Executive Committee.

Should the member so appointed be unable to perform the audit as required, or should the Annual General Meeting fail to appoint an auditor, the Executive Committee must appoint another person to carry out that year's audit.

14. Subscriptions: The annual subscription shall be determined by the Executive Committee and approved by members present at the Annual General Meeting, or a Special General Meeting.

15. By-laws: The Executive Committee shall from time to time make, repeal and amend all such by-laws and regulations (not inconsistent with these rules) as they shall think expedient for the internal management and well being of the Guild.

16. The Guild shall not be carried on for the purpose of profit or gain to any member or members and it shall be prohibited from any distribution whether by way of money, property or otherwise howsoever to any member or members. No addition to or alteration of Rule 12 shall be approved without the Inland Revenue Department's approval.

Notes: 1. Rules 1 to 15 were registered 28th July 1967.

2. Rule 16 was registered 3rd May 1989.

◄ HOME | ◄ MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM