MEMBER'S AREA
Constitution

CONSTITUTION

1. Name

The name of the Club shall be THE OVER FORTIES TRAMPING CLUB INCORPORATED hereinafter referred to as the Club.

2. Interpretation

Committee means the Committee for the time being appointed under Clause 9a of this Constitution.

Year means financial year of the Club as defined under Clause 14 of this Constitution.

The decision of the Committee on the interpretation of the Rules or any matter or thing pertaining to the property or interests of the Club shall be conclusive and binding on all members.

3. Objectives

  1. To arrange trips and camps for the benefit of financial members.
  2. To foster and develop a love of the outdoors and to create an interest in the protection of the flora and fauna of the country.
  3. To encourage members of the Club to enjoy a more leisurely style of tramping.
  4. To act in cooperation with the Government of New Zealand or any kindred agency for the promotion of tramping facilities.

4. Membership

  1. Membership shall be open to adults who are over forty years of age.
  2. Intending members shall be nominated by a financial member and their nomination seconded by one other financial member.
  3. An application for membership shall be placed before the committee elected under Clause 9 at its next meeting for approval by a majority of two-thirds of those present.
  4. The Membership Officer shall advise newly elected members of their acceptance in terms of Clause 4 b. above.
  5. Membership of the Club shall date from the time of election subject to the appropriate subscription being paid within one month of election.
  6. All persons intending to make application to the Club for membership must advise the Committee through the Membership Officer of any relevant health disability.
  7. Only members financial for the previous year may move and second motions and vote on matters at the Annual General Meeting.
  8. The Committee shall have power to elect suitable persons to be Honorary Members of the Club, such membership to be revocable by the Committee at any time.   Honorary Members shall be exempt from payment of subscriptions and they shall not have voting rights.
  9. Life Membership may be conferred upon a member to whom the Club especially desires to show its appreciation for past service. A special resolution of a General Meeting together with the prior majority consent of the Committee shall be obtained before Life Membership is conferred on any person.   Life Members shall be exempt from the payment of annual subscriptions and they shall be entitled to vote.   The maximum number of life members at any one time shall be 4% of Club membership.

5. Resignation

Any member may resign his or her membership of the Club by giving notice in writing to the Secretary but such notice shall not be accepted until all arrears of subscription or other moneys owing to the Club have been paid.

6. Expulsion

Should the Committee consider that the conduct of a member is injurious to the character of the Club and if two-thirds majority of the Committee shall be satisfied after an opportunity of defence has been afforded that such is the case, the Committee shall request the member to resign.

7. Subscriptions

  1. The subscription payable by members of the Club shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. Subscriptions become due immediately after the Annual General Meeting.
  3. New members accepted after June shall pay half the ordinary subscription for that year.

8. Charge for Special Privileges

The Club may at its discretion levy a charge upon members using any Club property or privilege in respect of that user.

9. Committee

Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the management and property of the Club shall be vested in a Committee which shall be elected from ordinary members present at each Annual General Meeting.   The Committee shall have power to appoint a member to fill a casual vacancy, such appointee holding office until the next Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for Officers and Committee members shall be taken from the floor of the meeting or, if in writing, must contain the signatures of the nominator and seconder together with the written consent of the nominee.

The Committee shall consist of:

Chairperson

Vice-Chairperson

Honorary Secretary

Honorary Treasurer

Club Captain

Membership Officer Newsletter Editor and a Committee consisting of five ordinary members.

  1. One currently retiring office-holder may be invited to remain as an ex officio committee member for one year only.
  2. Committee members shall not hold more than two offices at the same time.
  3. The Chairperson shall not hold the same office for longer than three consecutive years.
  4. The Committee shall arrange and organise all official Club trips together with any social function it deems suitable.
  5. The Committee shall appoint the trip leader for each trip who shall be directly responsible to the Club Captain for the organisation and conduct of that trip.
  6. The Committee may at its discretion cancel or abandon any trip or social function as circumstances warrant.
  7. The Committee may delegate its powers under sub-clauses, 9d, 9e and 9f to the Club Captain, Tramp planners and/or such other persons as it shall appoint from time to time.
  8. The Committee shall have power to enforce the Regulations and Rules of the Club.
  9. The Committee shall have power to deal with any other matters which may arise from time to time.

10. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in March of each year at which the Annual Report and reviewed Financial Accounts shall be presented.   Written notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to each member of the Club together with a copy of the Annual Report and the Accounts at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

11. Special General Meetings

The Committee may whenever they think fit and they shall upon a requisition made in writing and signed by at least ten members of the Club convene a Special General Meeting.   Any such requisition made by the members shall express the objects of the meeting proposed to be called and it shall be deposited with the Secretary.   Upon receipt of such a requisition the Committee shall forthwith proceed to call a Special General Meeting and if they do not convene the same within twenty-eight days from receipt of such requisition the requisitionists may themselves convene a Special General Meeting.   Written notice of a meeting convened in terms of this Clause shall be sent to each member of the Club at least fourteen clear days of such meeting and shall set out the objects for which the meeting is called.

12. Committee Meetings

Members of the Committee shall be summoned in such manner and upon such notice as the Committee shall from time to time determine.

13. Procedure at Meetings

The Chairperson shall preside and shall have a deliberative and a casting vote at all General, Special and Committee Meetings.

In the event of the absence of the Chairperson the Vice-

Chairperson or a member of the Committee elected at the meeting shall preside and exercise the Chairperson’s functions and privileges.   Voting may be by show of hands or by ballot as decided by members present.   Resolution may be passed on a simple majority of members voting.   A quorum at a General Meeting or a Special General Meeting shall consist of ten members personally present.   A quorum at a Committee Meeting shall consist of five members personally present.

14. Finance

  1. The Treasurer for the time being duly elected shall keep a proper record of income and expenditure in books of account.
  2. The Treasurer shall be authorised to receive any subscriptions or monies for the benefit of the Club.
  3. All such monies shall be paid into a banking institution registered with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand bank account of the Club which account shall be operated upon by the Treasurer, Chairperson and Secretary, any two of these having authority to jointly operate on the bank account.
  4. Any donations should only be made after being recommended by the committee and approved by Members of the Club in General meeting.
  5. Payments must be duly sanctioned by the Committee.
  6. The financial year of the Club shall run from 1 January to 31 December.
  7. The funds, income and property of the Club shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Club and not directly or indirectly by way of dividend or bonus or otherwise by way of profit to any member of the Club.
  8. The accounts of the Club shall be reviewed by a person other than the Club Treasurer prior to presentation at an Annual General Meeting.
  9. Any surplus funds of the Club may be vested from time to time in any banking institution registered with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and authorised to accept monies on deposit.

15. Borrowing Powers

The Club shall have power to borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as the Committee shall think fit and for such purpose may charge or mortgage any property or asset of the Club.

16. Common Seal

The Club shall have a common seal which when used shall be affixed in the presence of the Chairperson and the Secretary who must append their signatures.

17. Alterations and Additions to Constitution and/or Rules

No clause of the Constitution or Rules of the Club shall be altered or rescinded or a new clause or rule added except at a General Meeting of the Club.   Notice of motion to alter, rescind or add must be given in writing to the Secretary at least twenty-eight days before the General Meeting at which it is to be discussed.

Details of any proposed alteration shall be circulated to members at least fourteen (14) clear days before the meeting.   A majority vote by members present shall be required to pass such motion and only financial members may vote.

18. Resolutions

Resolutions already passed at any General Meeting of the Club may be changed only where notice of motion has been given in accordance with Clause 17 (above) and a period of at least three months must have elapsed since the date at which the original Resolution/s was passed.

19. Disposal of Assets

In the event of the winding up of the Club any assets of the Club shall be disposed of as members shall decide at the meeting convened to pass the motion to wind up.   If it is not possible to have a quorum at such meeting then the assets may be disposed of at the discretion of the Registrar of Incorporated Societies in terms of Section 27 of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.

This printing of the Constitution includes all amendments in force up to the Annual General Meeting of March 2021.