New Zealand Geophysical Society

RULES

(updated to include amendments approved at AGM on 18 August 2005)

1. Name: The name of the Society shall be the New Zealand Geophysical Society Incorporated, hereinafter called the Society.

2. Objectives: The objectives of the Society shall be:

(a) To encourage the advancement of geophysical sciences.

(b) To serve as a means of facilitating communication and co-operation among members, and with other bodies.

(c) To investigate and report on matters of general interest to New Zealand geophysicists.

(d) To serve as a channel for the expression of the views of New Zealand geophysicists.

(e) To encourage and give recognition to high standards of geophysical research in New Zealand.

(f) To hold conferences and meetings in order to further the above objectives.

3. Membership:

(a) Membership shall be of two classes;

(i) Ordinary members.
Ordinary membership shall be open to all those interested in the objectives of the Society. Prospective ordinary members shall be nominated by two other members and elected by a simple majority vote of the Council. Ordinary members may be individuals or corporate bodies.

(ii) Honorary members.
The Council may elect as an Honorary member, any ordinary member of the Society who has given specially meritorious service to the Society and to the advancement of Geophysics, except that the number of Honorary members so elected in any one year shall not exceed one.

All members shall be equally entitled to receive notices and newsletters of the Society, to attend and vote at meetings of the Society, and to stand for positions as officers or members of the Council of the Society.

(b) Any member of the Society may resign by giving notice in writing to the Secretary and paying all subscriptions due: Provided that any member giving such notice within two months from the beginning of the financial year shall not be liable to pay the subscription for that financial year.

(c) Any member whose annual subscription is more than two years in arrears shall be removed from membership of the Society and may be readmitted by resolution of the Council on payment of all arrears.

(d) The Council shall hear complaints about the misconduct of a member, and shall if the complaints are found to be true and of sufficient gravity have power to terminate that membership either by inviting the member to resign of by directing the member to do so. Misconduct shall be considered to be any action by a member which is a violation of the Society's rules or is harmful or defamatory to the Society as a whole. The member against whom complaints have been made shall have a right to appear before the Council and may further appeal against the decision at a General Meeting of the Society.

(e) Every person shall upon ceasing to be a member of the Society forfeit all right to any claim upon the Society and its property and funds.

4. Subscription:

(a) The annual subscription for membership shall be set by resolution of Council, except that there shall be no subscription for Honorary membership. Council may set different membership subscription rates for: individuals, individuals who are bone-fide students, and corporate bodies.

(b) The first subscription of a candidate for membership shall be forwarded to the Secretary with the application. The election of a member shall not take effect until the subscription has been received.

(c) All subscriptions after the first shall become due and payable on the first day of each financial year.

(d) Each member, on election, shall be given notice thereof in writing by the Secretary and be supplied with a copy of the rules of the Society.

(e) In exceptional circumstances the Council may by resolution remit the payment of an annual subscription or part thereof.

5. Officers: The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be individual members.

6. Council:

(a) The Council shall consist of the following:

(i) The officers.
(ii) The immediate Past President.
(iii) Three members elected by the Annual General Meeting.
(iv) Any member appointed under Rule 6(c).

(b) The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three members of the Council shall be elected by successive ballots in that order at the Annual General Meeting.

(c) The Council shall have power to appoint any of the following:

(i) A representative to the Royal Society of New Zealand, who shall be appointed for a term of two years.
(ii) A Newsletter editor, who shall be appointed for a term of one year.
(iii) Two co-opted members, who shall hold office until the close of the Annual General Meeting following their co-option.

(d) Candidates for positions as officers or members of the Council shall be members of the Society, and shall be nominated -

(i) by prior resolution of a Section of the Society, conveyed to the Secretary in writing, or
(ii) by any two members in writing, or
(iii) in person by members attending the Annual General Meeting.

Every candidate shall before election have signified acceptance of nomination.

(e) All officers and members of the council shall be eligible for immediate re-election, except that neither the President nor Vice-President shall be eligible for a third successive term.

(f) The officers and Council shall take office immediately after the close of the Annual General Meeting at which they are elected and shall have full control of the management of the Society except where otherwise provided in these rules.

(g) At any meeting of the Council four shall form a quorum.

(h) The Council may delegate any of its powers and duties to subcommittees consisting of such member or members of the Society as it may resolve, provided that at least one member of each subcommittee shall be a member of the Council, and may grant to such subcommittees the power to co-opt other persons whether members of not.

(i) Meetings of the Council shall be called by the Secretary on the instructions of the President or within twenty one days following receipt of a requisition signed by not fewer than three members of the Council.

(j) The Council shall have power to appoint members of the Society to fill any casual vacancies on the Council.

7. Finances:

(a) The control and investment of the funds of the Society shall be wholly within the power of the Council, which may open and operate accounts at any bank or banks as it deems fit. The Trustees of any such accounts shall be the Treasurer and any two members of the Council appointed by the Council for that Purpose; cheques and withdrawal warrants shall be signed by any two of the Trustees.

(b) The Treasurer shall keep a correct account of all funds received and expended by the Society, and shall prepare at the end of each financial year a Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts for that year.

(c) At the first Council meeting following any AGM, Council shall appoint an Audit Committee of at least two members of Council and nominate one to be Convenor of the committee. The Treasurer shall not be a member of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee shall, before the AGM following its appointment, review that year's Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts prepared by the Treasurer, and any documents relating to the transactions described in the Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts, and present a report on its review at the AGM.

(d) The financial year of the Society shall end on 30 June of each year.

(e) The Society shall have the power to borrow money only with the prior approval of an Annual or Special General Meeting.

(f) The Society shall pay annually to the Royal Society of New Zealand a membership fee as prescribed by the rules of the Royal Society of New Zealand, or such greater sum as the Council may decide.

(g) The core assets of the Society, whether money, property, or other assets shall not be paid or distributed among any of the members of the Society.

8. Meetings:

(a) The Society shall hold at least one General Meeting in each financial year. At one such meeting there shall be a business session, which shall constitute the Annual General Meeting of the Society. At this session the business shall include:

(i) Receipt of a Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts for the preceding financial year from the Council.
(ii) Receipt of a report on the Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts from the Audit Committee
(iii) Election of the officers and Council and appointment of an Auditor for the ensuing year.

(b) A Special General Meeting shall be held at any time by resolution of the Council or within six weeks of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition signed by at least twenty members specifying the purpose for which the meeting is to be called.

(c) Notice and agenda of each Annual or Special General Meeting shall be posted to each member at least fourteen days before that meeting. At any Special General Meeting no motion not included in the notice calling the meeting may be proposed, discussed, or put to vote except by consent of two thirds of the members present; however, the meeting may amend any notified motion by simple majority.

(d) The Annual Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts for each financial year shall be posted to all members at least fourteen days before the next Annual General Meeting.

(e) At any Annual or Special General Meeting fifteen members shall constitute a quorum.

(f) At any Annual or Special General Meeting or Council Meeting the chair shall be taken by the President or if the President is absent by the Vice-President, or in his absence, by a member elected by the meeting.

(g) At any Meeting voting shall be on the voices or by show of hands or by ballot at the discretion of the Chairman, provided that, if any member shall so demand, voting shall be by ballot. A corporate body shall be entitled to one vote. The Chairman shall have both a deliberate and casting vote.

(h) The time and place of each Special or Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be decided by the Council.

9. Alteration to Rules:

(a) Any alteration, addition or rescission in these rules shall be made only at an Annual or Special General Meeting.

(b) Notice of the proposed alteration, addition or rescission shall be posted to every member at least fourteen days prior to the meeting.

(c) The meeting may amend any such proposals.

(d) No resolution shall effect any alteration of these rules unless assented to by two thirds of the member present at the meeting.

(e) The Inland Revenue Department shall be notified of any alteration, addition or rescission in these rules which, in any way, affects the non-profit status of the Society.

10. Interpretation of the Rules: The decision of the Council as to the interpretation of these rules shall be final and binding on all parties except at any Annual or Special General Meeting when the decision of the Chairman of such meeting shall be final and binding on all parties.

11. Bylaws: The Council may make such bylaws not inconsistent with these rules as it may deem necessary.

12. Sections:

(a) Subject to the consent of the Council, members of the Society not fewer then ten in number may form a Section for the purpose of holding meetings of either a local or Specialist character in fulfillment of the objects of the Society. Each Section shall elect a chairman and committee and such other officers as it may deem fit.

(b) The Committee of a Section shall elect as a member of the Section any member of the Society who expresses a desire to join the Section.

(c) Each Section may frame rules for its own guidance not inconsistent with the rules of the Society.

(d) An annual contribution towards the running costs of a Section shall be available on application to the Council.

13. Common Seal: The Common Seal of the Society shall be in the custody of the Secretary who shall in pursuance of a resolution of the Council to that effect, affix the same to all instruments requiring the same.

14. Winding up: In the event of the dissolution of the Society any remaining assets of the Society after a payment of all liabilities shall be disposed of in such a manner as the last Annual or Special General Meeting shall decide, or failing any such decision shall become the property of the Royal Society of New Zealand, provided that no property whatsoever shall be paid to or distributed among the members of the Society.

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