TAUPO TRAMPING CLUB
New Zealand
Constitution: As lodged with www.Societies.govt.nz with the updates of 2015
TAUPO TRAMPING CLUB INCORPORATED
CONSTITUTION (2015)
1 NAME
The name of the Club shall be the Taupo Tramping Club Incorporated
2 INTERPRETATION
"The Club" means the Taupo Tramping Club Incorporated.
"The Secretary" means the Secretary of the Club, as provided for in this Constitution.
"The Committee" means the governing body of the Club, as appointed under clause 9 of this Constitution.
"Year" means the period between two successive Annual General Meetings.
"Trip" means any event sanctioned by the Committee, and not inconsistent with the Objects of the Club.
Sub-headings shall not affect the construction of a Clause.
"Member" means a person who for the time being fulfils the requirements for membership of the Club as laid down in this Constitution.
"General Meeting" means the Annual General Meeting, or any Special General Meeting.
3 OBJECTS
The Objects of the Club are:
To promote and encourage safe use of the outdoors for recreational use, particularly walking, climbing, and mountaineering in New Zealand.
To protect native flora, fauna, and natural features of the country.
To arrange Trips and nominate a Leader for those trips, as defined in Club Rules.
To provide political comment on, or input to (or about), those parties responsible for providing accommodation, tracks, routes, bridges or other facilities on the public estate.
To facilitate the other Club Objects by acquiring real or personal property for the purpose of the Club (if appropriate), and to dispose of property no longer required.
To act in co-operation with other organisations eg Federated Mountain Clubs, Government, or Local Bodies for the promotion of the above Objects, and if called upon, to make submissions to the relevant Bodies on matters concerning administration of the New Zealand outdoors, and any other issues relevant to the Club.
In construing the foregoing Objects, the construction of any Clause shall not be limited or restricted by reference to any other Clause.
4 MEMBERSHIP
(a) Types of Membership.
Life Membership – Life Members are to be recommended to a General Meeting for election by resolution of the Committee, and to be elected by a resolution of not less than two-thirds or those present and entitled to vote at that General Meeting, and shall be entitled to vote at all General Meetings, to hold office, and to have all other privileges of Membership, without payment of subscriptions.
Honorary Membership – Honorary Members may be appointed by resolution of the Committee, or by the Club in General Meeting, and shall be entitled to such of the privileges of Membership as the Committee shall from time to time determine, but not to vote or hold office.
Ordinary Membership – Ordinary Members are to be the age of sixteen years or over, and shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings, to hold office, and to have all other privileges of Membership.
Family Membership – Family Members are to be Husband and Wife, Partners, Caregivers, and any of their children still attending school.
(b) Restriction on Membership
From time to time Club Membership numbers may be restricted at the discretion of the Committee. Any person ceasing to be a member of the Club either through suspension or expulsion (in accordance with Clause 8), resignation, or non-payment of levies or subscriptions due, forfeits all rights to and claims upon the Club, its property, or funds.
(c) Prospective Members
(1)Every candidate for Membership must undertake at least one Trip with the Club, and make application for Membership through the Secretary before being accepted to Membership by a simple majority resolution of those present and voting at a Meeting of the Committee.
(2) The Secretary shall notify each newly elected candidate of that candidate's acceptance into the Club and upon payment of the first subscription, that candidate shall become an Ordinary Member of the Club.
(3) All new Members shall receive a copy of this Constitution and Club Rules.
5 LEVIES, SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) The Members may, at any Annual General Meeting, impose such entry fee as they deem fit.
(b) The Club in General Meeting may authorise the Committee to impose levies upon Members, the purpose of such levy to be agreed at that General Meeting. The amount (or if appropriate, varying amounts) of such a levy shall be set by the Committee and shall (not withstanding sub-Clause (c)(3) of this Clause) be binding on all Ordinary Members.
(c) Subscriptions
1. An Annual Subscription payable by each Ordinary Member shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions for Family Membership may also be set (or the Committee authorised to set such at a later date), but shall only apply to parents or care-givers and any of their children still attending school.
2. Subscriptions shall be considered due as of the date of the Annual General Meeting at which they are set, or subsequent Annual General Meetings if they remain unaltered. If a new subscription is paid within 2 months (60 days) prior to an Annual General Meeting, it shall follow through to the following Annual General Meeting.
3. Upon receipt of an application in writing, the Committee may at its discretion, in any special circumstances, make such reduction or concession in the Subscription, Fees or Levies due from any Member, as it sees fit.
4. If a Family Subscription (set in accordance with sub-Clause (c)(1) of this Clause) is paid, this shall be deemed to be payment in full of the individual Subscriptions of all Ordinary Members belonging to the family to which that Subscription relates.
6 DEFAULT IN PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTION
If any Member shall fail to pay fully an Annual Subscription by 30th September, it shall be at the discretion of the Committee to terminate that Membership, by a resolution to that effect. Notification of such resolution shall be made by the Secretary, in writing, to the Member concerned, delivered to such address as was last recorded in the Club's Register of Members.
7 RESIGNATION
Any Member may resign from the Club by giving to the Secretary, notice in writing, to that effect. No refund of Subscriptions already paid shall be made.
8 SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION
The Committee shall have the power to suspend [temporarily, or permanently by Expulsion] the Membership of any Member.
9 OFFICERS AND MANAGEMENT
(a) The entire affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee, elected or appointed annually by the Members at the Annual General Meeting. Such Committee shall consist of the Executive positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Club Captain. A Vehicle Officer may be appointed. An Executive Officer of the Club may not hold more than two executive positions. (eg Secretary/Treasurer or President/Vehicle Officer etc). In addition to the Executive, at least FOUR and not more than SIX other members shall be elected to the Committee.
(b) The office of President may be held by one person for not more than three consecutive years and after being out of office for one year, shall be eligible for re-election.
(c) Any unsuccessful candidate for a particular office is eligible for nomination for all other offices. All retiring Officers shall be eligible for nomination for re-election subject to the limitation imposed by sub-Clause (b) of this Clause.
10 EXTRAORDINARY VACANCIES
The Committee is empowered to fill any casual vacancy arising during the year.
11 COMMITTEE MEETINGS
(a) A meeting of the Committee may be called at any time by the President or the Secretary, and shall be called within seven days of the receipt by the Secretary of a requisition signed by three Members of the Committee.
(b) Notice of a Committee Meeting setting out the date, time and venue shall be given to every Member of the Committee at least forty-eight (48) hours before the appointed time for the meeting.
(c) At each Committee Meeting a quorum consists of half the number of Committee Members plus one. The President, or in the President's absence, the Club Captain, or other person present and elected to do so, shall chair the Meeting. Such person as chairs the Meeting shall have both a deliberative and (if necessary) a casting vote. Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority.
(d) The Committee may declare any of its Members, or co-opt Members from the general Club membership to be responsible for specific areas of concern (eg equipment, Search & Rescue etc)
12 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall be held before June 30th in any calendar year.
13 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Committee may at any time, and shall within fourteen days of receiving a requisition in writing of at least five Members, which requisition shall set out in the form of resolutions the business proposed to be transacted at that Meeting, convene a Special General Meeting for any specific purpose or purposes.
14 NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
The Secretary shall, at least seven days before any General Meeting, advise every Member, by written notice delivered to such address as was last recorded in the Club's Register of members, or by Public Notice in the local newspaper, advise of the date, time and venue of such Meeting.
15 PROCEDURE AT GENERAL MEETINGS
(a) All General Meetings shall be chaired by the President, or in the President's absence, the Club Captain, or in the Club Captain's absence, by a Member chosen at the Meeting. Such person as chairs the meeting shall have both a deliberative and (if necessary) a casting vote. Every Life or Ordinary Member shall have one vote. Subject to the limitations imposed by sub-Clause (a)(1) of Clause 4 of the Constitution, resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority.
(b) At each General Meeting, ten members shall constitute a Quorum.
(c) Voting shall be by voices, but on demand of any member present and entitled to vote, the person chairing that Meeting shall call for a division, which shall be indicated by a show of hands, or if the meeting desires, by ballot in which case two scrutineers shall be appointed.
(d) Provision shall be made for proxy voting on specific issues.
16 DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY
The Secretary shall keep and have custody of a Minute Book containing full and correct Minutes of all meetings, a Register of Members showing names and address of all Members and the date at which they became Members and shall perform such duties as may be required by this Constitution
17 DUTIES OF THE TREASURER
The Treasurer shall keep such books of Account as the Committee may from time to time require, shall keep all entries in such books properly up-to-date, shall perform other such duties as may be required by this Constitution AND shall ensure that all declarations and Returns required by Law for Incorporated Societies are made in an accurate and timely fashion.
18 BANK ACCOUNTS
The funds of the Club shall be lodged with such Bank or Banks as the Committee shall determine, and the Treasurer plus one or two other Members of the Committee shall be authorised signatories to such accounts, any two of those appointed to sign conjointly. All Club bankbooks and statements, together with the Club books of Account shall be produced by the Treasurer as required by the Committee.
19 FINANCIAL YEAR
The Financial Year of the Club shall end on the last day of March, to which date Accounts shall be balanced.
20 INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT REVIEW
An Auditor, who shall NOT be a Member of the Committee, may be elected by the Club in General Meeting, or may be appointed by the Committee to carry out an Independent Account Review of the annual accounts.
21 BALANCE SHEET
A Statement of Income and Expenditure, and a Balance Sheet, (with an Independent Account Review) shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.; a copy of which shall be made available to Members for inspection at any time.
22 TRIPS
(a) Programmed Trips shall have first call on any Club resources or property.
(b) The Committee may impose such Levy as it thinks fit upon Members participating in any Trip, provided prior notice of such Levy is given to Members. The Committee shall be empowered to ban from any further Club trips any Member who has Trip Levies outstanding. If a Member be so banned, the Secretary shall notify the Member concerned of the action taken by the Committee.
23 DUTIES OF MEMBERS
It shall be the duty of all Members to:
(a) Assist in carrying out the Objects of the Club.
(b) Abide by the Constitution and Rules of the Club.
(c) Notify the Secretary of any change of address. All notices posted to such address as is last entered in the register of Members, shall be considered as having been duly given.
24 RULES
The Committee shall be empowered to make, amend, or repeal Club Rules. All such Rules shall be consistent with the Constitution, and be immediately binding on all Members. (Refer below for RULES)
25 COMMON SEAL
The Common Seal of the Club shall be kept by the Secretary, and shall not be affixed to any document except by resolution of the Committee, and in the presence of the Secretary and TWO other Members of the Committee.
26 BORROWING POWERS
The Committee shall have the power to borrow funds, the sum of such borrowings not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), on such terms as the Committee deems fit, and to give as security therefore and interest thereon, as the the Committee may determine.
27 UNCERTAINTY
In the event of any difficulty or question arising that is not provided for in the Constitution or Club Rules, it shall be referred to the Committee to decide, and that decision is to be final.
28 WINDING UP
Upon winding-up of the Club, its property and funds shall be disposed of in accordance with directions given at the final General Meeting of the Club. Failing such directions, the property shall be realised (if required) and distributed to other kindred clubs or institutions as the Committee may decide.
(This amended Constitution was adopted by the Club at the Annual General Meeting held on the 12th of May 2015)
(signed by..) B Morris , President.
Rules: Amended in February 2016 by committee
Last Revised: June 10th 2008 (Trip costings updated 01 April 2015) (Rule 10 deleted in Feb 2016 and Rules re-numbered)
RULES OF THE TAUPO TRAMPING CLUB (INC)
The party leader is responsible for the trip, and also for collecting any requested charges / or donations.
The party leader shall decide if trampers are adequately equipped and shall have the power to refuse to take on a trip any inadequately equipped person.
For the safety of all, members shall keep together unless the leader specifically authorises any members to do otherwise.
Trip leaders shall obtain, in advance, permission for access to private properties and permits for State or Private Lands, where required.
No dogs or firearms shall be taken on trips.
All members must notify the leader in advance of their intention to go on a trip. The leader organises transport, notifies members of any variation from the advertised trip and informs them of any liability for hut fees, etc. Except for acute medical conditions, the member is liable for, and must pay in full, all trip dues if that member cancels out later than 8.00pm the day prior to trip departure. For bigger trips specified earlier cancellation dates may apply.
The Club mini-bus drivers must be Club Members of at least 25 years of age and have at least 3 years clear of any conviction for dangerous driving. Drivers are personally liable for any traffic infringements.
The leader of the trip is responsible for refuelling the mini-bus after each trip and handing to the Treasurer all money collected as donations, fees or levies. He/She shall also complete the log book and report to the Committee Vehicle Officer any maintenance needs or defects in the mini-bus.
The minimum number of persons on the mini-bus shall be seven on a Club trip or donations equivalent to seven people must be made. For example $10 for 7 people = $70, so if only 5 people go, each must donate $14 to achieve the minimum recovery of $70. There is no rebate for greater numbers. For round trips between 300 and 375km the minimum is $105 for recovery and for trips exceeding 375km the rate will be calculated at total km times $0.70. The trip costs will be the same for Taupo and Turangi members no matter where pick-up might be.
Activation of the Club’s Emergency Locator Beacon shall be in accordance with Club policy and instructions as published from time to time (and as attached to the beacon)
