ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION (INC)
Constitution of the association
As approved by the registrar of incorporated societies on 11 May 2004.
1. Name
The name of the Association shall be “St. Patrick’s College Old Boys Association Incorporated”.
2. Membership
The Association shall consist of all persons who are members of the Association at the date of its incorporation and all persons who may from time to time be thereafter elected members of the Association in accordance with the rules of the Association.
3. Objects
The objects of the Association shall be:To support the Mission Statements of both St Patrick’s College, Wellington and St Patrick’s College, Silverstream (the Colleges).
- To foster and keep alive among Old Boys of the Colleges a remembrances of the Colleges and an active interest in their welfare.
- To foster a spirit of friendship among the Colleges’ Old Boys.
- To promote the interests of the College in any manner that the Committee of the Association shall from time to time deem advisable.
- Where appropriate to provide scholarships, financial or other assistance to pupils of the Colleges and Old Boys.
4. New Members
- All Old Boys of the Colleges and all past and present members shall be eligible to be members of the Association and no other person shall be eligible.
- Every candidate for membership of the Association shall send his name and address to the Secretary of the Association.
- The Secretary of the Association shall check to ensure that the candidate has been an Old Boy of one of the Colleges and, if so, shall approve the membership unless the Secretary in his discretion considers that the question of the candidate’s membership should be referred to the Committee of the Association which shall make the final decision.
5. Modes in which Persons Cease to be Members
- Any member wishing to resign from the Association shall be at liberty to do so on his giving notice to the Secretary of the Association in writing of his intention to resign and paying any subscriptions or other moneys owing by him to the Association.
- The names of all members who have failed to pay their subscriptions for two years or upwards shall from time to time be furnished by the Treasurer to the Committee, and the Committee shall have power to remove such members from the roll of membership of the Association.
- Any member of the Association who in the opinion of the Committee has acted in a manner unworthy of an Old Boy of the College may be expelled by a majority vote of the Committee. In such a case, however, an opportunity must be given to the person charged to answer the accusation by writing or by appearance in person or by counsel.
6. Annual Subscription
The annual subscriptions shall be as prescribed at an Annual General Meeting of the Association.
7. Honorary Life Members
Honorary Life Members may be elected by a majority vote of members at a General Meeting, and shall only be elected from those persons to whom the Association desires to show some appreciation of their past service or special distinction to the College, provided that no person shall be proposed for election except on the recommendation of the Committee. An Honorary Life member shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Association, including election to office.
8. Life Members (Financial)
While provision is no longer made for the election of Life Members other than in accordance with clause 7, Life Members already elected on payment of a sum prescribed at previous Annual General Meetings of the Association shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association, including election to office.
9. Officers
The officers of the Association shall consist of-
- Joint patrons who shall be the Rectors of St. Patrick’s College, Wellington and St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream, for the time being.
- A President, who shall be a layman and a member of the preceding year’s Committee, who shall be elected annually, but who shall not be eligible for more than three terms consecutively.
- An Immediate Past President who shall be the President whose term of office has expired with the election of the President in office and who may reside in the absence of the President.
- An Honorary Secretary to be elected annually.
- The following Vice-Presidents
- Not more than five Vice- Presidents who are elected annually. The Vice-President elected in accordance with this part of this rule who has held office for the longest consecutive term (not being less than 4 years) shall not be eligible for re-election. In the event of two or more having equal length of service, the Committee shall decided by ballot which is eligible.
- In addition to the Vice-Presidents elected under paragraph (a) of this sub-clause there shall also be such number of Vice-presidents as there may be from time to time duly constituted affiliated and active branches of the Association, who shall consist of the local President of every Branch duly elected in accordance with the rules of such Branch.
- An Honorary Treasurer to be elected annually.
- The Officers of the Association and the elected members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall continue in office until their successors are elected. The nominations of the Officers and elected Members of the Committee shall be in the hands of the Secretary no later than 14 clear days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting.
10. Committee
The Committee of the Association shall consist of the President, Immediate Past President, Secretary and Treasurer together with
- Five members elected as provided in Rule 9(a)(v); and
- An Old Boy, teacher at the Colleges or a Board Member of one of the College Boards appointed by each of the Rectors as College Representatives.
- At all meeting of the Committee five shall form a quorum.
- The Committee shall have control of the funds of the Association and the management of its affairs and shall have power to do all those things necessary to carry out the objects of the Association.
- Any Member of the Committee except the President and the Immediate Past President, failing to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without reasonable excuse shall cease to be a Member of the Committee. The Secretary shall bring this rule under the Notice of any Member failing to attend two consecutive Meetings of the Committee.
- The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancies which may from time to time occur in the Committee.
- The Secretary of the Association shall have power to call a meeting of the Committee at any time by providing each Committee member with seven days written notice of the time and place of the Meeting.
- On the written application of at least three members of the Committee, the Secretary shall be bound to call a meeting of the Committee by providing each Committee member with seven days written notice of the time and place of the Meeting.
- The Committee shall have the power to regulate and order all proceedings in such a manner as it may deem fit.
- The Committee shall have full power to borrow any money for the purposes of the Association on such terms as it may deem advisable and with or without giving security for the payment of same and interest thereon.
11. Secretary
The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence. He shall keep full and correct minutes of all General and Committee Meetings and shall produce them at all meetings. He shall also keep a list of Members with their addresses and shall notify them of all Special and General Meetings.
12. Treasurer
All monies shall paid to the Treasurer and his receipt shall be a sufficient discharge.
The Treasurer shall:
- open a Banking account for the Association’s monies, with all operations thereon to be signed by him and another Member of the Committee of the Association as the Committee shall from time to time authorise.
- submit at the Annual General Meeting a statement of the Assets and Liabilities of the Association at the 31st day of December last preceding, together with an account of the receipts and expenditure for the 12 months preceding such date; both statements to be audited by an auditor, other than a Member of the Executive, elected by a majority of the Members of the Association at a General Meeting (the Annual Report).
- supply a copy of the Annual Report to each Member within good time before the Annual General Meeting to allow for the sending in of nominations by the prescribed date.
13. Custody and use of Seal
- The Association shall have a Common Seal which shall be kept in the hands of the Secretary and shall be affixed to documents at a meeting of the Committee or at some other place as may be necessary in pursuance of a Resolution of the Committee.
- The affixing in Clause 13(a) shall be attested always by at least 2 Members of the Committee and the Secretary.
14. General Meetings
- Seven days notice of the place, date and hour of the Meeting and the purpose for which any General or Special General Meeting is to be held shall be given in manner under this Clause 14.
- The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held during the month of March in each year or as son thereafter as possible.
- A Special General Meeting may be ordered by the President or by the majority of the Committee present at a Committee meeting or may be called by the Secretary on receipt of a requisition signed by not fewer than 12 Members of the Association and the Meeting shall beheld within 21 days of such order or requisition.
- At all General Meetings 15 shall form a quorum.
- No Member whose subscription remains unpaid on the 31st day of December in the year in which such subscription became due shall be entitled to vote at the following General Meeting.
15. Mode of Voting
- The mode of voting at all General Meeting shall be by show of hands provided that the Chairman may order a ballot to be taken on any motion submitted to the Committee.
- In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his vote as a Member.
16. Notices
Every notice required to be given to a Member under Clause 14 may be given by:
- advertisement in the major daily newspaper published in Wellington;
- by sending such notice through the ordinary course of post in a prepaid letter addressed to each Member of the Association at his last known place of abode; or
- by sending an email to an Old Boy at his last known email address.
17. Control, Investment and Disposition of Property
- The management and control of the funds and property of the Association shall be vested in the Committee which shall have power from time to time to invest any surplus funds of the Association upon such security and upon such terms as the Committee shall think fit.
- In the event of the dissolution of the Association the funds and property thereof shall after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be divided equally between the Board of Trustee of the Colleges.
- On dissolution of the Association, no property whatsoever shall be paid to or distributed among members of the Association.
18. Alteration of Rules
- Any of these Rules may be added to or altered or repealed by the consent of a majority of Members present at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. Notice of such proposed addition alternation or repeal shall be given to the Committee 10 clear days before the date of the meeting at which it is to be brought forward.
- No amendment shall be permitted if it in any way affects the non-profit status of the Association as described in Rule 3.
19. By-laws
The Committee shall from time to time have power to make by-laws for regulating and carrying on the affairs of the Association.
20. Affiliation
Any body of Old boys may be granted affiliation to the Association on application to the Committee and on such terms as the Committee shall determine.
21. Interpretation
The decision of the Committee on the interpretation of these Rules or on any matters or thing not contained in these Rule, but pertaining to the Association its property or interests shall be conclusive and binding on all members until revoked by a General Meeting.
