Constitution
RULES OF DRAMA NEW ZEALAND, THE NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION FOR DRAMA IN EDUCATION INCORPORATED (THE SOCIETY)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Drama New Zealand, The New Zealand Association For Drama in Education is an
association for teachers, youth theatre and theatre in education practitioners interested in
promoting the recognition, study and development of drama in education from
early childhood to tertiary education.
2. NAME
2.1 The Society shall be known as; “Drama New Zealand : The New Zealand Association of
Drama in Education Incorporated”.
3. OBJECTS
3.1 To provide a supportive professional environment for all teachers to share
views and concerns about drama in education.
3.2 To encourage the growth of the student through all forms of drama in
education.
3.3 To publish a drama journal at least twice a year and a regular
national email news letter thus providing a survey of theory and practice.
3.4 To provide workshops that will help with educational practice.
3.5 To represent the views of its members to pertinent bodies.
3.6 To represent the case for drama in education at a national level.
3.7 To inform members of national and international conferences.
3.8 To affiliate with Drama Australia, The National Association for Drama in Education of
Australia and to receive its journal twice a year.
3.9 To be a member of the International Drama and Theatre in Education
Association (IDEA)
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 The society shall operate at a national and regional level. The following
regions (”The Regions”) will be represented on the national executive (”The
Executive”).
(a) AUCKLAND including Northland)
(b) WAIKATO (including Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Taupo and surrounding areas)
(c) MASSEY (including Taranaki, Manawatu, Ruapehu and Hawkes Bay and surrounding
areas)
(d) WELLINGTON (including Wairarapa and Horowhenua)
(e) CHRISTCHURCH (including Marlborough, Nelson, the West Coast, Canterbury up to
Timaru)
(f) OTAGO (including Southland, Timaru and Fiordland)
4.2 There are five types of membership of the association.
(a) Individual
(b) Institutional
(c) Student or Unwaged
(d) Overseas
(e) Life
4.3
(a) Individual members of the association are entitled to attend
workshops, stand for office at regional or national level, vote at any
general meeting of the association and to receive journals and
newsletters.
(b) Institutional members of the association are entitled to have one
voting member per institution per meeting to attend workshops and
general meetings and to receive journals and newsletters of the
association.
(c) Student or unwaged members of the association are entitled to
attend workshops, stand for office at regional or national level, vote
at any general meeting and receive any journals or newsletters of the
association.
(d) Overseas members of the association are entitled to receive journals
and newsletters of the association.
(e) Life members of the association are entitled to attend workshops,
stand for office at regional or national level, vote at any general
meeting and receive any journals or newsletters of the association.
4.4 Upon payment of the annual subscription fees, any individual, association or
institution may apply to the Secretary of the Society for membership in the
Society, and such membership shall include membership of such region as the
individual association or institution shall nominate.
4.5 The amount of the annual subscription shall be determined by members at the
Annual General Meeting (”The A.G.M.”) or at a special meeting called for
that purpose.
4.6 Subscriptions will be due for a calendar year from January to December.
4.7 Persons and institutions cease to be members of the association if they have
not paid their subscription fees by 31st March.
4.8 A proportion of the annual subscription fee (”the Capitation Grant”) to be
determined by the members at the A.G.M. or other special meeting, shall be
transferred to the Regional Committee of the region nominated by the member
subscriber and no further regional membership fee may be imposed without
leave of the National Executive Committee.
4.9 Membership of the Society shall cease through written resignation, nonpayment
of subscription, or by action of the elected officers according to the
aims and rules of the Society. Membership shall cease one (1) month after the
receipt of the written resignation of the member or one (1) month after the
Secretary has written to the member at his or her last known address advising
them of non-payment of the subscription or of the decision of the Executive.
Any member who objects to such a determination may appeal to an
independent arbitrator who shall be a member of the Society and who shall be
appointed by the President for the time being of the Auckland District Law
Society.
5. NO PECUNIARY GAIN FOR MEMBERS
5.1 Subject to clause 5.2 and 12.6 hereof, nothing in the terms and conditions of
the within Rules shall be construed to permit any private pecuniary profits to
be derived by any member from any activity, business or investment
undertaken by the Society.
5.2 Any member of the Society may derive pecuniary gain from the Society:
(a) by way of salary as servant or officer of the Society; or
(b) by deriving such gain to which he would be equally entitled if he
were not a member of the Society; or
(c) by way of competition for trophies or prizes other than money
prizes.
6. RULES
6.1 The rules of the Society may be altered, added to, or rescinded by written
Notice of Motion being circulated to all members 14 days prior to the Annual
General Meeting or Special General Meeting provided that no addition to or
alteration of Rule 12.6 shall be approved without the approval of the Inland
Revenue Department. No rule or amendment shall be valid until accepted by
the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar.
6.2 All notices required to be given under the provisions of the Rules shall be
sufficient if posted to the member’s usual or last known place of abode in
New Zealand. Any such notice shall be deemed to be delivered in the ordinary
course of post and no proceedings of the Society shall be declared invalid by
reason only of the non-receipt of such notice by a member.
7. MANAGEMENT OF SOCIETY
7.1 The general control and management of the affairs of the Society (including
the control and investment of funds) shall be in the hands of an Executive
(“the Executive”) which shall meet periodically as required for the control of
business and the day to day running of the Society.
8. PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS
8.1 The Society shall hold an A.G.M. between 1 March and 30 May in each
financial year. All members shall receive written notification of the A.G.M.
at least twenty-one days prior to the date specified within such notice.
8.2 A Quorum of ten per cent of the total financial membership shall be present at
all general meetings, including the A.G.M. In the event of an A.G.M. not
having a Quorum another meeting will be called with at least 14 days notice.
8.3 A Quorum of four members shall be present at meetings of the Executive. In
the event of a lack of a Quorum matters may be discussed but no actual
decision taken.
8.4 Any requisition signed by any 13 members of the Society and delivered to the
secretary to convene a special meeting (‘a Special General Meeting”) shall
state the nature of the business to be brought before the meeting. Immediately
upon receipt of such a requisition the secretary shall call a special meeting of
the Society to be held within twenty one days of the date on which the
requisition was received.
8.5 Each region shall have a minimum of two meetings including a Regional
A.G.M. in any financial year (“the Regional Meetings”) and any other
meetings deemed necessary. The meetings shall be organised by the elected
Regional Executive (“the Regional Executive”) and minutes and financial
reports from at least four meetings shall be duly furnished to the National
Secretary and National Treasurer in any one financial year.
8.6 The Regional Treasurer shall uplift capitation fees owing to the Region from
the National treasurer and shall furnish annually an independently audited
financial report to the National Treasurer following the Regional A.G.M.
8.7 Nomination for members of the Regional Executive must be proposed and
seconded by financial members of the Society. The nominee must be a
financial member of the association.
8.8 Should the number of nominations not exceed the vacancies such nominees
shall be declared elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Region. If the
nominations exceed the vacancies a ballot shall be taken.
9. VOTING
9.1 Voting at meetings shall be by show of hands or by secret ballot, according to
the discretion of the meeting.
9.2 The president of any meeting of the Society shall have a deliberative as well
as a casting vote.
10. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS
10.1 The executive of the Incorporated Society shall consist of a:
(a) PRESIDENT
(b) VICE PRESIDENT (who shall preside in the absence of the
President)
(c) SECRETARY
(d) TREASURER
(e) PUBLICATIONS OFFICER
(f) REGIONAL OFFICERS
(g) ANY NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
with a maximum membership of 8 excluding the Regional Officers
all of whom (except the Regional Officers) shall be elected (by way
of receiving more votes than for any of the other candidates) in the
first instance at an inaugural meeting and thereafter at the A.G.M.
or at the Special General Meeting.
10.2 The Regional Executive in any one region (as defined in 4.1) shall consist of:
(a) CHAIRPERSON
(b) SECRETARY
(c) TREASURER
(d) WORKSHOP CO-ORDINATOR
(e) REGIONAL LIAISON OFFICER (who shall liaise with the
National Executive Regional Liaison Officer)
(f) Any other regional officers deemed necessary provided that there be
a maximum of 8 officers.
10.3 Regional officers are entitled to represent their Regions at any meeting of the
Executive (”an Executive Meeting”) either by written submission or in person.
10.4 Each Region shall have the right to appoint, by election at any Regional
meeting a Regional Liaison Officer. If any Region fails to appoint such an
officer the Executive may appoint a suitable person until the Region elects its
own nominee.
10.5 All minutes of Executive meetings will be sent to Regional Liaison Officers.
10.6 The Society may make provision for the main office bearers of the Executive
to be elected from within a single region or from two or more regions in any
one year.
10.7 Should any member of the Executive with the exception of Regional Officers
be absent without permission from three consecutive executive meetings the
Executive may treat the member as having resigned the position ( and may
declare accordingly) and may proceed to fill the vacancy.
10.8 The Executive may appoint any number of individuals or committees to
undertake any special work on behalf of the Society.
10.9 All nominations for the Executive must be in writing and in the hands of the
Secretary no less than seven clear days before the date appointed for the
A.G.M. or Special General Meeting, PROVIDED THAT not less than three
quarters of the members constituting a quorum present at the A.G.M. or
Special General Meeting may vote to waive the seven days notice requirement
and accept nominations from the floor. Each nomination must be signed by a
proposer and seconder who must be financial members of the Society and
must be signed by the person nominated with the exception of nominations
received from the floor in the manner prescribed by this clause which may be
proposed and seconded by members present and entitled to vote at the A.G.M.
or Special General Meeting.
11. SEAL
11.1 The Seal shall be in the custody of the Secretary and shall be affixed by
her/him as the Executive directs. At least two numbers of the Executive must
witness the seal by their signatures.
12. FINANCE
12.1 The treasurer shall keep full and proper books of accounts at the direction of
the Executive and shall prepare financial reports as requested by the
Executive.
12.2 The Executive shall be responsible for the delivery of an annual statement
containing such matters as Section 23 of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908
requires or as requested by the Registrar of the Incorporated Society.
12.3 The accounts of the Society shall have an external independent audit at least
once per year and at least one month prior to the annual general meeting.
12.4 A banking account shall be operated in the name of the Society. Three
signatories are to be provided for the cheque account, any two of whom must
sign the cheque.
12.5 The Executive and Regional Executive shall use the same banking house as
shall be determined by the Executive.
12.6 The income and property of the Society from whatever source derived shall be
applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the society and no
portion of the funds [whether a winding up or otherwise] shall be paid or
transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividends or bonus or otherwise to
any member of the Society except that payments by way of salary to any
person employed by the Society shall be permitted.
12.7 The Regional Treasurer will ensure that banking practices as outlined in 12.4,
12.5, and 12.6 are followed by the Regional Executive.
13. REGISTERED OFFICE
13.1 The registered office of the Society shall be at Kohia Teachers Centre,
Auckland College of Education, Epsom Avenue, Auckland.
14. REGISTER OF MEMBERS
14.1 The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a Register of Members. Such
Register shall contain the names, addresses and occupations of the members
and the dates when they became members.
15. WINDING UP AND DISSOLUTION
15.1 The Society may be wound up if, at a general meeting, its financial members
pass a resolution for that purpose, and if that resolution is confirmed at a
subsequent general meeting held not earlier than thirty days after the date of
the resolution and if its members are notified in writing.
15.2 In the event of winding up, the property and assets of the Society shall,
subject to payment of its debts and liabilities and the costs of winding-up be
paid to the New Zealand Association for Teachers of English.
16. DISPUTES AND INTERPRETATION
16.1 In case any question arises relating to any matter not specifically provided for
by these rules, or about the interpretation of such rules, or any clause or
paragraph hereof, the question shall be determined by the vote of a majority
of the Executive whose decision shall be conclusive and binding on all
members, unless revoked at a general meeting to be called in accordance with
the rules. The decision of a majority of those entitled to vote at such a general
meeting shall be final.
17. POWERS
17.1 The Society will have the power to do all of the following things:
(a) To purchase, erect , build, take on, lease or otherwise obtain the use
or occupation of, and to manage, extend, improve, develop, alter,
maintain and repair and to sell, let, lease, donate or otherwise
dispose of, real and personal property of every description.
(b) To employ staff to assist in the work of the Society at such wages
and in such terms as may be deemed expedient and to obtain and
pay for professional advice and services.
(c) To adopt such means as the Society may from time to time
determine for the purpose of raising money and for obtaining
property for the furtherance of the objects of the Society and to
accept contributions, collections, donations, legacies, devises, gifts,
grants and subsidies.
(d) To borrow or raise money for the furtherance of the objects
aforesaid and to give and execute mortgages of any real or personal
property of the Society and to lease or bail any such property.
Constitution 2000.DOC Page 9 of 9
(e) To secure in such a manner as the Society shall think fit the
repayment of any money borrowed or raised by the Society and in
particular by the issue of debentures or debenture stock or otherwise
charged upon all or any of the property of the Society both present
and future and to give and execute in the prescribed manner
mortgages, debentures and other instruments as security for such
repayment and to pay off, redeem or purchase any such securities.
(f) To do all such other acts and things as are incidental to or will
further be conducive to the attainment of the general objects of the
Society.
(g) Any purchase or sale of freehold or leasehold property by the
Society and any borrowing of money and security therefore must be
approved by resolution passed at a general meeting and the
documents necessary to carry out the same shall be executed under
the common seal of the Society.
(h) In addition to the powers herein before vested in it the Society may
enter into arrangements with any Government or Authority,
supreme, municipal, local or otherwise that may seem conducive to
the Society objects, or to any of them, and to obtain from any such
Government or Authority any rights, privileges and concessions
which the Society may think it desirable to carry out, exercise and
comply with any such arrangements, rights, privileges and concessions.
