3454
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 115

2. No separate District Branch shall have a less number of members than that prescribed in Regulation No. 132 (a) (b). Should the number of members in any District Branch fall at any time below the number required in Regulation 132 (a) (save except as provided in Regulation 132 (b)) the Council may by Special Resolution merge the said District Branch in the next nearest District Branch.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

3. Each District Branch shall have, as its officers, a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a District Secretary, a District Treasurer, and a District Committee as hereinafter provided. These officers shall be elected by ballot at the Annual Meeting of each Branch. The Chairman of each District Branch is, by virtue of his office and as provided by section 13 of the Act and Regulation No. 38, a Vice-President of the Institute with a seat on its Council, and should any such Vice-President be elected to the office of President of the Institute, he may be excused the performance of the duties appertaining to the office of Branch Chairman, such duties being performed by the Vice-Chairman.

The election of the District Branch Chairman shall be reported to the Secretary of the Institute not later than seven days after such election.

4. No District Branch Chairman shall hold office for more than two consecutive years, after which one year shall elapse before he shall again become eligible for re-election.

5. In the event of any casual vacancy occurring in the Council of the Institute amongst those members elected under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Act, the District Branch shall, at the request of the Council, recommend one of its members, who must be a Fellow and resident in the provincial district concerned, to be elected for the unexpired portion of the term of office of his predecessor. Such member to be selected by ballot at a meeting specially convened for the purpose.

ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS.

6. Every member of each District Branch must acquaint his District Secretary with his postal address not later than the 20th September in each year so that the District Secretary may make his annual return of members to the Secretary of the Institute.

Every member must also notify the District Secretary of his Branch of any change in his postal address.

DISTRICT COMMITTEE.

7. Each District Branch shall be governed by a District Committee which shall consist of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman (referred to in Clause 3, both of whom shall be Fellows), the District Secretary and Treasurer, and at least four, and not more than seven, other members, of whom three shall be Fellows, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual Meeting. In case of the decease or resignation of any member of the District Committee, the members thereof shall have power to fill up such vacancy or vacancies. Any member of the District Committee who, without leave, absents himself from any regularly-summoned meeting of the District Committee on three (3) occasions during any one year ipso facto ceases to be a member of the District Committee.

DISTRICT SECRETARY AND DISTRICT TREASURER.

8. The District Secretary shall summon all meetings of District Committees, meetings of members, and shall keep minutes of all proceedings, shall conduct the correspondence and shall supply to the Secretary of the Institute a list of all members of the District Branch with their postal addresses made up to the date of the Branch Annual Meeting. The District Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep an account at such bank as the District Committee may direct, pay all accounts ordered by the Committee by cheque, signed by himself and countersigned by such Chairman, and shall pay no monies otherwise.

The offices of District Secretary and District Treasurer may be held by one member.

AUDITORS.

9. An Auditor shall be elected annually at the Annual Meeting, who shall have access at all reasonable times to the accounts and securities, he shall examine the securities and the general accounts before the latter are submitted to the Annual Meeting, and shall report thereon to the District Branch.

MEETINGS.

10. The Annual Meeting of each District Branch shall be held not later than the 15th October in each year, to receive reports and balance sheets, elect officers for the ensuing year, including an Auditor, and for the general transaction of business.

11. The Regulations of the Institute shall apply, mutatis mutandis, so far as the same are applicable to the calling of meetings of District Branches and their Committees and the conduct of business thereat, provided always that notices of ordinary meetings of a District Branch under the hand of its Secretary may be sent in any form deemed expedient by the Committee of such Branch.

12. The District Branch shall at its first meeting fix the number of members to form a quorum, such members to include three or more Fellows.

13. At all meetings every member in good standing shall be entitled to be present and to take part in the discussions on any subject brought before the meetings, and vote at such meetings.

14. At meetings, Honorary Members shall be entitled to be present and to take part in the discussions on any subject brought before the meeting, but shall not vote thereon.

15. At least four (4) meetings, inclusive of the Annual Meeting, shall be held during the year, and at as nearly as possible equal intervals.

16. The District Committee shall present a report on the state of the property and affairs of the District Branch to the Annual Meeting thereof, giving an abstract of the proceedings during the official year and an audited balance sheet, a copy of which shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Institute and to every member of the District Branch seven days before the Annual Meeting of such Branch.

17. Each member shall have the privilege of introducing at any Ordinary Meeting one visitor, who shall enter his name in a book provided for that purpose, but the District Committee shall have power to suspend this privilege on giving notice in the circular convening the meeting.

18. Such visitor shall take no part in any business unless requested to do so by the Chairman.

19. After the conclusion of the general business, members having given notice to the District Secretary and with the approval of the District Committee, may read papers on architectural subjects.

ADJOURNED MEETINGS.

20. Any meeting of a District Branch may be adjourned, and in case of adjournment the business to be transacted at such adjourned meeting shall be specified by the Chairman previous to the adjournment and entered on the Minutes, and no business shall be transacted at the adjourned meeting which shall not have been so specified and entered.

SPECIAL MEETINGS.

21. The Chairman shall, on the requisition of three members, call a Special Meeting of the District Branch, for which at least three days’ notice must be given. The business of such meeting to be stated in the notice calling the meeting.

POWER TO TAKE PREMISES AND FOUND SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC.

22. A District Branch shall, subject to the approval of the Council of the Institute, have power, out of its funds, to purchase or rent and furnish suitable premises or to institute Lectures, or found Prizes, Scholarships or Exhibitions conducted by the said Branch or to establish, extend or improve a Library, Museum or Collection, or for grants to students’ associations as well as for any other general purposes of the said Branch, and the Council of the Institute shall at its discretion assist financially or otherwise to any or all of the foregoing; provided always that such premises, library, museum or collection shall be the property of the Institute and shall be held available for the use of any members of the Institute.

PAPERS.

23. Before a member shall read a paper or essay at any meeting he shall submit the title and general character of the same to the District Committee for its approval.

24. Papers, &c., submitted to the District Committee to be read at any meeting are the temporary property of the District Branch. If not accepted by the District Committee, they are to be returned within a reasonable time, but such matter as may be accepted shall become the property of the District Branch.

25. The District Committee may submit a paper to the Council of the Institute for approval, and such paper, if accepted, shall be dealt with according to the Regulations of the Institute.

ALTERATION TO RULES.

26. Notice to alter or add to any District Branch By-law, &c., must be given in writing at a meeting, and the