2366

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 78.

THE RULES OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND

HEREUNDER are set out the rules now in force, (a) made under the New Zealand Institute Act 1903, and the New Zealand Institute Act 1908, and enuring under the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1933, (b) made and amended from time to time under the last-mentioned Act, and (c) made and amended by resolutions of the Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand on 25 November 1965. The effect of amendments made from time to time has been incorporated and consequential alterations have been made. These rules are now published pursuant to section 11 (3) of the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1933, and in accordance with the provisions of the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1965, which comes into force on 1 January 1966. With the gazetting of the Rules of the Royal Society of New Zealand as set out below all previously existing rules of the Society are deemed to be and are hereby rescinded.

C. A. FLEMING, President,
The Royal Society of New Zealand.

10 December 1965.

DEFINITIONS

In these rules:

“Society” means “The Royal Society of New Zealand”.

“Member Body” means “a Member Body of the Royal Society of New Zealand”.

“Council” means “The Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand”.

“President” means “The President of the Royal Society of New Zealand”.

“Annual General Meeting” means “The Annual General Meeting of Fellows”.

“Proceedings” means “The Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand”.

SECTION A—ADMISSION AND DUTIES OF MEMBER BODIES

A1. A member body shall be either a regional body for the promotion of science as a whole, within a district or province of New Zealand, or a national body concerned with promoting some stated branch or aspect of science on a national basis.

A2. The Council may admit as a Member Body any body as defined in rule A1 whose object as stated in its rules is to advance science in one or more of the following ways:

(a) Holding meetings and conferences to deliver scientific papers and discuss scientific topics;

(b) Maintain a public museum, library, or observatory;

(c) Publishing scientific research papers and reports;

(d) Encouraging visits by scientists from other parts of New Zealand or overseas.

A3. Any member body admitted after 1965 shall consist of at least 50 members subscribing in the aggregate not less than £50 (100 dollars (N.Z.)) a year towards the advancement of science.

A4. The decision to admit or expel a member body shall be at the sole discretion of the Council. The resolution admitting or expelling a member body shall be carried by a two-thirds majority of the members present.

A5. Each member body shall pay the Society a membership fee not later than 1 May of each financial year. The fee shall be £10 (20 dollars (N.Z.)) or such greater sum as the member body may determine.

A6. Each member body shall send to the Society an annual report due on 1 May each year. This report shall list its activities during the year and include an audited statement of income and expenditure.

A7. Subject to the provisions of the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1965 and the Rules of the Society, each member body may retain or alter its own constitution and rules and shall manage its own affairs.

SECTION B—THE ELECTION OF COUNCIL AND OFFICERS

B1. The Society shall be managed by a Council consisting of the Officers and 10 Councillors.

B2. The Officers, consisting of a President, Home Secretary, International Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting from nominations made by the Fellows and shall serve until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.

B3. Of the 10 Councillors, eight (to be known as Fellows’ Councillors) shall be elected by the Fellows from among their number and two (to be known as Member Bodies’ Councillors) shall be Members or Fellows appointed by the Member Bodies’ Committee.

B4. The Fellows’ Councillors shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting from Fellows nominated by either Fellows or member bodies and shall hold office until the end of the next Annual General Meeting.

B5. The Member Bodies’ Councillors shall be appointed by the Member Bodies’ Committee at its first meeting and thereafter annually; and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Member Bodies’ Committee, but no such Councillor shall serve for more than four consecutive years.

B6. No Fellow shall serve as President, Home Secretary, International Secretary, or Honorary Treasurer, for more than four consecutive years and no Fellows’ Councillor shall serve for more than three consecutive years, but a Fellows’ Councillor who has served for three years may be elected as an officer in the following year; and a Fellow who has served in one office may be elected to another office or as a Fellows’ Councillor in the following year. A Fellow who has served as a Member Bodies’ Councillor may be elected as an Officer or Fellows’ Councillor in the following year.

B7. The incoming Council shall include not more than nine Fellows who have served as Officers or as Fellows’ Councillors on the retiring Council.

B8. Not later than 31 December, the Council shall determine, if necessary by lot, which Officers and Fellows’ Councillors shall retire in order to comply with Rule B7.

B9. Each Fellow may send to the General Secretary nominations for one or more of the four Officers and for up to eight Fellows’ Councillors. Each nomination shall be seconded by another Fellow and shall indicate that the consent of the nominee has been obtained. Each member body may send to the General Secretary nominations for up to eight Fellows’ Councillors. All nominations are subject to the written consent of the nominees and must be received at the Society’s office before 15 March.

B10. Not later than 31 March the Council shall appoint two scrutineers from among its members and shall cause to be posted to each Fellow a voting paper listing alphabetically all valid nominations received for the Officers and Fellows’ Councillors for the coming year, and showing the scientific experience, vocation, and previous service on the Council of each nominee. The voting paper shall instruct the voter to delete the names of nominees for whom he does not wish to vote, leaving the name of not more than one candidate for each Office and of up to eight candidates for Fellows’ Councillors.

B11. Each Fellow voting shall send to the Society’s office the voting paper received under Rule B10, in an envelope marked “Voting Paper”, having first signed the flap of the envelope. Voting papers shall be valid if received at the Society’s office before 30 April in the year of the election and shall be handed unopened to the scrutineers.

B12. The scrutineers shall report the result of the ballot to the President.

B13. The result of the ballot shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting, when the Fellows present shall appoint by resolution, and in the following order, the President, Home Secretary, International Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Fellows’ Councillors, according to the result of the ballot, and after any supplementary ballots at the meeting in the event of a tie. They shall by resolution modify the result of the ballot to exclude candidates no longer available because of death or incapacity, or to exclude from later appointments candidates already appointed. If there are not enough candidates to fill all positions the President shall call for further nominations from the floor of the meeting and such nominations shall be valid if they conform with Rules B6 and B8.

B14. Any Officer or Fellows’ Councillor may at any time resign by sending notice of his intention to the President or Home Secretary. Vacancies caused by death or resignation among the Officers or Fellows’ Councillors may be filled by persons appointed by the Council to serve until the next Annual General Meeting.

SECTION C—PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCIL AND COMMITTEES

C1. Fourteen clear days before the day fixed for each Council meeting notice shall be posted to each member of the Council at the address last notified to the General Secretary.

C2. The Council shall meet at least four times a year.

C3. The quorum at each Council meeting shall be eight of whom at least five shall be Councillors.

C4. At meetings of the Council each member shall be entitled to one vote, but in the case of equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote.

C5. Upon receipt of a requisition signed by not less than six members of the Council and stating clearly the business to be transacted, the President shall, within seven days, call a special meeting of the Council, and at such a meeting no business other than that set forth in the requisition shall be introduced.

C6. At its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting the Council shall appoint one of its members as Vice-President, to serve until the end of the next Annual General Meeting and to be Chairman of the Council in the absence or incapacity of the President.

C7. At its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting the Council shall convene the Member Bodies’ Committee.

C8. At its first meeting following each Annual General Meeting the Council shall set up the Fellowship Selection Committee, the National and Sectional Committees and special committees for the award of medals and prizes as required.

C9. No member of the Council and no member of any committee shall vote to take part in discussion on any matter before the Council or Committee in which he has either directly or indirectly any pecuniary interest.

C10. No member of the Council shall hold any salaried office under the Council.