THE RULES OF THE OTAGO PISTOL CLUB

2002 Edition

The name of the Club shall be the OTAGO PISTOL CLUB (INCORPORATED) (herein after

referred to as “the Club”).

The objects of the club shall be:-

a) To promote and foster the sport of pistol shooting.

b) To stimulate public interest in pistol shooting and the aims of the Club by any means that

may be deemed suitable.

c) To take part in and promote the sport of target pistol shooting at Club, Interclub,

Interprovincial, National and International levels, and all other compatible shooting

activities.

d) To obtain improved facilities for pistol shooting.

e) To encourage the safe use and handling of firearms in general and pistols in particular.

f) To regulate and control the ownership and possession of firearms used in conjunction with

Club’s activities.

g) To provide healthy recreation for members and visitors, and to that end provide such

facilities and/or benefits which from time to time may be deemed necessary.

Membership of the club shall be divided into:-

a) Senior members

b) Junior members (14 years up to 18th birthday with evidence of age to be produced).

In addition, the committee may nominate for election at a subsequent general meeting,

honorary, associate or other membership such persons as it shall decide subject to such

conditions as the Club shall by regulations prescribe. Honorary members shall not have a

vote in the administration of the Club nor take part in any competition under the Rules of the

Pistol New Zealand (incorporated).

a) Every applicant for membership must be nominated by a club member and shall sign a

form of application to be prescribed by the Committee.

b) A new member may be elected at any Committee meeting or at any General Meeting of

members of the Club. The Committee or a General Meeting of Members may refuse to

accept any application without any reason given. The membership register of the Club

shall be prima facie evidence of membership of the Club.

a) “Life Members” shall be elected as such at an Annual or Special General Meeting in

recognition of their having rendered valuable services to the club over a period of years, or

on active members who, by reason of permanent disability directly received while in the

club’s service, are unable to perform the duties of Active Members.

b) Any member the Club intending to move the election of a Life Member shall give notice

thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Club at least twenty-one (21) clear days before

any Annual or Special General Meeting. The election of a Life Member shall be by a vote

of not less than two-thirds of the members present at the Annual or Special General

Meeting.

c) A Life Member shall be entitled to all the privileges afforded to Active and Honorary

Members without payment of any subscriptions.

d) A Life Member shall have the right of entry, free of charge, to any of the Club’s Socials, or

such like, including the Club’s Headquarters.

e) A Life Member may attend committee meetings, but may not vote.

The Headquarters of the Club shall be at the Club’s Range, Waldronville, Dunedin.

The Management of the affairs of the Club shall be vested in a Committee as follows:

a) The Management Committee shall consist of Members appointed in accordance with

Rules 10 & 11.

b) The Management Committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of

the club, such meetings to be called by the Chairman provided that the Chairman, when

requested by any two members of the Committee shall call a meeting.

c) Any members of the Committee who shall fail to attend three consecutive meetings of the

Committee without cause to the satisfaction of the Committee, having been shown, shall

cease to be a member of the Committee.

d) The Committee may appoint any financial member to fill any vacancy, or to fill any office of

the Club that may become vacant, and such appointment shall hold good until the next

Annual General Meeting of members.

e) Half the general members of the Management Committee shall retire at the end of 2 years,

but may be available for re-election.

The Committee shall have power:

a) To control and supervise all shooting competitions and other shooting activities or

functions held in the name of the Club.

b) To purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire any land or property that may be necessary or

convenient for the purposes of the Club and to hold, manage, demise, let sell, mortgage,

improve and deal therewith.

c) With authority first given at a General Meeting to borrow any money for any of the objects

of the Club in any form which the Committee may think proper.

d) Any monies raised in the name of the Club shall be used for purposes as considered

proper by the Committee.

e) Emergency Committee: An Emergency Committee consisting of the Chairman, Secretary,

Club Armourer and Chief Range Officer, or their deputies if these officers are not present

shall have the powers to deal with urgent matters arising at short notice and where it is

impracticable to call a meeting of the Management Committee. Such action shall be

confirmed by the Management Committee at the next meeting.

a) The Committee shall, when necessary, appoint such sub-committees, and may from time

to time dissolve such sub-committees and appoint others in their stead or alter the

personnel of any such sub-committees as the Committee may determine.

b) In the appointment of any sub-committee, the Committee shall not be restricted to

choosing from it’s own members.

c) Save as provided in Clause (e) hereof, no decision of a sub-committee shall be binding

until it has been ratified by the Committee, nor save as provided in Clause (e) hereof, shall

any sub-committee,unless its order of reference specifically authorises it in that behalf,

have the right to transact any business in the name of the Club.

d) A sub-committee shall carry out the duties assigned to it by its order of references and

shall on the date mentioned in such order or in the absence of any date then as

expeditiously as circumstances will permit, present its findings and recommendations to

the Committee. Should the sub-committee fail to present its reports on due date it may

apply for further time, and the Committee may grant such further time or dissolve the subcommittee

as the Committee shall determine.

e) The Committee may delegate any or all of its powers to a sub-committee.

f) Sub-committees may be appointed by a General Meeting of the members of the Club in

the same manner as provided for the appointment of sub-committees by the Committee of

the Club.

The Officers of the Club shall be:-

Patron

President )

Chairman ) May be held by the same person

Vice Presidents

Club Armourers

Chief Range Officer

Range Officers

Auditor

Treasurer )

Secretary ) May be held by the same person

Committee

In addition, the Annual General Meeting or the Committee may appoint such other officers as

they shall determine, and shall prescribe the duties of such officers.

The President, Vice President, Chief Armourer, Chief Range Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

shall be ex officio members of the Committee.

11. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The following officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting: Chairman;

President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and not less than one and not more than

four additional Members as General committee members. The offices of Chairman and

President may be held by one person as may the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. All

other officers, as in Rule 10, shall be appointed by the committee.

No member whose subscription is in arrears or who is other-wise unfinancial may be elected

to any office in the Club.

A candidate for office in the Club must be proposed by one member and seconded by

another. If the candidate be not present at the meeting, then the person proposing him must

produce evidence satisfactory to the Chairman that such candidate is willing to accept office.

Where the number of candidates is greater than the number of offices to be filled a ballot shall

be called for by the Chairman.

a) The Hon. Secretary: The duties of the Hon. Secretary shall be to call, on direction of the

chairman, all meetings and shall attend all meetings and all committee meetings; to take

minutes; submit correspondence and reply thereto according to the directions of the

meeting; to keep a Register of members of the Club and the addresses of same; to keep

all records and generally to perform all the clerical work of the Club. He shall, after the

Annual General Meeting of the Club furnish to the N.Z.P.A. (Inc.) the necessary reports in

respect of the Club. He shall have custody of the seal of the Club.

b) The Hon. Treasurer: The duties of the Hon. Treasurer shall be to attend all general

meetings of the club and all Committee Meetings; to receive all monies due to the club and

to place the same to the credit of the Club’s banking account; to sign cheques for the

disbursement in conjunction with the Chairman Secretary or other Committee member

appointed for that purpose by the Management Committee; to keep proper books of

account; to prepare and submit to members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting a

duly audited statement of the financial affairs of the Club. The duties of the Treasurer may

be amalgamated with those of the Secretary.

c) Chief Armourer: The duties of the Chief Armourer shall be to have custody of and

maintain pistols belonging to the Club. He shall under direction of the Committee,

Emergency Committee or a Sub-committee appointed in that behalf apply for permits and

licences in respect of pistols registered in the Club’s name and have custody of such

permits and licenses PROVIDED HOWEVER that any permit and/or licence issued in the

case of a club member shall be held by such member.

d) Assistant Armourer: It shall be in the duty of the Assistant Armourer/s to assist the Chief

Armourer in his duties and, in the absence of the Chief Armourer to carry out his duties.

e) Chief Range Officer: The Chief Range Officer shall provide for and maintain the safety of

the Club’s shooting activities and supervise the safe and proper conduct of the Club’s

shoots in accordance with the rules and regulations of Pistol New Zealand

The Annual Subscriptions shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting. The subscriptions

shall become due on the first day of July in each year. Any member whose subscription is in

arrears at September 30th each year shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Club, and

shall be liable for such subscription.

The financial year of the Club shall conclude on the last day of June in each year, and

commence on the first day of July in each year.

a) All monies received by the Club or raised in the name of the Club, shall be placed to the

credit of the Club’s account in a Bank approved by the Committee, and all disbursements

of the Club funds shall be by cheque signed by two of the following: The Hon. Treasurer,

the Chairman, the Secretary, or one other member of the Committee appointed by the

Committee. No money from the Club’s account shall be paid except pursuant to a

resolution duly entered in the Minute Book, of the Committee or a General Meeting of the

Club.

b) The Committee may from time to time invest and re-invest in such securities, loans, place

on fixed deposit upon such terms as it shall think fit the whole or any part of the Club’s

funds which shall not be required for the immediate or for the ordinary purposes of the

Club.

The Seal of the Club shall be in the custody of the Secretary and shall be affixed to such

documents as the Management Committee may direct. The Secretary shall affix the Seal to

such documents in the presence of any two members but of the President, Chairman or other

Committee member.

Any member of the Club wishing to resign shall forward his resignation to the Hon. Secretary

in writing before the Annual General Meeting of the Club. If such resignation is not received

prior to the Annual Meeting then the member concerned shall be liable for the ensuing year’s

subscription PROVIDED THAT on the death of any member, the Committee may at its

absolute discretion waive payment of any outstanding subscriptions.

a) Any member of the Club shall be liable to suspension during the pleasure of the Club in

the event of his violating the Rules of the Club or the Regulations made thereunder, on

failing to comply with any lawful direction of the Committee or of an Officer of the Club.

b) Suspension may be imposed by the Committee, but may not extend beyond the next

Annual General Meeting.

c) Expulsion of a member may be made only by a Special General Meeting of members

of the Club, called for the purpose, and only if the votes in favour of the expulsion shall

constitute three-fourths of the members present and entitled to vote at the meeting.

d) Notice of such Special General Meeting shall be that prescribed for the Annual General

Meeting of members. Voting shall be done by secret ballot.

e) No member shall be suspended or expelled from the Club without being given an

adequate opportunity of being heard in defence. Notice of a proposal to suspend or

expel a member shall be given in writing setting forth explicitly the charge preferred and

notifying the time and place of hearing.

Any member of the Club may appeal to the Committee against any decision of any Officer or

Sub-committee of the Club. Such appeal shall be in writing addressed to the Hon. Secretary

of the Club, and shall set forth specifically the decision appealed against and the grounds for

such appeal. The Hon.Secretary, on direction of the Chairman, shall arrange for the hearing

and determination of the appeal by the committee at the earliest convenient date. Both the

person appealing and the official or officials appealed against shall have the right to appear

before the Committee prior to the determination of the appeal.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during the months of August or

September each year. The actual date to be decided by the Management Committee. The

Secretary of the Club shall forward Notices of all Annual General Meetings of the Club to all

financial members and to all officers of the Club not less than fourteen clear days before the

date of the Meeting. The notice must be given by post to all financial members, and also by

advertising in the daily newspapers circulating in the District concerned.

The Business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:-

a) To receive the Annual Report and Financial Statement.

b) To elect officers.

c) To consider motions of which notice has been given.

d) To transact general business.

The order in which business is transacted shall be determined by the Chairman.

A special General Meeting of members may be called at any time by the Committee or by

requisition signed by not less than five financial members. The requisition shall be addressed

to the Hon. Secretary and shall set out specifically the business for which the Special General

Meeting shall be required. Upon receipt of such a requisition the Hon. Secretary shall, on

direction of the Chairman, take the necessary steps to convene a meeting. The notice to

members of a Special General Meeting shall be the same as that prescribed for the Annual

General Meeting except that no advertising shall be required.

At a Special General Meeting only the business set out in the notice convening the meeting

shall be considered, providing that the meeting may, by unanimous vote, permit the

consideration of additional business.

a) At all General Meetings of the Club, the quorum shall be 10 (ten). If after the expiration of

such time as the Chairman shall decide from the time appointed for the commencement of

the meeting there is no quorum present, the Chairman shall adjourn the meeting to a date

and time to be determined by those members present. Notice of the new time and date

shall be given by the Hon. Secretary, in the manner prescribed for notice of a General

Meeting. If at the resumed meeting there is no quorum present, then those present shall

constitute a quorum and shall be entitled to transact the business of the meeting.

b) In the case of a Special General Meeting called by Requisition of members, if there be no

quorum present the Chairman shall have the discretion to adjourn the meeting prescribed

in section (a) hereof or to declare such meeting lapsed.

c) At the meeting of the committee the quorum shall consist of 5 (five) members.

d) At all Sub-committee meetings the quorum shall be decided by the Management

Committee.

All meetings of the Committee, and at all General Meetings of members, voting shall be on

the voices, save where a vote is challenged, when a show of hands shall be taken. In all

contested offices at the Annual General Meeting, the voting shall be by the Secret Ballot; the

Chairman shall call for the election of Scrutineers and Returning Officer. Notwithstanding the

foregoing provisions on the request of not less than 4 (four) members in the case of a

General Meeting and not less than 2 (two) members in the case of a committee meeting, the

voting on any specified matter shall be by secret ballot.

The Management Committee of the Club May from time to time make regulations or by-laws

for the conduct of the Club as they shall determine, but such regulations or by-laws shall have

full force as Rules of the Club. Any regulation or by-law made by the Committee shall hold

good until the ensuing Annual General Meeting of members, when it must be confirmed or

lapse. Pending confirmation at a succeeding Annual General Meeting, of a Regulation or bylaw

made by the Committee, a regulation so made may be repealed by the Committee

notwithstanding the provisions of rule 25 hereof.

Neither these rules nor the regulations made thereunder shall be altered or repealed, nor any

new rule or regulation (save as provided in Rule 24) be introduced except at the Annual

General Meeting or at a Special Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed

alteration repeal or introduction of a new rule or regulation shall be given to each member at

least 14 (fourteen) days before the date of the meeting as defined in Rule 21.

In case of any doubt, dispute or difference arising as to the interpretation of these Rules, the

decision of the Management Committee on such doubt, dispute or difference shall be binding

on all parties unless and until it is varied by a decision of the Annual General Meeting or

Special General Meeting and in the event of, any such doubt, dispute or difference arising at

the meeting of the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting the decision of the

Chairman of such meeting on such doubt, dispute or difference shall be final and binding on

all parties.

Meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chairman at any time, or on such dates as

the Committee shall determine. Seven days’ notice of the meeting shall be given by the

Secretary to each Committee Member, in writing, except in the case of unforeseen

circumstances when an oral notice of such meeting will be deemed to be sufficient. At all

meetings of the Committee the order of business shall be:

a) Apologies for absence.

b) Confirmation of Minutes.

c) Matters arising from the Minutes.

d) Outward and Inward Correspondence.

e) Matters arising from Correspondence.

f) Passing of Accounts.

g) Motions to be disposed of.

h) Applications for membership.

i) Reports of Sub-committee.

j) General Business.

k) Requisitions, questions and complaints.

l) Receipt of written notices of motion.

No member of the Club shall derive any pecuniary gain from any property or operations of the

Club save as a salaried officer or by way of honorarium for services rendered voted by a

General Meeting of members.

The Club may be wound up voluntarily if the Club in General Meeting passes a resolution

requiring the Club to do so to be wound up, and the resolution is confirmed at a subsequent

General Meeting called for that purpose and held not earlier than 1 (one) calendar month no

more than 2 (two) calendar months after the date on which the resolution so to be confirmed,

was passed.

In the event of dissolution of the Club, or Club through any other cause ceasing to exist, the

funds and property thereof after the discharge of all liabilities shall be handed to such sporting

bodies and/or charities and in such proportion as shall be approved by a majority of the

members. Failing the disposition of surplus funds as aforesaid they shall be handed to Pistol

New Zealand Inc. In no event shall the surplus assets of the Club be divided among the

members thereof, nor shall the members of the Club have any beneficial interest therein.

Any other matter or thing not specifically provided for by these Rules shall be dealt with by the

Management Committee (or Sub-committee appointed by the Management Committee for

that purpose) as they think proper but so that their decisions shall not be inconsistent

herewith.

At a special general meeting of the Otago Pistol Club held on April 30th, 1975, the above

rules were agreed to become the Rules to be presented to the Registrar of Incorporated

Societies, as part of the Incorporation procedure of the above Club.

ENDORSEMENTS:

13a MEMBERSHIP FOR LIFE

There will be a “Membership for Life” subscription available to all members of the club as at

July 29th 1981, which provides for any members paying $300.00 under this rule being

released from all future club subscriptions and range fees, provided that such eligible

members so paying $300.00 as “Membership for Life” pay or have paid such a subscription

on or before September 30th 1981, and that any such payment made in accordance with this

rules hereby ratified as a Membership for Life subscription as set out above.

This amendment was approved and authorised by the members of the Otago Pistol Club

Incorporated at the Annual General Meeting dated July 29th 1981.