Brackenfield Hunt Inc - Rules / Constitution

RULES OF BRACKENFIELD HUNT INCORPORATED

1. NAME: The name of the Society shall be “The Brackenfield Hunt Incorporated” (hereinafter called “The Hunt”).

2. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the Hunt shall be:

(a) The hunting with hounds in that part of the Canterbury Region bounded by the sea, the Waimakariri and Conway rivers and the alps.

(b) To promote and encourage the breeding of horses and hounds suitable for hunting.

(d) To subscribe to and become a member of the New Zealand Hunts Association.

(e) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange or on hire or otherwise acquire or hold mortgage of any real or personal property and any rights and privileges which The Hunt shall think necessary or expedient for the purpose of meeting the objectives of The Hunt or promoting the interests of The Hunt or of its members.

(f) To advance deposit or lend money to or with such persons, firms or corporations and on such terms as may seem expedient.

(g) To borrow or raise or to secure the payment of money in such a manner as The Hunt shall think fit in particular by the issue of or upon, bonds, debentures or bills of exchange, promissory notes or other obligations or securities of The Hunt or by mortgage or charge upon all or any part of the property of The Hunt.

(h) To raise money by way of subscriptions and to grant any rights and privileges to subscribers.

(i) To do all such other things as are expedient or conducive to the attainment of all of any of the above objects.

3. MEMBERS: The Hunt shall consist of:

(a) Honorary Life Members being:

(i) All those persons who at the date of adoption of the Rules are Life Members of The Hunt.

(ii) All persons duly elected Honorary Life Members by a General Meeting of The Hunt.

(iii) Honorary Life Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of Senior Active Members but shall not be required to pay an annual subscription.

(b) Senior Active Members being:

(i) All those members who at the date of the adoption of the Rules are Active Members of The Hunt.

(ii) All those persons 25 years of age and over who shall hereafter be duly elected Senior Active Members.

(i) All those persons who at the date of the adoption of the rules are Senior Associate Members of the Hunt.

(ii) All those persons who shall hereafter be duly elected Senior Associate Members. Senior Associate Members (also known as non active members) shall not be entitled to ride to Hounds without payment of a capping fee, but shall be entitled to all the other privileges of Membership with voting rights at any General Meeting of the Hunt.

(d) Intermediate Active Members being:

(i) All those persons who at the date of adoption of the Rules are Intermediate Members of The Hunt.

(ii) All those persons who shall hereafter be duly elected Intermediate Members. Intermediate Members are persons aged under the age of 25 years and over the age of 17 years on the first day of April in the current season. Intermediate Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of Senior Active Members.

(e) Junior Members being:

(i) All those persons who at the date of adoption of the Rules are Junior Members of The Hunt.

(ii) Junior Members shall be under the age of 18 years on the first day of April in the current season and shall be entitled to all privileges of active members but shall not be entitled to hold office, to exercise the power of voting, or to attend meetings of The Hunt other than those decided by the Committee.

4. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP:

(a) Every applicant for admission as a Senior Active, Non-Active, Intermediate or Junior Member must be proposed in writing by one active, non active or Honorary Life Member and seconded by another such member and the name, address and occupation of the proposed member must be stated in every nomination paper which shall also be signed by the proposed member. Every proposal shall be delivered to the Committee and subject to the approval of the Master, the candidate shall thereupon become a member of the Hunt.

(b) An Honorary Life Member shall be elected only at a General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee and upon a resolution carried by a four-fifths majority of votes recorded. Honorary Life Membership shall only be awarded in honour of valuable services to or lengthy membership of The Hunt. An Honorary Life Member shall be entitled to all the privileges of the membership without paying the annual subscription.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS:

(a) The annual subscription for each class of member shall be such sums, respectively, as the Committee shall from time to time determine. The annual subscription of a new member shall be payable on admission to membership and the annual subscription in all other cases shall be payable on the first day of April in each year.

(b) The Committee shall have the power to grant a discount to the subscription at a rate to be determined by the Committee for payment by 1st March in each year.

6. NON-PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS:

(a) If any new member fails to pay their subscription within two weeks of their admission to membership, they shall ipso facto cease to be a member of The Hunt and their name shall be removed from the list of members.

(b) The Committee may, at its discretion, cause the name of any member (other than a new member) whose annual subscription shall be one calendar month in arrears to be removed from the register of members and such defaulter shall thereupon cease to be a member of The Hunt but may be readmitted on explaining the delay to the satisfaction of the Committee and upon making payment of the monies due by them.

(c) No member shall be competent to vote at any meeting of The Hunt or to enjoy its privileges while their subscription is in arrears.

7. DISCIPLINE:

(a) In the field the Master or his/her deputy shall be implicitly obeyed, and any person offending against the Master shall be dealt with in terms of Rule 7(c).

(b) Visitors shall not be allowed to follow the hounds unless a member of The Hunt introduces them to the Master.

(c) The Committee may from time to time, invite by letter, any member within the specified time to retire from membership for breach by them of any of The Hunt Rules or By-laws or for misconduct either in or out of The Hunt, or for disregarding the Rules of the Chairman at any meeting of The Hunt or Committee, or for the behaviour prejudicial to the good name or good and effective running or management of The Hunt and the Committee. In default of such retirement the Committee may deal with the question of their expulsion at a meeting of the Committee to be held at a date and time nominated within three (3) calendar months of the date of the letter and at such a meeting the members whose expulsion is under consideration shall be allowed to offer an explanation verbally or in writing and if thereupon two-thirds of the members of the Committee present shall vote for their expulsion they shall forthwith cease to be a member of The Hunt without releasing them from antecedent liability to The Hunt.

(d) Any member wilfully or unnecessarily damaging property in the field shall be liable to reimburse the Committee for any expense, that may be incurred in repairing such damage.

(e) Any follower who damages a hunting fence while participating at The Hunt and does not report the damage during the meet to the Master, Field Master, Senior Active Member of The Hunt or Committee Member, may at the discretion of the Master be excluded from hunting privileges for one or any number of hunting days during the season.

(f) In every case where a person ceases to be a member of The Hunt whether by retirement, death, neglect to pay the annual subscription, or otherwise reported to the Secretary, The Committee shall remove their name from the list of members.

8. RESIGNATION: Any member wishing to resign from The Hunt shall notify the Secretary in writing before 1 March otherwise they will be liable for their subscription for the current year.

9. COPY OF THE RULES: The Secretary shall provide a copy of the Rules of Hunt to every new member on their being admitted to membership.

10. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE:

(a) The Officers of The Hunt shall consist of Patron/Patroness, Master [or up to three (3) Joint Masters], President and Honorary Treasurer whose role is the governance of The Hunt.

(b) The officers and up to nine (9) other members (Convenors) shall form the Committee of The Hunt. The role of these members is to manage The Hunt. Convenors are invited to accept responsibilities by the Committee and encouraged to convene working groups of other members to assist in managing these responsibilities.

(d) The Master (or Joint Masters) may appoint Field Masters.

11. ELECTION OF OFFICERS:

(a) The Secretary shall send nomination forms for the election of officers to all financial voting members no later than 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

(b) Candidates for election to an office or committee, shall be proposed in writing by a financial member (other than a Junior Member) and the nomination form signed by the candidate and the proposer, shall be delivered to the Secretary no less than 7 days before the day of the Annual General Meeting.

(c) All members of the Committee in office at the date of the adopting of these rules shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the next Annual General Meeting.

(d) Any Officer or Member of the Committee retiring shall be eligible for re-election. An Officer ceasing to be a member of The Hunt shall ispo facto cease to be a member of the Committee.

(e) In the event that insufficient nominations are received within the period specified in (a) above, then the following applies:

(i) Nominations may be made from the floor at any General Meeting; or

(ii) The officers elected at any General Meeting may co-opt such persons as are thought fit at any further Committee meeting.

12. SCOPE OF THE COMMITTEE AND QUORUM: The affairs and general business of The Hunt shall be managed by the Committee. All resolutions passed at meetings of the Committee in accordance with these Rules shall be binding and conclusive on all members of The Hunt. At any meeting of the Committee, one (1) Officer and three (3) Convenors shall form a quorum.

13. CASUAL VACANCIES: The Committee shall have power of appointment to any vacancy occurring among the Officers and Convenors during the current year.

14. DATE OF ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual General Meeting of the Hunt shall be convened and held each year in such a month and on such a day and at such a place and time as the Committee shall from time to time appoint but no later than 30th November in each year.

15. EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS: The above-mentioned Annual General Meeting shall be called an Ordinary Meeting and all other general meetings shall be called Extraordinary Meetings.

16. NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS: Fourteen (14) days previous notice of an Ordinary or Extraordinary Meeting of the Hunt is required to be given to any member, then such notice shall be sufficient if sent to the person to whom it is to be given at their last known or most usual place of abode, place of business, facsimile number, e-mail address or by hand delivery.

17. BUSINESS AT GENERAL MEETINGS: At the Annual General Meeting in each year, the following business shall be transacted:
(a) Consideration of the President’s and Master’s reports and balance sheet.

(b) Election of Officers, Convenors and Auditor.

(d) Any election of Honorary Life Members.

(e) Special and general business.

18. CONVENING EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS:
The Committee may, whenever it thinks fit and shall upon the requisition made in writing by not less than six (6) Members, convene an Extraordinary General Meeting.

19. REQUISITION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING: Any requisition for an Extraordinary General Meeting made by Members shall express the object of the meeting proposed to be called and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the time of making such a requisition. Upon receipt of any requisition by Members the Committee shall, as soon as practicable, proceed to convene the same within seven (7) days after the date of the requisition.

20. CHAIRMAN AT MEETINGS:

(a) At all meetings of the Committee, the President, or any Member elected for that purpose shall take the chair.

(b) At a General Meeting of the Hunt, the President, or in his or her absence the Master and failing both of these, any Member then elected for that purpose shall take the chair.

21. VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS:

(a) All questions and matters (other than the election of an Honorary Life Member and change of rules) brought before a General Meeting or a Committee Meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes of the Members present; each member to have one vote and in the case of equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote in addition to their vote as a Member. Except where otherwise specifically provided by these Rules, voting shall in the first instance be by a show of hands. Upon request of any three (3) members at a General Meeting of The Hunt or two (2) members at a meeting of the Committee, the Chairman shall direct that the voting be by ballot.

(b) Proxy and absentee votes will not be accepted at any General Meeting.

(c) For the avoidance of doubt only the following members shall be entitled to vote at any General Meeting:
• Honorary Life Members
• Senior Active Members
• Senior Non-Active Members
• Intermediate Active Members
all of whom must be current financial members of The Hunt at the time of voting.

22. QUORUM AT GENERAL MEETINGS: At a General Meeting ten (10) Members shall form a quorum.

23. BY-LAWS POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE: The duties of the Committee shall be generally to administer the affairs of the Hunt, to manage the financial and general business thereof, and to furnish a report to each Annual General Meeting on the working of The Hunt during the year. The Committee shall have the power to appoint any subcommittees it may deem advisable, and to make any by-laws, to appoint such Hunt employees as they think necessary from time to time and to fix the remuneration payable to them. The Committee, if it thinks fit, may appoint field secretaries and do all such other things whatsoever as the Committee shall deem expedient in the best interests of The Hunt, and generally carry out the aims, objects and Rules of The Hunt.

24. USE OF HUNT FUNDS: The income, property, including real property and funds of The Hunt from whatever source derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects herein before mentioned and no portion of the funds shall be transferred either directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus, loan or otherwise to members.

(a) No Member of the organisation or any person associated with a Member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the organisation in respect of payment to or on behalf of that Member or associated person of any income whatsoever.

(b) Any such income paid shall be reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arm’s length transaction (being open market value). The provision and effect of this clause shall not be removed from this document, and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.

25. BOOKS, STATEMENTS AND AUDIT: The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Hunt and will receive all monies due to the Hunt which they must lodge forthwith to the credit of the Hunt’s bank account in the name of the Hunt, such account to be operated as the Committee may direct. The Treasurer shall submit a statement that has been
Brackenfield Hunt Inc Rules – Version 3 (November 2021)
reviewed by a qualified person, of the financial affairs of the Hunt at every Annual General Meeting, and also at other times as may be required by the Committee.

26. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be appointed by the Committee at such remuneration and for such period as it thinks proper and shall keep the books of The Hunt, conduct the correspondence, be entrusted with the title deeds and other documents belonging to The Hunt, attend all meetings, receive members’ subscriptions and enter up the minutes of all meetings. If the Secretary is a Member of The Hunt they shall have full voting rights on the Committee.

27. ALTERATIONS TO RULES: The Hunt may alter, rescind or add to these Rules provided, however, that no alteration, rescission or addition to such Rules shall be made without:

(a) Notice of the proposed new rule, alteration or addition being signed by two (2) Members of The Hunt and deposited with the Secretary at least twenty-eight (28) days before the Meeting.

(b) A copy of such proposed new rule, alteration or addition having been provided to each Member of The Hunt at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the Meeting at which the same is to be considered.

(c) The sanction of two-thirds of those Members voting in person at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of The Hunt.

(d) No addition or alteration or recession of the rules shall be approved if it affects the non-profit aims, personal benefit clause or the winding up clause.
The provisions of this clause shall not be removed from this document and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.

28. SIGNATORIES TO BANK ACCOUNTS: Signatories to The Hunt bank account(s) shall consist of the Master (1 only), President, Honorary Treasurer and the Secretary. All payments made shall be signed jointly by any two of the Signatories (including electronic payments).

29. COMMON SEAL: The Hunt shall have a Common Seal, which shall be under the control of the Secretary and shall be affixed by them to documents only in pursuance of a resolution of the Committee or by a general meeting of The Hunt. The Common Seal shall be affixed in the presence of one (1) member of the Committee and the Secretary.

30. INDEMNITY: The Committee and each and every Member of the Hunt shall be fully indemnified by and out of the funds of The Hunt against all loss, damage, expenditure or liability incurred by reason of or in conjunction with any legal proceedings against them or any of them for any act done, omitted or suffered in connection with the performance of their duties.

31. WINDING UP: The Hunt may be wound up voluntarily if a General Meeting of its members passes a resolution requiring The Hunt to be wound up and the resolution is confirmed at a subsequent General Meeting called together for that purpose and held not earlier than thirty (30) days after the date on which the resolution so to be confirmed was passed. If upon winding up or dissolution of The Hunt there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any assets whatsoever, the same shall not be paid or distributed among the members of The Hunt but shall be given or applied to an amateur sporting organisation or charitable purpose within New Zealand. Such amateur sporting organisation or charitable purpose is to be decided by the Members at a Special General Meeting held for that purpose.