New Zealand Philatelic Federation Inc

Rules and regulations

1.
Name and objects
The name of the Federation shall be New Zealand Philatelic Federation Inc. and its objects,

  1. To unite into one Federation the various philatelic societies, clubs or associations.
  2. To represent members and to advance generally the interests of philatelists.
  3. To serve as a clearing house of ideas and problems relating to philately and to circulate them among members.
  4. To create, stimulate and maintain a national interest in all matters pertaining to philately.
  5. To encourage independent projects which will tend to increase interest in or otherwise advance the interests of philately.
  6. To establish and promote friendly relations, goodwill and good fellowship among its members.
2.
Registration
The Federation shall be registered under the “lncorporated Societies Act 1908”.
3.
Membership
Any philatelic society, club, association or body may become affiliated to the New Zealand Philatelic Federation
[hereafter referred to as Federation]. Such organisations are referred to as members or category A, B or C members, as required. Application for affiliation shall be made in writing.

Category A Member

Any New Zealand philatelic society or club which has as its object the promotion of philately and which holds meetings and/or publishes periodicals to encourage the exchange of philatelic information and/or material amongst its own members.

Category B Member

A New Zealand society, association or trust which has  as its object the promotion of philately generally or which has been set up for the staging of a specific philatelic exhibition.

Category C Member

Any philatelic society, club, association or body situated overseas.

The Federation Executive shall determine or re-determine a member’s category at any time.
4.
Offices and management
The management and control of the Federation shall be vested in the Executive Committee. Two representatives shall be appointed from each of the three clearly defined regions in New Zealand. These regions are:

  1. Northern Region: members from within the historic Auckland provincial boundary, i.e., north of and including Otorohanga, Rotorua and Turangi.
  2. Central Region: members from the North Island south of the historic Auckland provincial boundary.
  3. Southern Region: members from the South Island.

The President shall be elected by postal vote from nominations received from Members and shall be an additional member of the Executive. The President (when present) shall chair all Executive Committee meetings, Annual General and Special General meetings of the Federation. The Secretary shall be elected by postal vote from nominations received from Members, and shall be an additional member of the Executive, but without voting rights. A treasurer, without voting rights, shall be appointed by the executive committee.
5.
Election of officers
  1. Nominations for the office of President and Secretary [unless an appointment to the position of Secretary is made under 5 (c) of the Federation’s Rules], shall be sent in writing to the Secretary of the Federation by October 1 each year. Such nominations shall be from a Member and be signed by the President and Secretary of the Society or Club making the nomination.
  2. All Members will be sent a voting paper by October 7 and be entitled to the number of votes set out in Rule 6. All voting papers are to be returned to the Secretary clearly indicating “Voting Papers” on the envelope so they are received at least one week prior to the November Annual General Meeting and be opened and counted at the Annual General Meeting the scrutineers appointed at that meeting.
  3. The Executive Committee shall appoint such persons to such other specialist or nominated positions as may be required. Any person so appointed shall have no voting rights.
6.
Representation
At the annual general meeting of the Federation or any special general meeting each member may be represented by one delegate, who shall be entitled to exercise his or her member society’s vote in accordance with the following formula:

Category A – entitled to one vote with a further one vote for each complete fifty members (as reported with the most recent subscription payment).

Category B – entitled to one vote.

Category C – entitled to no votes.

No individual delegate may represent more than two (2) societies or clubs. A letter of appointment signed by the member society’s President and Secretary shall be tabled to the Federation’s Secretary prior to the annual general meeting or special general meeting.
7.
Meetings
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of November at a venue to be decided at the previous AGM. Ordinary and Special General Meetings shall be held as often and at such times and places as the Executive Committee may deem expedient. At least twenty-one days notice of the date and place of any General or Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting of the Federation shall be given to all Members by circular, and such circular shall specify the business to be transacted at such meetings. The Federation Secretary may at any time call a Special General Meeting on a requisition in writing duly setting out the purpose and signed by at least seven Members, providing that not less than twenty-one days notice shall be given to societies and clubs stating the business to be transacted.
8.
Quorum and voting
At all Executive Committee meetings, four voting members shall form a quorum. In the event of a bare quorum of four being present, decisions taken must be unanimous to be valid. At Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings, ten members shall form a quorum, except as is hereinafter specially provided for in rule 21. Voting on motions at Executive Committee meetings shall be on the voices or by show of hands or by ballot if requested. Voting at Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings shall be by ballot. Member societies with a delegate present at annual general meetings and special general meetings may vote for the positions of President and Secretary from the floor. Any such vote cast will take precedence over any vote for the positions of President and Secretary received by post from the society represented by the delegate. Motions shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast. No Member which is in arrears with its subscription for the financial year preceding the date of the meeting shall be permitted to vote. The President shall have a deliberative vote and in the event of an equality of votes a casting vote.
9.
Remits
Any Remit or Notice of Motion shall be from a Category A Member, and shall be signed by the President and Secretary [or their nominee/s] of the Member putting forward the Remit or Notice of Motion.Remits and Notices of Motion for consideration at an Annual General Meeting must be in the hands of the Federation’s Secretary not later than October 1 each year, and all Remits and Notices of Motion received in accordance with this rule shall be circulated to members on or before the October 7 that year. The Executive of the Federation, in its own right, shall be able to propose Remits or Notices of Motion for the AGM to consider. Such Remits or Notices of Motion shall be signed by the President and Secretary [or their nominee/s] of Federation.
10.
Subscription
  1. The annual subscription shall be determined at the annual general meeting. The subscription so set shall be for membership in the financial year in which it was set and is due for payment by the 31st of March following the annual general meeting.
  2. The subscription of category A members shall be set in accordance with the membership of each member society as at the 31st of December following the annual general meeting.
  3. The subscription for category B and C members shall take whatever form is decided from time to time by the annual general meeting.
  4. Any proposed change of subscription for the above categories must be notified by a notice of motion which shall be circulated in the same manner as a remit and may be amended at the Annual General Meeting.
  5. Any Society or Club joining the Federation within the latter half of the financial year shall be charged a proportionate part of the fee for that year.
11.
Overdue subscriptions
Due notice of the subscriptions payable to the Federation shall be given to members by the 31st of December following the annual general meeting If any member fails to pay the subscription by the due date, its membership may be terminated on a majority vote of the executive committee.
12.
Cessation of membership
Membership of the Federation shall cease,

  1. by a Member forwarding its resignation in writing to Secretary of the Federation at least fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting; nevertheless a Member shall not, except with the consent of the Executive Committee, have power to resign its membership as aforesaid whilst any monies are due and owing by it to the Federation.
  2. if it becomes defunct.
  3. or as provided for in Rule 11. A Member ceasing its affiliation with Federation shall not be entitled to nor have any claim upon any of the assets of the Federation.
13.
Powers of executive committee
The Executive Committee shall have full power to transact all business arising out of the activities of the Federation, to frame By-Laws when such are deemed necessary and are not in conflict with the Rules.
14.
Alteration of rules
None of these Rules shall be repealed or altered or any new Rule added, except at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting and any notice of any repeal, alteration or addition shall be given in writing to the Secretary at least forty-five days before such meeting, and at least thirty days notice shall be given to each member of the proposed repeal, alteration or addition. No addition to or alteration of the objects, personal benefit clause or the winding up clause shall be approved without the Inland Revenue Department’s approval. The provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed from this document and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.
15.
Views of member societies or clubs
Members unable to secure the attendance of a delegate at any general meeting may transmit their views upon any proposal to be submitted to such meeting, and such written statement shall be read before a vote is taken thereon.
16.
Accounting
Subject to the rules of Federation the Executive Committee shall carry out the purposes of Federation and use money or other assets to do that, setting accounting policies in line with generally accepted accounting practice. Any payments are to be authorised by any two of the approved Federation signatories.
The Treasurer shall keep proper accounting records of Federation’s finances, prepare annual financial statements prepared in accordance with Federation’s accounting policies, reviewed in accordance with clause 17 and approved by the Executive Committee for presentation at each Annual General Meeting. The Treasurer shall provide a financial report at each Annual General meeting and provide financial information to the Executive Committee as the Committee determines.
17.
Financial Review
At the Federation Annual General Meeting, a person with suitable financial experience (and who is independent of the Federation Executive Committee) shall be appointed to carry out a Financial Review of the annual accounts as set out in clause 16.
18.
Investment of funds
The Executive Committee shall be at liberty to invest in the name of the Federation any funds not required for immediate use, and in such manner as it deems best in the interests of the Federation.
19.
Indemnity of officers
All officers and appointees of the Federation shall be indemnified by the Federation from all damages, losses, and authorised expenses incurred by them in going about the discharge of their respective duties, except such as happens from their own respective wilful neglect or any act contrary to the rules of the Federation.
20.
Seal
The Federation shall have a common seal which shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary, who shall affix it in the presence of two members of the Executive Committee to such documents as the Executive Committee may direct.
21.
Winding up
In the event of it being considered advisable to terminate the Federation, a Special General Meeting shall be called of which 30 clear days’ notice in writing must be given by the Secretary to every financial Member of the Federation. A ballot paper shall accompany each notice convening the meeting and any resolution to terminate the Federation shall not be valid unless carried by a majority of those voting. A Member unable to attend the meeting may vote by returning the ballot paper to the Secretary at least 24 hours before the time specified for the meeting. Before distribution of the assets of the Federation following any winding-up all debts due to the Federation shall be paid and any balance of the Federation’s funds and other assets shall be disposed of, divided or reserved, in such manner and for such purpose as the Federation may think fit, provided however that Members are precluded from receiving any surplus funds in assets in the event of the Federation winding up.
22.
Personal benefit
Any income, benefit or advantage shall be applied to the objectives of the organization. No member of the organization or any person associated with a member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the organization in respect of the payment to or on behalf of that member or associated person or any income, benefit or advantage whatsoever. Any such income shall be reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arms length transaction (being market value).

Amended rules as at 10 November 2012