1. The name of the Society
shall be the Geological Society of New Zealand Incorporated,
hereinafter called the Society. 2.
Objects: The objects of the Society
shall be: (a) To encourage research
in and the advancement of geological sciences. (b) To serve as a means of
facilitating communication and cooperation among members,
and with other bodies. (c) To investigate and
report on matters of general interest to New Zealand
geologists. (d) To serve as a channel
for the expression of the views of New Zealand
geologists. (e) To sponsor conferences
and other scientific meetings and facilitate meetings of
local branches. (f) To encourage and give
recognition to high standards of geological research in New
Zealand. (g) To seek the
preservation of important geological sites. (h) To encourage the
highest standards of professional competence and ethical
conduct in the practice of geology in New
Zealand. 3.
Membership: (a) Membership of the
Society shall be open to all those interested in the earth
sciences. Members shall be elected by a simple majority vote
of the Committee. (b) The first subscription
of a candidate for membership shall be forwarded to the
Treasurer with his or her application. The election of a
member shall not take effect until the subscription has been
received. (c) Any member of the
Society may resign by giving notice in writing to the
Secretary and paying all subscriptions due: providing that
any member giving such notice before 30 November shall not
be liable to pay the subscription for that year. (d) Any member whose
annual subscription is more than 2 years in arrears shall be
removed from membership of the Society and may be readmitted
by resolution of the Committee on payment of all
arrears. (e) Application for
election to the Society, or continued membership thereof,
shall signify acceptance of the standards of professional
responsibility set out in the Code of Ethics. (f) A member of the
Society may have their membership of the Society terminated
by resolution of the Committee. The member shall be
notified of any proposal to terminate the membership, and
shall be given not less than 14 days notice of the intention
to consider the matter at any meeting of the
Committee. An appeal may be lodged
within 14 days of the notification of the result of the
proposal. The appeal will be considered by the Immediate
Past President or his nominee and two persons, one chosen by
the Committee and one chosen by the appellant, who shall not
be members of the Committee. Their decision shall be final
and binding on both parties. Notice in every case shall
be sent by prepaid registered post to the member's address
as recorded in the membership records of the
Society. 4. Officers and
Committee: (a) The officers of the
Society shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a
Secretary, a Membership Secretary, and a
Treasurer. (b) The Committee shall
consist of the following: (i) The
officers. (ii) The Immediate Past
President. (iii) Five members elected
by the Annual General Meeting. (iv) Any member appointed
under Rules 4(c) or 5(d). (c) Candidates for
positions as officers or members of the Committee shall be
members of the Society, and shall be nominated: (i) By prior resolution of
a branch of the Society, conveyed to the Secretary in
writing, or (ii) By any two members in
writing, or (iii) In person by members
attending the Annual General Meeting. Every candidate shall
before election have signified to his or her nominator, his
or her acceptance of nomination. (d) The President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five members of
the Committee shall be elected by successive ballots in that
order at the Annual General Meeting. (e) All officers and
members of the Committee shall be eligible for immediate
re-election, except that neither the President nor
Vice-President shall be eligible for a third successive
term. (f) The officers and
Committee shall take office immediately after the close of
the Annual General Meeting at which they are elected and
shall have full control of the management of the Society
except where otherwise provided in these rules. 5. Duties and Power of
Committee (a) Meetings of the
Committee shall be called by the Secretary on the
instructions of the President or within 21 days following
receipt of a requisition signed by not fewer than four
members of the Committee. (b) At any meeting of the
Committee six shall form a quorum. (c) The Committee shall
have power to appoint any of the following for a term
expiring at the next Annual General Meeting: (i) A representative to
the Member Bodies' Committee of the Royal Society of New
Zealand, (ii) An Editor or
Editors, (iii) A Publicity
Officer, (iv) A co-opted
member. (d) If, following the
annual election and appointments under rule 4(a), a branch
of the Society having at least 20 financial members has no
member on the Committee, the Secretary shall invite that
branch to appoint a member to the Committee. The branch
shall in due course notify the Secretary of the name of the
person so appointed, who shall thereupon become a full
member of the Committee. (e) The Committee shall
have power to appoint members of the Society to fill any
casual vacancies. (f) The Committee may
delegate any of its powers and duties to Subcommittees and
Special Interest Groups. (g) All communication
involving a statement of policy or the adoption of a public
stance emanating from a subcommittee of the Society, must be
seen prior to dispatch by the President or in his or her
absence, by an officer of the Society, who will decide
whether or not full Committee approval is
required. 6. Subscriptions and
Finance: (a) No member of the
Society shall derive any private pecuniary profit from
Society funds. Where services are rendered to the Society,
members may receive reasonable payment for those
services. (b) The Society's
financial year shall begin on the first of
October. (c) The annual
subscriptions and penalties for late payment shall be
decided at a General Meeting and listed in each
Newsletter. (d) All subscriptions
after the first shall become due and payable on the first
day of each financial year. (e) The control and
investment of the funds of the Society shall be wholly
within the power of the Committee, which may open and
operate accounts at any bank or banks as it deems fit. The
signatories of any such accounts shall be the Treasurer and
any two members of the Committee appointed by the Committee
for that purpose; cheques and withdrawal warrants shall be
signed by any two of the signatories. (f) The Treasurer shall
keep a correct account of all funds received and expended by
the Society, and shall prepare at the end of the financial
year a balance sheet and statement of accounts for that
year. (g) The accounts of the
Society shall be audited at the end of each financial year
by an auditor, who shall hold professional qualifications in
accountancy. The auditor shall appointed each year at the
Annual General Meeting. (h) The Society shall have
the power to borrow money only with the prior approval of an
Annual or Special General Meeting. (i) As a Member Body, the
Society shall pay annually to the Royal Society of New
Zealand a membership fee as prescribed by rule A5 of the
Royal Society of New Zealand, or such greater sum as the
Committee may decide. 7. General
Meetings: (a) The Society shall hold
at least one General Meeting in each financial year. At one
such meeting there shall be a business session, which shall
constitute the Annual General Meeting of the Society. At
this session the business shall include: (i) Receipt of a report,
balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding
financial year from the Committee. (ii) Election of the
officers and Committee and appointment of an auditor for the
ensuing year. (b) A Special General
Meeting shall be held at any time by resolution of the
Committee or within 6 weeks of receipt by the Secretary of a
requisition signed by at least 20 members specifying the
purpose for which the meeting is to be called. (c) Notice and agenda of
each Annual or Special General Meeting shall be posted to
each member at least 14 days before that meeting. At any
Special General Meeting no motion not included in the notice
calling the meeting may be proposed, discussed, or put to
vote except by consent of two thirds of the members present;
however, the meeting may amend any notified motion by simple
majority. (d) The annual report,
balance sheet and statement of accounts for each financial
year shall be posted to all members at least 14 days before
the next Annual General Meeting. (e) At any Annual or
Special General Meeting 30 members shall constitute a
quorum. (f) At any Annual or
Special General Meeting or Committee Meeting the chair shall
be taken by the President or if the President is absent by
the Vice- President, or in his or her absence, by a member
elected by the meeting. (g) At any meeting voting
shall be on the voices or by show of hands or by ballot at
the discretion of the Chairman, provided that, if any member
shall so demand, voting shall be by ballot. The Chairman
shall have both a deliberative and a casting
vote. (h) The time and place of
each Special or Annual General Meeting of the Society shall
be decided by the Committee. 8. Rules (a) Rules of the Society
shall be published from time to time in the Newsletter.
Copies are available from the Secretary on
request. (b) The decision of the
Committee as to the interpretation of these rules shall be
final and binding on all parties except at any Annual or
Special General Meeting when the Chairman of the meeting
shall make such rulings as may be necessary. (c) Alteration to
Rules: (i) Any alteration,
addition or rescission in these rules shall be made only at
an Annual or Special General Meeting. (ii) Notice of the
proposed alteration, addition or rescission shall be posted
to every member at least 14 days prior to the
meeting. (iii) The meeting may
amend any such proposals. (iv) No resolution shall
effect any alteration of these rules unless assented to by
two thirds of the members present at the meeting. (v) Any alteration of the
rules cannot affect the principle objects of the
Society. 9.
Bylaws The Committee may make
such bylaws not inconsistent with these rules as it may deem
necessary. 10.
Branches: (a) Subject to the consent
of the Committee, members of the Society not fewer than 10
in number may form a branch for the purpose of holding local
meetings in fulfilment of the objects of the Society. Each
branch shall elect a chairman and committee and such other
officers as it may deem fit. (b) Any member of the
Society who expresses a desire to join a branch shall be
accepted as a member of that branch. (c) Each branch may frame
rules for its own guidance not inconsistent with the rules
of the Society. (d) An annual grant
towards the running costs of a branch shall be available on
submission to the Treasurer of the branch balance sheet for
the previous financial year. The basic grant will be a lump
sum, plus an amount determined by the number of financial
Society members in the branch on the last day of that
financial year. Additional grants may also be paid at the
discretion of the Committee. (e) All branches shall,
not later than September 15 each year, submit to the
Committee a report on the current year's
activities. 11. Special Interest
Groups: (a) Subject to the consent
of the National Committee, any ten or more members of the
Society with an interest in a specific field of earth
science may form a special interest group for the purpose of
encouraging scientific research and communication. Each
group will elect a convenor together with any other officers
that it sees fit. (b) Groups may be
sponsored by the Society alone, or jointly in conjunction
with other professional associations or
societies. (c) Any financial member
of the Society who requests to join a special interest group
shall be accepted as a member of the group. Group membership
is limited to Society members and the members of any other
association jointly sponsoring that group. (d) Any group may, if it
wishes, adopt bylaws provided that they are not inconsistent
with the rules and bylaws of the Society. (e) A group may be
dissolved at any time by resolution of the national
Committee of the Society. (f) A small annual grant
towards the running costs of a group may be made available
by the Treasurer on submission of an Annual Report and brief
Financial Report for the previous financial year. This will
be the sole financial obligation of the Society towards the
special interest groups. (g) A group may itself
levy a membership subscription to its members should the
level and scope of activities so require. 12. Common
Seal: The common seal of the
Society shall be in the custody of the Secretary who shall
in pursuance of a resolution of the Committee to that
effect, affix the same to all instruments requiring the
same. 13. Winding
up: In the event of the
dissolution of the Society any remaining assets of the
Society after payment of all liabilities shall be disposed
of to an organisation having similar aims and objectives as
shall be decided at the latest Annual or Special General
Meeting. Failing any such decision, the remaining assets
shall become the property of the Royal Society of New
Zealand, or its successor.
Rules
During 2001 the National
Committee of the Geological Society agreed to record a
number of policy decisions that have been made over the
years for the guidance of members. These policies are not
rules or bylaws, but they record agreed practices that have
been endorsed at a meeting of the National Committee.
They can be changed by a decision of a future committee.
They are placed on the GSNZ web site so that the information
is freely available. Publications Publications
GSNZ
Policies
Branch
Grants
Other
Grants
External
communication
Liability
Support
for funding
applications/endorsement
Financial
management
approved 19 September 2001
1. All manuscripts submitted as GSNZ Publications must be
formally approved by the National Committee before
acceptance for publication. This will cover agreement that
the material is suitable for publication by the Society,
that it has been or will be adequately reviewed, that funds
are available to cover the cost of publication, and that the
sale price is at least sufficient to cover administration
and postage costs as well as any contribution needed to
cover the costs of production.
2. The National Committee shall appoint a nominee to follow
the manuscript through to publication, and to check and
approve the proofs in conjunction with the author.
3. The National Committee delegates approval for publication
of regular publications such as conference abstracts and
field trip guides to the President, provided that s/he is
satisfied that the quality is satisfactory and that the sale
price is reasonable.
4. The GSNZ Administrator is responsible for allocating
series numbers (e.g. Guidebooks or Miscellaneous
Publications) and ISBN numbers after the approval steps
above have been undertaken.
5. The GSNZ Administrator is responsible for sending copies
to Legal Deposit and for sending out Standing Orders.
6. Once a publication has been printed, the person
responsible must send sufficient copies to the Administrator
so that (s)he has enough copies for legal deposit, standing
orders, and ongoing sales.
Branch Grants
approved 19 September 2001
1. The National Committee may make grants to GSNZ branches
to assist with the running of the branch, the cost of field
trips, an award at a local science fair, and a student
prize.
2. The size of the grant depends on the number of GSNZ
members living in the branch area at the end of the previous
financial year. It is calculated as follows:
(a) $50 + $2 per financial member (up to a maximum of 100
members);
(b) $60 student prize (provided a student prize evening is
held and prizes given);
(c) $50 science fair prize (provided a prize of at least $50
is offered to the local science fair)
3. After a branch has held its AGM, the branch treasurer or
organiser should send a copy of the financial statement for
the preceding year to the GSNZ Administrator. (S)he will
forward it to the Treasurer, who will calculate the
grant.
4. The student prize and science fair prize must appear in
the branch financial statement, together with the name(s) of
the recipient(s) for those moneys to be included in the
branch grant.
5. Each branch may apply for a grant only once in a
financial year. The best time is before 31 March.
6. The award of a branch grant is on the condition that GSNZ
members will not be charged an additional branch
subscription.
Other Grants
approved 19 September 2001
1. Special Interest Groups and Subcommittees may apply for
grants to refund expenses or for special activities.
2. All applications must be approved by the National
Committee before any expenditure is incurred.
3. Only in exceptional circumstances will a grant exceeding
$200 be made.
External
communication
approved 19 September 2001
1. The only person designated to speak on behalf of the
Society (including issuing press statements) is the
President. She/he or the National Committee may delegate
other individuals to speak on particular topics, but this
delegation should be for a finite period, and may be
withdrawn.
2. Apart from discharge of their duties by Officers of the
Society, all email communications to the membership or to
other organisations must be authorised by the President.
Liability
approved 19 September 2001
1. The Geological Society will try to avoid any situation
where the Society may be liable for a financial or legal
liability (e.g. for costs in appealing an issue).
2. In order to avoid possible liability, the Society will
normally aim to provide supporting or background information
rather than appear in legal hearings in its own right.
3. Any situation where liability is possible must be
referred to the National Committee for approval before any
action is taken.
Financial
management
approved 19 September 2001
1. All cheques issued by the Society must be signed by at
least two nominated signatories. Normally one of these will
be the Treasurer.
2. The funds held by the Society shall be invested prudently
and conservatively. The aim shall be to preserve the capital
value of any funds held (bearing in mind inflation), and to
prudently increase their value through interest.
3. The capital of the GSNZ Award Fund shall be invested so
that at least one third of the interest is reinvested each
year to increase the value of the fund, and the remainder of
the interest is available for making awards. No part of the
capital sum shall be withdrawn without the agreement of the
AGM.
Support
for funding applications or endorsement
approved 26 November 2001
1. GSNZ will generally not support applications for funding
or for official endorsement by individuals or organisations.
This has been agreed as a general policy in order to
maintain the independence of the Society. The only exception
is when a project has been initiated within the Society, or
is clearly part of GSNZ policy.
2. GSNZ will generally not provide financial support for
conferences or workshops apart from those organised by the
Society. This is because we have limited funding, and there
are simply too many meetings for the Society to support.
However, subject to the agreement of the National Committee,
we may provide indirect assistance, for example with
advertising or publicity.
3. GSNZ will not designate individuals as official
representatives of the Society at meetings/conferences
unless they are undertaking tasks that are of direct benefit
to the Society, and that this is agreed in advance by the
National Committee.