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THE BY-LAWS OF THE NANAIMO-CEDAR FARMERS' INSTITUTE WERE ADOPTED ON MARCH 19, 1932 UNDER THE SOCIETIES ACT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA.
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AIMS and OBJECTS:
1. The aims and objects of the Institute are:
a) To improve conditions of rural life, so that settlement may be permanent and prosperous:
b) To promote the theory and practice of agriculture by lectures, essays, the circulation of information and other educational methods, and to stimulate interest by exhibitions, prizes, and other means:
c) To arrange on behalf of its members for the purchase, distribution, or sale of commodities, supplies, or products, and generally to act on their behalf in all matters incidental to agricultural pursuits:
d) To promote social intercourse, mutual hopefulness, and the diffusion of knowledge and to make new settlers welcome.
FUNDS:
2. The funds of the Institute shall be devoted solely to the promotion of these objects.
MEMBERSHIP
3. The members of the Institute shall be the subscribers of the declaration and the persons admitted to membership in accordance with these by-laws.
Every person desiring to become a member of the Institute shall, if required, apply in writing to the Secretary, and be proposed and seconded by two members in good standing, and shall in the application agree to conform to and abide by the By-laws of the Institute and the Rules and Regulations made pursuant to the “Agricultural Act” and affecting Farmers’ Institutes.
ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP
4. Every application for membership shall be voted upon at the next general meeting of the Institute, and a majority of the members present shall have power to elect.
MEMBERSHIP FEES
5. Each member shall pay an annual fee of not less than $1, and upon payment of such sum shall be enrolled on the membership of the Institute.
WITHDRAWAL OF MEMBERS
6. A member not in arrears may withdraw from membership by giving notice in writing to the Secretary of the Institute, and every withdrawal shall be reported to the next general meeting of the Institute.
EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
7. The Institute may expel from membership, upon a three-fourths majority vote of the members of the Institute, any member against whom a charge has been preferred of conduct detrimental to the Institute. The charge shall be in writing signed by at least two members in good standing, and the member against whom the charge has been made shall be given at least two weeks’ notice in writing of the time and place when and where the matter will be considered by the Institute.
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
8. a) There shall be five Directors until the membership exceeds 100, when there shall be an additional Director elected for every twenty members over 100.
b) The Directors shall be elected by ballot at the annual general meeting, and, if the meeting so resolves, the members shall mark their ballots for the President and one or more Vice-Presidents, otherwise the Directors shall elect from their body the President and one or more Vice-Presidents.
c) The Directors may appoint a Secretary (and) Treasurer (who may be Directors), but their remuneration (if any) shall be determined by the Institute in general meeting.
d) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Directors and of the Institute, and when he is absent, or unable to unwilling to act, a Vice-President shall act in his stead.
e) Casual vacancies among the Officers or Directors shall be filled by the remaining Directors until the next general meeting, and the Superintendent of Institutes, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, British Columbia shall be notified of all changes.
f) In any case where the Secretary (or) Treasurer ceases to act, the President or Vice-President shall perform his duties until the vacancy is filled.
g) The quorum at a meeting of Directors shall be not less than half the total number of Directors; a fraction to count as a whole, The Secretary (and) Treasure shall not be entitled to vote at any Directors’ meeting unless they are also Directors.
h) The Directors shall have control of the affairs of the Institute, and shall outline the work and the policy of the same, and duly present such policy to the members for approval.
i) The Directors may appoint sub-committees, or delegate any of their powers to committees composed of members of the Institute, who shall conform to any regulations imposed on them by the Directors.
DUTIES OF SECRETARY
9. a) The Secretary shall give notice of and call meetings of the Directors and the Institute upon the authority of the President or any two Officers or Directors
b) Shall keep minutes of the proceeds at any meeting and forward to the Superintendent copies of the same on forms provided by the Superintendent.
c) Shall conduct correspondence in the name of the Institute.
d) Shall keep a register of the members, with their names and addresses, and a mailing-list or members for literature, programmes, etc.
e) Shall, on instruction from the Directors, prepare an annual report, and with ten days after the annual meeting shall send a copy, with copies of the Directors’ and financial reports, to the Superintendent, and also a list of the new Officers and Directors.
DUTIES OF TREASURER
10. The Treasurer or, if there is no such officer, the Secretary of the Institute shall account for all moneys paid or received by the Institute, and present a monthly report thereof to the members in meeting assembled, but no disbursements shall be made without the sanction of the Directors. He shall prepare the annual financial statement of the Institute, made up of December 31st in each year.
ANNUAL MEETING
11. a) The annual meeting of the Institute shall be held not later than the second Tuesday of January of each year, and the Directors shall, within fourteen days thereafter, file with the Registrar of Companies an annual report in accordance with the “Societies Act.”
b) Fourteen clear days’ notice in writing of the date, time, and place of every general meeting shall be given to every member at his recorded address, and advertisement of the meeting shall, if the Directors deem advisable, be also given by poster and in a local newspaper.
c) At general meetings the quorum shall be at least seven members present in person throughout the proceedings.
d) No member shall be elected to any office or vote at any general meeting if his annual fee has not bee paid.
e) If a general meeting is not held on the day specified in the notice calling it, it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the same time and place, and if it be not then held the Directors shall call a fresh meeting.
f) The Directors shall present at the annual meeting a written report of the affairs of the Institute for the past year, stating in particular the number of meetings of the Institute, the attendance at each, the number of papers read and addresses delivered, and accompanied by a financial statement to December 31st, duly audited and certified by the Auditors.
g) If the Directors refuse to call a special general meeting after a written request signed by not less than one-fourth of the members, the signatories may call the meeting at such time and place as they think fit.
h) The order of proceeds at a general meeting shall, according to circumstances, be as follows:
a. Meeting to be called to order:
b. Notice convening meeting to be read:
c. Minutes of preceding meeting to be read and disposed of:
d. Business arising out of minutes:
e. Reports of standing and special committees:
f. Reports of Directors and Auditors:
g. Election of Directors and Auditors:
h. Special business:
i. Unfinished business:
j. New business.
AUDITORS AND DELEGATES
12. At the annual meeting the Institute shall elect two Auditors and shall elect one or more delegates to represent the Institute at any meeting of the District Institute.
BORROWING POWER
13. The Directors shall not borrow monies in the name of the Institute without the consent of the general meeting
CUSTODY OF SEAL, RECORDS, AND OTHER BOOKS OF THE INSTITUTE
14. The seal, records, and other books of the Institute shall be in the custody of the Secretary, and the records and books shall at all times be open to inspection by the Superintendent of the Institutes and the Directors or by any person appointed by the Superintendent. The records and books of the Institute may be inspected by members at the close of any general meeting. The seal shall only be used with the authority of the Directors.
AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
15. These By-laws may not be altered or added to except by an extraordinary resolution of the Institute, as defined by section 2 of the “Societies Act.” The Directors shall file every amendment with the Registrar of Companies.
Dated this 19th day of March, 1932.
Witnessed by: Signatures:
Charles Newberg Arthur W. Stenfors
Arthur W. Stenfors Matt Hill
Arthur W. Stenfors Thomas Garee
E. L. Warner H. Procter
E. H. Luoma Emil Luoma |
