The Constitution of the Jewellery Manufacturers Federation of New Zealand Inc.

as of February 2008

1. NAME

The name of the Society shall be "The Jewellery Manufacturers Federation of New Zealand Incorporated".

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

(a) To promote trust and understanding within the profession of manufacturing Jewellers by meeting on a fraternal basis.

(b) To propagate, within the trade and externally, manufacturer's views with one strong voice.

(c) To abide by a standard of conduct and trade practice that will hold manufacturing Jewellers above question in all matters.

(d) To appoint delegates to represent the profession in its dealings with Government – its bodies – trade unions – affiliated associations, etc.

(e) To achieve, by mutual co-operation, a general increase in standards, good product design, and presentation, to lift the trade from 'Secondary industry' to 'World marketing standards'.

(f) To promote education within the trade in all its many facets.

(g) To foster jewellery as an art form both within and externally in schools, art schools, etc., by night classes, competitions and bursaries etc.

(h) To reform the Apprenticeship system and ultimately replace it with a more modern form of training.

3. ORGANISATION

(a) Structure of committee shall be: Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and five other members. The quorum of all committee meetings shall be five (5). In event of casual vacancy occurring due to death or resignation, etc., or extended leave of absence of any committee members, the committee shall have the power to fill such casual vacancy while it exists. The committee shall have the power to co-opt.

(b) The Chairman shall preside at meetings, but if absent, the Deputy Chairman or the committee shall have the power to elect a Chairman pro tern. The committee shall have the power to form sub-committees. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.

(c) The Secretary shall keep records, keep and read minutes of meetings; keep all deeds and arrangements of each meeting, outing and proceedings; attend to all correspondence; keep and read record of all correspondence sent or received; and carry out all secretarial duties.

(d) The Treasurer shall receive all monies and fees due: issue receipts: bank all monies in Society's name in bank decided upon by committee: pay all accounts as approved by committee and record all financial transactions of the Society: shall also present at each committee meeting, a Pass Book and Cash Book for chairman's signature. Two members shall countersign all cheques and withdrawals as approved by committee. The financial year for the Society shall be from April 1st to the following March 31st of each year.

(e) The Committee shall provide for the safe custody of the common seal of the Society, which shall be used only by the authority of the Committee, and every instrument to which the seal is affixed shall be signed by the Secretary and shall be countersigned by the Chairman or by the Deputy Chairman or by some other person appointed by the committee for the purpose.

(f) The power to use any funds accumulated by the Federation for bursaries, expenses of members on Federation duties shall be authorised only by decision of members at bi-monthly meetings or Special General Meetings.

4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 31st October each year, and notification to be sent to all financial members by the secretary, three weeks prior to this meeting. Minutes of the previous annual meeting shall be read, discussed , confirmed, with business arising there from. Further business shall be to receive the Chairman's Annual report and Financial report. Voting at the Annual General Meeting shall be by show of hands simple majority.

Secret Ballot: Should 25% of financial members require secret ballot then one shall be held.

(b) New officers and committee nominations will be called from the floor.

(c) Election of officers and committee and the appointment of an Auditor.

(d) General Business.

(e) The annual subscription shall be fixed by resolution at the annual general meeting.

5. SUB-COMMITTEES

Sub-committees shall be formed as necessary. Each such sub-committee shall have at least one committee member. The sub-committee shall appoint its own convenor. The Chairman shall be ex-officio on subcommittees.

6. MEMBERSHIP

(a)
(i) Membership shall be by application to the Secretary on a Membership Application Form.

(ii) Membership is open to any person or corporation engaged in the business of manufacturing Jewellers and kindred trades including self-employed setters and engravers.

(iii) The Committee shall have the right to refuse membership to any persons or organisation without assigning a reason.

(b) Voting at General Meetings:
(i) Subject as hereinafter provided each member shall have one vote.

(ii) In the event that two or more members shall be carrying on business together as partners such members shall appoint one of their number to represent the partnership at any meeting of the Society and only the member so appointed shall be entitled to vote such member having one vote only.

(iii) Any corporation which is a member of the Society shall appoint such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Society, and the person so appointed shall be entitled to vote on behalf of the corporation which he represents. No member who is a director of a corporation which corporation is a member or entitled to a member shall be entitled to vote except as the representative appointed as aforesaid of the corporation.

(c) Attendance at General Meetings

Any member whether or not he is entitled to vote may attend any meeting of the Society. The Committee may authorise the attendance at a meeting of a non-member or non-members or any class of non-members.

(d) Cessation of Membership
(i) A member shall cease to be a member in the following circumstances:
(a) if he shall resign from membership.

(b) if he shall fail within a period of three months from the due date of payment thereof to pay in full his annual membership subscription.

(c) if he shall be expelled from membership.

(ii)
(a) a member may be expelled from membership if he has been found guilty of any conduct contrary to the aims and objects of the society.

(b) if a member (hereinafter called "the complaining member") is of the opinion that another member (hereinafter called "the accused member") has been guilty of any conduct as aforesaid he may lay a complaint by delivering written notice thereof to the committee.

(c) At the meeting of the committee next after the laying of the complaint the committee shall consider the complaint and at that meeting may:
i. Defer further consideration thereof until a later meeting and, if it is deemed desirable, direct that any member or members of the committee obtain further information relating to the complaint from the complaining member or from any other person; or

ii. Decide to take no further action in respect of the complaint in which case the complaining member shall be notified accordingly; or

iii. Decide to determine whether or not the accused member has been guilty of any conduct contrary to the aims and objects of the Society.

(e) If the committee shall decide to determine whether or not the accused member has been guilty as aforesaid the committee shall fix a time, date and place for a meeting and the Secretary shall give to the accused member at least fourteen days notice in writing of such time, date and place and such notice shall in addition specify (in sufficient detail as to fairly inform the accused member) the matters to which the committee shall give consideration in determining whether or not the accused member has been guilty as aforesaid and the accused member shall have the right to appear before the committee as such meeting and to make representations relating to the matters to which the committee will give consideration.

(f) The Committee shall at that meeting or at an adjournment of the meeting determine whether or not the accused member has been guilty of conduct as aforesaid.

(g) If the committee shall determine that the accused member has been guilty of conduct as aforesaid the committee may, if the conduct is considered to be sufficiently serious as to warrant expulsion, expel the accused member from membership.

(h) The Secretary shall within fourteen days after the committee has determined whether or not the accused member has been guilty of conduct as aforesaid give the accused member notice in writing of the committee's determination and, if the committee has determined that the accused member has been guilty of conduct as aforesaid, the notice shall state whether or not the accused member has been expelled from membership.

(i) If the accused member has been expelled from membership he may within fourteen days after receipt of the notice t that effect give to the Secretary notice in writing that he wishes to appeal against his expulsion and such appeal shall be heard at the next annual general meeting of the Society or, if the date of the annual general shall be less than one calendar month or more than three calendar months after the date of the giving of the notice of appeal, at a special general meeting to be held not more than two months from the date of the giving of the notice. Not less than three weeks notice of the hearing of the appeal shall be given to all members.
a. The accused member shall notwithstanding his expulsion from membership be entitled to make representations in support of his appeal to the general meeting.

b. The Society in general meeting shall decide whether the appeal is to be allowed or disallowed and its decision shall be final. In the event that the appeal should be allowed the accused member shall automatically be re-instated to membership.

7. CHANGE OF RULES

The rules of the society shall not be altered, added to, or rescinded except at a special General Meeting or Annual General Meeting. Notice of Motion to alter, add to, or rescind, the rules shall be given in writing to the Secretary not less than one calendar month before the date of the meeting to which such motion is to be submitted. Any officer or member affected individually by such change may speak but not vote on the issue involved.

8. DISSOLUTION

A voluntary winding up pursuant to Section 24 of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908, may be brought about by the resolution of a special general meeting requiring the Society to be wound up, confirmed at a second meeting held not less than thirty days after the first meeting. The members are entitled to divide the Society's property amongst themselves on dissolution.

9. MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR

In the event of any matter arising that is not covered in the written rules of the Constitution, it shall be competent for the Executor to legislate therefore pending information or otherwise by the Annual or Special General Meeting of the Society.