1. NAME.

The name of the Association shall be; "The Kununurra Historical Society (Incorporated)", hereinafter referred to as "The Society".

    2. OBJECTIVES.

2.1. To encourage research into the study of and recording of Western Australian History in general and of Kununurra and the Ord River Irrigation Area in particular.

2.2. To collect, classify and preserve records and objects relating to the history of Western Australia in general and the Kununurra and Ord River Irrigation Area in particular.

2.3. To publish articles and selected records in special bulletins or in an approved journal of The Society or by any other method approved by members.

2.4. To interchange information among members of The Society and the general public by lectures, reading, discussions and exhibitions of historical material.

2.5. To promote public interest in, and support for, the preservation of historical relics including buildings and sites.

2.6. To establish and maintain libraries, reading rooms and historical museums.

2.7. To encourage interaction between the members of The Society and members of other Societies.

2.8. To promote social gatherings of members, particularly excursions to historical sites.

2.9. To co-operate with any other bodies having similar aims.

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    3. POWERS.

3.1. To amalgamate, co-operate and affiliate with any other association, society or body having objectives wholly or in part similar to those of The Society.

3.2. To assist or subscribe to any charitable, educational or public purpose as determined by the committee.

3.3. To acquire by way of purchase, lease, exchange, hire or by way of loan or otherwise, any real or personal property.

3.4. To sell, lease, hire, mortgage, charge, lend with or without security, surrender or otherwise dispose of or deal with all or any part of the assets or properties real or personal of The Society and to borrow money upon such terms as the committee may think proper for the purposes of The Society and to grant security therefore and to liquidate, redeem or discharge any

obligations undertaken.

3.5. To invest and deal with the money of The Society not immediately required in such manner as may be permitted by law for the investment of trust funds.

3.6. To make, draw and accept, endorse, discount, execute issue promissory notes, bills of exchange, bills of lading and other negotiable or transferable instruments.

3.7. To consider and advise members on any question of policy or professional usage which may be referred to it, and to be a forum where questions and/or disputes may be settled through discussion, arbitration and negotiation upon request of members, apart from purely domestic matters.

3.8. On request to enter on behalf of the members into any arrangements that may seem conducive to the interest of members, with any authority government, municipal shire or other.

3.9. To do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objectives and exercise of the powers of The Society.

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    4. INCOME AND PROPERTY.

4.1. The income and property of The Society, howsoever derived, shall be applied solely to the promotion of the objectives and no part thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend bonus or otherwise by way of pecuniary profit to the members provided that remuneration may be paid in good faith to officers and servants of The Society or other persons in return for services actually rendered to The Society.

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    5. MEMBERS.

5.1. Honorary Life Members.

5.1.1. The Committee may recommend any person for Honorary Life Membership in consideration of special services rendered to The Society. The Committee's recommendation for Life Membership shall be brought before a General Meeting. The person nominated, his or her spouse or children shall absent themselves from the General Meeting whilst the nomination is being discussed and voting is taking place. A person shall be appointed if two thirds majority of members present and voting by

secret ballot approve the nomination A person shall not be appointed at an adjourned General Meeting unless a quorum is present.

5.1.2. Only one Honorary Life Membership shall be considered in any one financial year.

5.1.3. Honorary Life Members shall have all the rights and privileges of a Member and shall be exempt from payment of membership fees.

5.1.4. Life Membership may be purchased for a fee to be ten (10) times that of an annual membership.

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5.2. ORDINARY MEMBERS.

5.2.1. The approval of the Committee shall be required for the admission of all persons of sixteen years or over, applying for membership.

5.2.2. The admission of a new member shall not take eifect until such person has paid the first years subscription or proportion as determined by the Committee.

5.2.3. The names of all new members shall be announced at the following General Meeting.

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5.3. PENSIONER MEMBERS.

Being retired persons in receipt of the Department of Social Security Health Benefit Card.

5.3.1. The annual subscription for Pensioner Members shall be fifty percent of the Ordinary Member's subscription.

5.3.2. The approval of the Committee shall be required for the admission of an approved pensioner applying for membership.

5.3.3. The admission of a Pensioner Member shall not take effect until such person has paid the first year's subscription or proportion as determined by the Committee.

5.3.4. The names of all new Pensioner Members shall be announced at the following General Meeting.
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5.4. JUNIOR MEMBERS

Being persons under the age of sixteen years.

5.4.1. The approval of the Committee shall he required for all persons applying for Junior Membership.

5.4.2. The annual subscription for a Junior Member shall be fifty percent of the Ordinary Member.

5.4.3. The admission of a Junior Member shall not take effect until such person has paid the first year‘s subscription or proportion as determined by the Committee.

5.4.4. The names of the new Junior Members shall be announced at the following General Meeting.

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    6. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP.

6.1. A member may cease to be a member by submitting a written resignation to The Society's Secretary.

6.2. A member will cease to be a member if membership subscriptions are not paid within three calendar months of the due date, however, membership may be reinstated, at the discretion of the Committee, if the subscriptions are paid within a time considered to be reasonable for the circumstance.

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6.3. Expulsion of Members

6.3.1 The Society shall have the power to suspend or expel any member who commits any breach of any rule of The Society, or commits any act detrimental to The Society, provided that such expelled member shall have the right of appeal against such expulsion.

6.3.2. An appeal against expulsion shall be presented, by the appellant, at a Special General Meeting convened to hear and consider the appeal.

6.3.3 The Special General Meeting convened for an appeal against expulsion shall make a determination which will be conclusive.

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    7. SUBSCRIPTIONS.

7.1. Member's subscriptions shall be determined by the Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting.

7.2. Annual subscriptions shall fall due and payable within 30 days of the Annual General Meeting.

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    8. PATRON.

8.1. The Society may elect a Patron who shall retain the position at the pleasure of The Society or until he or she elects to resign.

8.2. During the term of office the Patron will have all of the privileges of Honorary Life Membership.

8.3. The Patron may also be appointed as the Trustee at the discretion of The Society.

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    9. TRUSTEE.

9.1. The Society may elect a Trustee who shall retain the position at the pleasure of The Society or until he or she elects to resign or according to any relevant act of Parliament.

9.2. During the term of office the Trustee will have all of the privileges of an Honorary Life Member.

9.3. The Trustee may also be appointed as a Patron at the discretion of The Society.

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    10. MEETINGS.

10.1. Committee Meetings. The Committee shall meet once in each calendar month, to carry out the business of The Society, except during the months of December and January unless the Committee decides otherwise.
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10.2. Annual General Meeting.

10.2.1. The Annual General Meeting will be held in March each year.

10.2.2. For the election of office bearers at the Annual General Meeting, the President shall appoint, as presiding officer, an independent person or a member who is neither nominated for election nor a current executive office bearer.

10.2.3. The order of business at the Annual General Meeting shall be:

Minutes.

Presentation of:

President's Annual Report

Treasurer's Financial Report

Archive Officer's Report.

Committee Reports

Election of Office Bearers

The election of a Patron (Optional)

The election of a Trustee (Recommended, Optional)

The appointment of an Auditor

Correspondence

General Business

10.2.4. At least fourteen (14) days before the Annual General Meeting the Secretary may elect to;

(i) Send a notice of meeting to each financial member.

or

(ii) Publish a notice of meeting in the local newspaper. Any accidental omission to give notice under choice (i) will not invalidate the meeting.

10.2.5. In the event of a quorum not being present thirty minutes after the advertised starting time, the Annual Meeting shall be adjourned to a date to be fixed by the President within thirty days thereafter and to be held whether a quorum is present or not.

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10.3. Special General Meeting.

A Special General Meeting will be convened under the following circumstances:

10.3.1. Upon receipt by The Society of a petition signed by the lesser number (10) or 50% of the current financial members of The Society.

10.3.2. Whenever, in the opinion of a majority of members of the Committee, such a meeting is deemed necessary.

10.3.3. When requested by a member under the provision of Section 6.

10.3.4. Upon receipt of the relevant petition, opinion or request, the Secretary will convene a Special General Meeting within twenty eight (28) days of the relevant Petition, opinion or request.

10.3.5. Notice of the Special General Meeting will be given in accordance with Section

10.3.6. No business except the business stated in the form of notice convening the meeting shall be transacted at any special General Meeting.

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    11. QUORUM.

11.1. The quorum for attendance at Committee Meetings shall be five financial members, two of whom must be elected officers of the executive.

11.2. The quorum for Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings shall be ten (10) financial members or two thirds of The Society’s financial members whichever is the lesser.

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    12. VOTING.

12.1. Only financial members, except Junior Members, shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of The Society.

12.2. The Chairperson shall have the right of a deliberative vote as a member of The Society. In the event of equal votes being cast, on any motion, the Chairperson shall also have the right of a casting vote.
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    13.1. [?] MANAGEMENT.

The society shall be managed by elected officers and committee members. The Officers will be:

President

Secretary

Treasurer

Archives Officer

The Committee Members will be all of those financial members of The Society who attend Committee Meetings.

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    14. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE.

14.1. The President shall preside at all meetings attended.

14.2. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President from the meeting. In the event of both the President and the Vice President being absent, the Committee shall nominate one of its members to preside at the meeting.

14.3. The Secretary shall take minutes of all General and Committee Meetings and record them in the Minute Book.

14.4. The Treasurer shall:

14.4.1. Give receipts for all monies received.

14.4.2. Bank all monies received in the name of The Society, as soon as practicable after receipt.

14.4.3. Pay all claims against The Society only after they have been duly passed for payment by the Committee. Payment shall be by cheque which shall be signed by any two of the following persons: President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer.

14.4.4. Keep correct amount of monies received & dispersed and present a Financial Statement at each meeting.

14.4.5. Submit an Annual Financial Statement and Balance Sheet together with Books of Account to the Auditor appointed by the Committee not less than 30 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

14.4.6. Present the Audited Financial Statement of Balance Sheet to the Annual General Meeting.

14.4.7. Keep a register of members which shall be available for inspection at any time.

14.5. The Archives Officer shall:

14.5.1. Keep records of all goods, equipment, documents and records whilst being responsible for their safe keeping and maintenance.

14.5.2. Submit reports on maintenance requirements and any other matters which are deemed necessary to the Committee and Annual General Meeting.

14.6. Comments on the public record shall be made only by President, Secretary or persons authorised by the President.

14.7. Committee Powers. In addition to the exercise of any of the foregoing general powers of the Society, the committee has the power to:

14.7.1. Cause to become vacant the position of any Office Bearer absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without apology or leave of absence.

14.7.2. Appoint sub-committees for such purposes as it shall think fit and may delegate any of its powers of duties to such sub-committees.

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    15. GENERAL.

15.1. The financial year of the Society shall be January 01 to December 31.

15.2. An Auditor shall be appointed each year to audit the books of account of The Society. The Auditor may be a member of The Society but no person shall be eligible as an Auditor who is interested otherwise than as a member in any transaction of The Society.

15.3. The Constitution of The Society shall be available to every member of The Society upon demand.

15.4. Should any dispute arise as to the interpretation of The Society's Constitution or the sense or intention thereof or should the ruling of the President in regard to the interpretation of any part of the Constitution be dissented from, such dispute or objection should be referred to an independent responsible person chosen by the committee to arbitrate such disputes. This person could be the Trustee if thought appropriate. If an appointment is not made then legal advice should be sought.

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    16. COMMON SEAL

The Common Seal of The Society should be engraved with the name of The Society and shall be kept in the care of the President. The seal shall not be used or affixed to any deed or other document except with the authority of the committee. Every instrument to which the Seal is affixed shall be signed by two Officers of The Society.

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    17. ALTERATION TO CONSTITUTION.

No new clause shall be added nor shall any of the clauses contained herein be amended, altered or rescinded unless with the consent of a majority of three quarters of the members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for that purpose. The Secretary shall give notice of such proposed amendment together with the notice of meeting referred to in section 10.2.4.

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    18. DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY

18.1. The Society may be wound up by resolution of a Special General Meeting. The notice of meeting must state the purpose of the meeting and to be effective must be agreed to by three quarters majority of the members voting on the resolution.

18.2. Upon the dissolution of The Society, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, money and property accrued shall not be paid or distributed amongst the members of The Society.

18.3. If on the winding up of the Association, any property of the Association remains after satisfaction of the debts and liabilities of the Association and the costs, charges and expenses of that winding up, that property shall be distributed -

(a) to another incorporated association having objects similar to those of the Association; or

(b) for charitable purposes, which incorporated association or purposes, as the case requires shall be determined by resolution of the members when authorising and directing the Committee under section 33(3) of the Act to prepare a distribution plan for the distribution of the surplus property of the Association.

Signed: [Judith M. Withers] President.

Name: Judith May Withers

Address: 478 Jabiru Road, Kununurra WA 6743

Signature: [W.R. Withers] Secretary.

Name: William Robert Withers

Address: 478 Jabiru Road, Kununurra WA 6743

Witness Signature: [M.Lawson]

Name: Margaret A. Lawson

Address: 2/1847 Lemonwood Way, Kununurra WA 6743

Date: 22nd February 1996 Common Seal

..................................................................................... [END - KHS Constitution]

Download the KHS Constitution

[Two versions of the KHS constitution as PDFs are provided for download below.- PDF File 1. "Constitution of the Kununurra Historical Society (Inc.) [1996] OCRd - No Scanned Pages.pdf" (213kb) and - PDF File 2. - "1996-KHS-Constitution-Scanned with OCRd Text at END.pdf" (2700kb - 2.7 MB)]

Contents - KHS Constitution