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Report of Sub-Committee on Contributions from Member Bodies
At its meeting on June 27, 1958, the Standing Committee appointed a Sub-committee consisting of Mr. K. R. Allen, Professor C. A. Cotton, Dr. C. A. Fleming and Dr. M. A. F. Barnett (Convener) to prepare some definite proposal on the subject of contributions from Member Bodies. The proposals of the Sub-committee are embodied in this report.
A summary of the discussions which have taken place on this subject and the decisions which have been reached by the Council over the last four years is given in Appendix I to this report. A proposal submitted by the Waikato Scientific Association in May, 1958, which was not received in time to be considered at the last annual meeting is reproduced in Appendix II.
From a study of the information contained in Appendix I it is evident that a substantial majority of the Branches are in favour of the principle that all Member Bodies should contribute to the upkeep of the Parent Body. A majority of the Branches also are in favour of the principle that such a contribution should be related in some way to a levy on individual members. In view of this the Sub-committee decided that any proposal it put forward should as far as possible embody these principles. At the same time the strong objections which had been raised by the Auckland and Waikato Branches were recognised and the Sub-committee is of the opinion that it would not be in the interests of the Society as a whole to impose a rule, by a majority decision only, which would require a mandatory contribution from all Branches. The Sub-committee, in its deliberations, sought for some system which would facilitate and encourage the making of contributions along the lines desired by the majority but which would leave with the individual Branches the decision as to the extent to which they would comply.
At the Council meeting in November, 1956, one of the decisions carried by a majority vote was: “That no expenditure on library, museum, etc., should be obligatory on Branches”. The contrary view was, however, expressed very strongly by the minority and the Subcommittee feels that the principle involved here is one to which the Branches may wish to give further consideration. It is recommended, therefore, that the two alternative proposals which follow should in the first place be submitted to the Branches for comment. Recommendations can then be made to the Council at the November meeting based on the comments received.
First Proposal: That Rule A3* be replaced by the following rule:—
“That by-laws of every member body admitted as aforesaid shall include a provision whereby members who belong to one or more specified categories shall be considered subscribing members of the Royal Society of New Zealand and every member body shall pay to the Society in each year the sum of five shillings for each of its members belonging to such category or categories.”
Second Proposal: That the following additional rule be inserted immediately following the existing rule A3:—
“The by-laws of every member body admitted as aforesaid shall include a provision whereby members who belong to one or more specified categories shall be considered subscribing members of the Royal Society of New Zealand and every member body shall pay to the Society in each year the sum of five shillings for each of its members belonging to such category or categories. Any sum paid under this rule shall be considered as part of the one-third or one-sixth of the annual revenue required to be expended in terms of rule A3.”
If either of these rules is adopted the decision will remain with the individual Branches as to which (if any) of its members will be classed as falling within the category of “subscribing members of the Royal Society of New Zealand”. It might be expected that, in the case of some of the Branches at least, all the full members would be included.
The above proposals embrace part of the recommendation of the Waikato Scientific Association (Appendix II). The Association's other suggestions were not supported by the
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Sub-committee. If a majority of the Council should favour a proposal that Fellows should pay an application fee and annual subscription to the Society it is suggested that consideration of this matter be included in the terms of reference of the Fellowship Committee which was set up at the last Annual Meeting.
The sum paid for the Transactions (10/-) by members of the Society is less than one quarter of the cost price and the Council at its meeting in November, 1956, agreed that payment towards the cost of the Transactions under Rule H (e) should not form part of the contribution. To give effect to this decision it is recommended that the following new rule be inserted immediately after the new rule proposed above, the wording at the end depending on which of the proposals is adopted:
“Any contributions made by a member body towards the cost of publishing the Proceedings and/or Transactions of the Society in terms of Rule H (e) shall not form part of the contribution of Member Bodies in terms of Rules 3 and 4.”
If the proposed new rules are adopted by the Council the existing rules in Section A should be renumbered appropriately.
Existing Rule:
A.—Relating to Admission and Duties of Member Bodies.
*(3) The by-laws of every member body admitted as aforesaid shall provide for the expenditure of not less than one-third of its annual revenue on or towards the formation or support of some local public museum or library or other institution approved by the Council, or otherwise shall provide for the payment of not less than one-sixth of its annual revenue towards the extension and maintenance of the Royal Society of New Zealand.”