Rules of the Ellington Amateur Orchestral Society
1925 - Ellington Orchestral Society is created. A comprehensive list of rules is documented.
Rules
1. That this society be called the Ellington Orchestral Society. And that the objects of the society are to afford to its members the means of social intercourse, mental & moral improvement & rational recreation by the cultivation of music & otherwise as they may determine from time to time.
2. Membership
The society shall consist of senior playing members (male or female). Junior playing members (male or female) & Honorary members (male or female). A member is one who receives musical instruction through the Band and must be 14 years of age.
3. Admission of Members
A candidate for Election must be proposed and seconded by two financial members able from personal knowledge to vouch for his respectability and fitness to be a member.
4. Subscriptions
The subscriptions of this society shall be 1/- per fortnight. Any member more than three payments in arrears (without just cause) his name shall be erased from the books.
5. Cessation of Membership
Members shall cease to be members i. by nonpayment of subscription. Any member whose membership has ceased from this cause shall not be again nominated for membership unless he previously pay all the arrears due from him at the time of his ceasing to be a member. ii. By Expulsion iii By resignation but any member wishing to resign must send written notice to the secretary and the notice must be accompanied by the subscription due up to the date of its taking effect.
6. Officers
The officers of the society shall consist of Conductor & Deputy Conductor, whose offices shall be permanent unless decided otherwise at a General or Special Meeting called for that purpose. Also a president, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, whose terms of office shall be one Year but they shall be eligible for re-election.
7. Conductor
The conductor or his deputy shall have full control of the Band when rehearsing or when performing in public, shall allot to each performer the part he must play, also decide the compositions of the Bands for engagements and should any member (in the conductor’s opinion) misconduct himself, he has the power to immediately suspend the member from the Band, and report the matter to the committee.
8. Secretary
The secretary shall carry out the directions of the committee and, subject to such direction, shall receive moneys on account of the Band and pay the same to the Treasurer, and keep such accounts as the committee shall direct. He shall attend all meetings, take minutes of the proceedings, prepare the annual balance sheet and submit the same to the auditors.
9. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall receive all moneys belonging to the Band, shall keep such accounts and pay such debts of the Band as the committee shall direct and shall when required to do so, render to the committee or any of them, or a general meeting, an account of the moneys received and expended to him.
10. Committee
The committee shall consist of all the officers and 7 playing members who shall manage the affairs of the society and shall be elected for one Year at the annual General meeting held in January. It shall meet when required by the secretary. It shall meet when required by the secretary. It shall have due regard to any resolution or recommendation of any General or Special Meeting.
11. General Meetings
A General meeting of the members shall be held in January each Year on a date to be fixed by the committee, of which at least seven days’ notice, with an agenda to be conducted at such meetings shall be posted in the Bandroom, to receive a statement of accounts and balance sheet, and the report of the auditors for the previous 12 months, and such other business as may be submitted by the committee, or any member who shall have given due notice of the motion he proposes to make at least nine days before the date of such meeting, and a report by the committee for the Year shall be presented.
12. Auditors and Accounts
The committee of management shall cause the accounts of the society to be regularly entered in proper books. The committee shall once, in every year submit such accounts together with a general statement of the same and all necessary vouchers up to the 31st day of December for audit. The public auditors appointed under the Friendly Society Act by two or more persons appointed as auditors by the members at the meeting next before each meeting of the Society.
13. Removal of Property
No member shall take, or permit to be taken, from the Society’s premises, any music, instruments, or any other article the property of the Society without authority from the committee or conductor.
14. Application of Money
All monies received on account of contributions, donations, admissions, fines or otherwise shall be applied towards carrying out the objects of the Society according to the rules thereof. Any officer misapplying the funds shall repay the same, and be excluded, without prejudice to his liability to prosecution for such misapplication.
15. New Rules or Applications of Rules
No new rules shall be made nor any of the rules herein contained or hereafter to be made, shall be altered or rescinded unless with the consent of a majority of members present at a general meeting specially called for that purpose.
16. Bye Laws
The committee shall have power to make such bye laws as it may consider necessary for the good government and order of the band providing that no such bye law shall conflict with any of the rules.
17. Disputes Between Members and the Institution
All disputes between a member, past member or person claiming through a member or past member or under the rules and the institution, or the committee shall be referred to an independent person mutually agreed upon and whose decision shall be final.
18. Matters Not Provided for in Rules
Should any matter arise which is not provided for in the foregoing rules, the committee shall have power to determine the same.