Club Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE HUNTERS HILL CROQUET CLUB INC. (As amended 16 th August 2025)

1. NAME:

The Club shall be called Hunters Hill Croquet Club hereinafter referred to as “The Club”.

2. OBJECTS:

The objects of the Club shall be:

(a) to promote the game of croquet in Hunters Hill and in New South Wales generally;

(b) to grant rights, privileges and facilities to enable Club members to play the game:

(c) to acquire such property and materials as may be necessary for the continuance of

the game.

3. MEMBERSHIP:

Membership of the Club shall consist of the following classes –

Life members being members who have rendered outstanding service to the Club and who are

elected as such by a resolution passed by a majority of members present at a General Meeting

of the Club. Life members shall be relieved from payment of any subscription or levies but shall

have all the rights and privileges of financial members.

Financial playing members who will have full access to the Club and its facilities.

Social members who are eligible to attend Club functions but are not entitled to play croquet

except as a paying visitor accompanied by a playing member under Clause 17. They are also

not entitled to invite visitors to the Club or to vote at Club meetings.

A member shall be such person who having applied for membership:

(a) has been sponsored by two (2) financial members

(b) has been accepted by the Committee of the Club

(c) has paid the appropriate subscription fee

(d) has received written confirmation of Committee acceptance and of subscription fee

receipt.

4. MEMBERSHIP FEES:

The Committee from time to time may decide to make changes to the Annual Subscription Fee.

(a) Club subscriptions shall be payable in advance yearly or half-yearly by choice.

(b) A new member who joins the Club after the 31 st July shall pay a pro rata fee being:

the full amount of Croquet New South Wales affiliation fees plus x/12ths of the

remaining part of a full year’s subscription. (x being number of whole months to 30 th

June)

(c) Members who have already paid their Croquet New South Wales affiliation fee

because they are concurrently members of another club shall have their fees

reduced accordingly.

(d) Only financial members shall be entitled to exercise the privileges of membership of

the Club.

(e) The Club’s financial year commences on 1 July each year.

(f) The Membership Secretary or the Treasurer shall notify any person accepted as a

new member and such person shall pay the appropriate subscription fee within one

month of such notification.

(g) Any member who fails to notify either the Membership Secretary or the Treasurer of

their intention to withdraw from membership of the Club at the end of the financial

year shall be liable for the next year`s subscription. If a member fails to pay such

subscription before the end of September they shall cease to be a member.

5. MANAGEMENT:

The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee of not less than five (5) and not

more than nine (9) members which shall include a President, Vice-President, Honorary

Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Membership Secretary and General Members.

Any Committee member may hold two (2) of the above offices but no more than two (2) and will

have one vote only on Committee decisions. The Committee shall meet at least once a month

on such date and place as may be decided. Any member of the Club shall be entitled to attend

all meetings of the Committee as an observer, but with no voting rights.

6. POWERS OF COMMITTEE:

The Committee shall have power to make binding decisions, authorise expenditure, receive all

monies and subscriptions, appoint sub-committees and handicappers, exchange property and

goods, accept legacies or donations and to use and turn the same to account for the benefit the

Club and in all things and at all times manage and control the business of the Club.

7. QUORUMS:

Annual General Meetings – a quorum shall consist of one third of financial members present.

Special Meetings – a quorum shall consist of 33% of the total membership of the Club present.

Committee Meetings – a quorum shall consist of four (4) Committee members present.

8. LACK OF QUORUM:

If within fifteen (15) minutes of the time appointed for a meeting, whether Committee, Special or

Annual, and a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same place and

at the same time and day in the next week. If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present

within fifteen (15) minutes of the time appointed, the members present shall be a quorum.

Special Meetings convened upon a requisition of members as outlined in Clause 14 and a

quorum cannot be obtained, the meeting shall be dissolved.

9. EMERGENCY MEETINGS:

In the event of business of an urgent nature arising and which requires urgent attention, the

President, the Honorary Secretary and two (2) Committee members shall constitute an

Emergency Meeting with power to deal with the emergency matter only. Any action taken by

this Committee must be reviewed at the next Committee Meeting.

10. NON-ATTENDANCE:

A Committee member who fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings without seeking leave

of absence may have his/her position declared vacant by the Committee.

11. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

President: When present, the President shall preside at all Club meetings and functions.

Vice-President: The Vice-President shall carry out the duties of the President should the

President be absent, or if the President requests the Vice-President to deputise for him/her.

Honorary Secretary: The Honorary Secretary shall keep the necessary records and

correspondence of the Club and in conjunction with the President and with the President and

the Office Bearers be responsible for the general running of the Club. He/she shall present an

agenda to the President at all meetings and take minutes, a copy of which shall be displayed on

the Club notice board. The Honorary Secretary and the President shall together prepare an

Annual Report prior to its submission to the Annual General Meeting.

Honorary Treasurer: The Honorary Treasurer shall -

(a) receive and disburse the monies of the Club as authorised by the Committee

(b) keep a correct account of all transactions and shall lodge at a bank or banks

approved by the Committee all monies received on behalf of the Club.

All bank accounts shall be in the name of the Club and all cheques drawn thereon shall be

signed by any two of the following officer’s viz.: the President, Vice President, Honorary

Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

The Committee can allocate specialist roles to Committee General Members and to ordinary

Members of the Club as required, and their relevant duties as well as duration of office will be

confirmed at the time of allocation.

12. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall normally take place in the month of August of

each year, and written notice of such meeting shall be given to each member at least fourteen

(14) days prior to the date of such meeting, and at least twenty one (21) days prior when a

Special Resolution is proposed. The Committee may vary the month of the meeting by up to 3

months in extraordinary circumstances.

The order of business of the meeting shall be:

(a) Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and any Special Meeting held during the

year.

(b) Annual Report: The Honorary Secretary shall submit to the meeting the Report of

the Committee for the past twelve (12) months, including as an addendum a

summary of policy motions adopted by the Committee which may not have been

mentioned in the Annual Report.

A Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the past twelve (12) months shall

be presented to the meeting by the Honorary Treasurer.

Reports: Reports from the President and other Officers may be submitted. These

reports are not mandatory.

Election of Office Bearers: The Officers listed in Clause 11 shall be elected for the

ensuing year (but see also Clause 13).

Motions: Motions must be tendered to the Honorary Secretary in writing at least

twenty-one (21) days before the meeting and must appear on the Business Paper

calling the meeting.

The Chairperson of the Annual General Meeting must allow a reasonable opportunity for

members as a whole at the meeting to ask questions about, or make comments on, the

management of the Club.

13. METHOD OF ELECTION:

The election of Office Bearers and Committee shall follow the undermentioned format:

Nomination to any position of Office or Committee shall be lodged with the Honorary Secretary

at least seven (7) days prior to the Annual General Meeting. The nomination must be moved

and seconded by two (2) financial members and signed by the nominee as accepting the

particular nomination. In the event of insufficient nominations being received, any remaining

positions may be nominated and elected from the floor of the Annual General Meeting.

Office Bearers and Committee members shall hold office for a maximum three (3) year’s

duration. However, any Office Bearer or Committee member shall be eligible to seek re-

election for a further (3) year period.

14. SPECIAL MEETINGS:

A Special Meeting of the Club may be called –

(a) by the Committee at any time, or

(b) by written request served on the Honorary Secretary and signed by at least seven

(7) members setting out the reason or reasons for such meeting and-

(i) must be held within fourteen (14) days of the request being received by the

Honorary Secretary, and

(ii) a notice of the meeting setting out the reason or reasons therefore shall be

sent to all members at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting.

15. AUDITOR:

The Committee or a General Meeting of the Club may at any time call upon a suitably qualified

person to audit the Clubs accounts and submit a report thereon to the Committee or a General

Meeting of the Club.

16. EXPULSIONS:

The Committee shall have the power to terminate the membership of any member whom it

considers undesirable as a Club member. Any such member may appeal against the

Committee’s decision at a Special Meeting of the full membership which must be called within

fourteen (14) days of receipt of the appeal. A refund of the membership fee for the unexpired

portion of the year shall be paid to such member.

17. VISITORS:

Members shall have the privilege of introducing a friend or friends to the Club for participation in

a game of croquet without limitation provided the friend(s) is/are a member(s) of a club affiliated

with Croquet New South Wales or another State Association belonging to Croquet Australia.

Members may also invite a maximum of three (3) other visitors who are not so affiliated to play

up to six (6) times per year. Should a playing member wish to vary these conditions, they must

apply to the Committee for permission prior to any attendance.

Current green fees would be applicable for all visitors whether or not affiliated with another club.

18. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

Amendments to the Constitution can only be made by special resolution at an Annual General

Meeting or a Special Meeting called for this purpose and can only be passed by a majority

which comprises not less than three-quarters of such members present at the meeting and who

are entitled to vote. Notice of the proposed amendments must be on the agenda for the

meeting.

A copy of the Constitution shall be available in the Club House at all times.

19. DISSOLUTION:

In the event of the Club being dissolved the amount of funds which remains after such

dissolution and the satisfaction of al debts and liabilities shall be paid and applied by the

organisation in accordance with its power to any organisation which has similar objects and

which has rules prohibiting the distribution of its assets and income to its members.

20. FINANCE:

The assets and income of the Club shall be applied exclusively to the promotion of its objects

and no portion shall be paid or distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the

organisation except as bona fide remuneration for services rendered or expenses incurred on

behalf of the organisation.