I.

This Association shall be called "The Dunedn Chamber of Commerce."

II.

The object of this Chamber shall be to watch over and protect the general interests of Commerce; to collect information on all matters of interest to the mercantile community; to use every means within its power for the removal and redress of grievances, and for the promotion of the trade of the Colony; to communicate with the authorities and with individuals thereupon; to form a code of practice whereby the transactions of business may be simplified and facilitated; and to arbitrate in all matters submitted by disputants, the decision in such references to be recorded for future guidance.

III.

Apartments shall be taken for the use of the Chamber where all meetings shall be held, the books and papers of the Chamber kept, and all business transacted.

IV.

All persons residing in this province shall be eligible to become members of the Chamber as hereinafter provided. The Superintendent of the Province, and the members of his Executive Council, arid the Collector of Customs at this port shall be ex officio honorary members of this Chamber.

V.

Candidates for admission shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another, who shall give seven days' notice thereof by entry in a book to be provided and kept for that purpose; and candidates so proposed and seconded shall be balloted for at the next General or Special Meeting of the Chamber, and rejected if more than one-fourth of those present vote against their admission. If no meeting of the Chamber shall occur within seven days after a candidate has been duly proposed and seconded, the Committee at any of its meetings may proceed to page 21 ballot for and elect such candidate, the same rules for election or rejection to apply as in the case of a ballot by the Chamber.

VI.

Voting by proxy, or by Members whose subscriptions are in arrear, shall not be allowed

VII.

The Chamber reserves to itself the right of expelling any of its Members, such expulsion to be decided by votes of three-fourths of the Members of the Chamber present at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of taking such a case into consideration.

VIII.

The entrance fee for each Member shall be One Guinea, payable one month after election, and his Annual Subscription Two Guineas. All Annual Subscriptions shall be due and payable in advance on the first day of May in each year. Partners of any house of business joining the Chamber shall be required to subscribe as individuals.

IX.

A Committee to consist of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and nine Members, shall be appointed, four of whom shall form a quorum.

X.

The Chairman, Deputy Chairman, and Committee shall be elected by ballot at the Annual General Meeting in the month of May in each year, from the whole body of Members.

XI.

The Chairman, or, in his absence, the Deputy Chairman, shall preside at all General, Ordinary, or Special Meetings of the Chamber, as well as at all Meetings of the Committee; and in the absence of both of them, the meeting shall elect its own Chairman from the Members then present. The Chairman shall have a casting vote only.

XII.

The duties of the Committee shall be:—To transact generally the executive business of the Chamber; to bring before it all matters requiring its attention; to carry out its resolutions; to take prompt action when necessary to further the objects of the Chamber as in Rule II.; and to present at each meeting in May a Financial Statement, and at each Quarterly Meeting a report of all circumstances affecting the trade and commerce of Otago which may have transpired during the previous quarter.

XIII.

Any Member of the Committee being absent from its meetings for three consecutive months (without leave from the Committee) or becoming insolvent, shall be disqualified from acting therein; and vacancies created by either of such courses, or by resignation, or death, shall be filled up by the Committee.

XXI.

An Auditor shall be elected by the Chamber at the General Annual Meeting.

XV.

The duties of the Secretary shall be to keep the records and minutes of the Chamber; to receive all memorials, letters, or applications; to arrange all business for the consideration of the Committee; to conduct the correspondence under the direction of the Committee; to give notice of all Special and General Meetings of the Chamber, pursuant to these Rules, and of all meetings of the Committee; to keep the accounts of the Chamber; to collect all fees, subscriptions, fines, and other monies due to the Chamber, and pay the same to the account of the Committee of the Chamber at the Bank appointed by them for that purpose; to collect and arrange all statistical information that may be deemed valuable, and to assist in all matters connected with the affairs of the Chamber.

XVI.

A Minute Book shall be kept by the Secretary, in which shall be faithfully entered minutes of the proceedings of all General and Special Meetings of the Chamber, which minutes shall be signed by the Chairman presiding at such meeting, and countersigned by Secretary, an I there shall also be entered therein minutes of all meetings of the Committee, which last minutes shall also be signed by the Chairman presiding at the meeting.

XVII.

The Secretary shall be allowed an Annual Salary, to be fixed by the Committee.

XVIII.

The funds of the Chamber shall be under the entire control of the Committee, who shall expend the same to the best advantage in carrying on its affairs.

XIX.

The Committee shall meet on the second Friday in every month, and oftener if required. The Chairman, or, in his absence, the Deputy Chairman, shall have the power of calling a Special Meeting of the Committee, on a requisition being made to him by any two Members of the Committee, who shall intimate in writing, at least one clear day previously (except in cases of emergency) the business that shall be brought before it; and in the absence of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, or the refusal of both of them, then it shall be competent for any three Members of the Committee to call such Special Meeting, under the same conditions as the Chairman or Deputy Chairman is empowered to call the same. Such meeting to be convened in all cases by the Secretary, when properly authorised under this Rule.

XX.

There shall be four General Meetings of the Chamber in every year, in the months of May, August, September, and February respectively.

XXI.

A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Chairman, or, in his absence, by the Deputy Chairman, or by his order, on the requisition of any five Members of the Chamber, to be held within eight days subsequent to the receipt of such requisition.

XXII.

XXIII.

At all General and Special Meetings of the Chamber ten Members must be present to constitute a meeting, and two-thirds of those present to constitute a majority.

XXIV.

No Member retiring from the Chamber, or ceasing from any cause to be a Member, nor the representatives of any deceased Member, shall be entitled to, or have any claims on, any portion whatever of the property of the Chamber.

XXV.

In the event of any question arising as to the construction or application of any of the foregoing Rules, the Committee shall be empowered to decide the same, submitting the same at the next General Meeting of the Chamber for approval.

XXVI.

That a majority of those Members of the Chamber who may be present at any Quarterly General Meeting, or at any Special General Meeting called for the purpose, may alter or revoke all or any of these Rules, or any Rules that may be made hereafter, and make such new Rules as may be considered best adapted to promote the interests of the Chamber; provided that notice of such proposed alterations be given to each member by circular previous to such meetings.