Special General Meeting

The meeting was opened by The President Diane Small.

Present The President and fourteen members.

Apologies:-Mesdames Harrison and Wisbey, Messrs Worms, Young, Morris, Drum arrived later.

The following amendments to The Constitution were moved by C.Ryan and seconded by G.Drum:-

Procedural Motions

1. That, following the Special General Meeting, copies of the Auckland Debating Associations Constitutions as amended, be distributed to all affiliates, associates and life members.
   The motion was put to the vote and carried.
2. That the references to "rule 13.3.3" in rules 13.3.1 and 13.3.2 of the Constitution be deleted and replaced by "rule 13.4".
   The motion was put and carried.
3. That the reference to "rule 20" in rule 13.3.3 be deleted and replaced by "rule 13.18"
   Motion put to the vote and carried.
4. That all references in the Constitution to "he" "his" and "him" be altered to "he or she", "his or her", "him or her".
   Motion was put to the vote and carried.

   Substantive Motions

5. Rule 13.8 (Management)
   That the office of "Publicity Officer" be included after the office of Treasurer and that the Committee accordingly comprise four persons or five if the roles of Secretary and Treasuer are combined.
   Motion put to the vote and carried.
6. New Rule 13.11.4 That a new rule 13.11.4 be added as follows:
   "13.11.4": No executive member shall appoint a proxy.
   Motion put to the vote and carried.
7. Amendment to Rule 13.18 Election of Officers.

   That the first sentence of rule 13.18 be deleted and replaced with the following:
   "Each affiliate member shall appoint a variable number of representatives to be determined by the number of its teams competing in the Athenaeum, Robinson, and Novice competitions, or one or more of such competitions, in the year preceding the Annual General Meeting in which the representatives are to participate. Affiliate members with no competing teams shall be entitled to one representative and those with one or two competing teams shall be entitled to two representatives and those with three or more competiting teams shall be entitled to one representative per team. Each representative shall be entitled to one vote."

   Andrew Caisley moved an amended motion seconded pro forma Dick Forbes "Up to a limit of eight votes per club" to be added. The amendment was put to the vote and defeated.

   Michael Prouting proposed an amendment seconded Cliff Owler. "Novice be deleted in line three" "With an upper limit of four votes." Second amendment put to the vote and defeated.

   A vote on the original motion was taken by a show of hands and defeated.

8. New Rule 13.8.1 a new rule be added as follows:
   "13.18.1" "Representative" in this Constitution means a person appointed by an affiliate member and who-
   a) belongs financially to the affiliate member, or
   b) is associated with, interested in, involved in the activities of and supportive of, the objects of that affiliate member.
   Motion put and carried.
9. New Rule 13.18.2 be added as follows:
   "13.18.2 No person shall be a representative of more than one member."
   Motion put and carried
10. Amendment to Rule 13.26.2 (Constitution)
    That Rule 13.26.2 be amended by deleting the word "forwarded" and replacing it with "posted" and by deleting the phrase "14 days" and replacing it with "14 clear days".
    Motion put and carried.
11. Proposed Wally Parke seconded Robin Williams "That the immediate Past President shall, until the Annual General Meeting following that at which he or she ceases to be President, be an additional voting member of the Executive."
    Motion put and carried. Abstained C.Owler, G.Drumm, C.Ryan.

    Moved N.Ball seconded D.Hardie "That Athenaeum Lead Speakers time be reduced to twelve minutes from sixteen minutes and fifteen minutes respectively."
    R.Forbes placed a foreshadowing motion in the event in the defeat of the motion "That speaking times be left to the Executive."
    The original motion was put and carried.