Hong Kong Highlanders

The Reel Club
since 1947
- About us

CONSTITUTION

* Objectives

The Society has been formed in order that there may be in Hong Kong a regularly constituted body of Scots who promote the Scottish heritage and family gatherings of people interested in Scottish culture, and who pay particular attention to the introduction of this culture to the members’ children. The Society may organise functions to raise funds which may be expended by making donations to any charity, project or fund of Scottish or local origin.

RULES

* Name

1. The name of the Society shall be the HONG KONG HIGHLANDERS.

* Committee

2. The management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee composed of the Fear an Taigh (Man of the House) and/or Bean an Taigh (Woman of the House), Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary, and up to ten other members, not including ex-officio members. The Fear an Taigh and Bean an Taigh shall be Ordinary members of the Society; if neither position is filled then a Chairperson shall be elected who may be an Associate member. Ex Fear an Taighs and Bean an Taighs will be entitled to be ex-officio members of the Committee for a maximum of two years after leaving such office. The Founder of the Society is specifically excluded from the two-year clause. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancies as may occur until the next annual general meeting. At all Committee meetings four shall form a quorum or 50% of those present in Hong Kong at the time of the meeting whichever is greater.

* Membership

3. a. Ordinary members

Ordinary membership of the Society shall be confined to Scots who are, in the opinion of the Committee, suitable for membership of the Society. For the purposes of these rules a Scot shall be a man or a woman who is of predominantly Scottish descent.

b. Associate members

Persons who wish to become members of the Society but who do not qualify for Ordinary membership may apply for Associate membership. Subject to these rules, Associate members may participate in all Society activities.

c. Life members

Ordinary members may apply for Life membership and the Committee shall have the discretion in accepting or rejecting such application.

d. Honorary Life members

The members in general meeting may elect Scots to become Honorary Life members of the Society in recognition of outstanding service to the Society.

* Candidates for Membership

4. Every candidate for Ordinary or Associate membership must be proposed and seconded by an Ordinary, Associate or Life member of the Society, and the Committee shall decide as to his or her admission with the exception of the first twenty Ordinary members, i.e. the founder members.

* Subscriptions

5. a. Each candidate for Ordinary and for Associate membership shall, on application, pay an entrance fee of an amount previously determined by the members in general meeting.

b. Each candidate for Ordinary and for Associate membership shall, on application, and each Ordinary and associate member shall on the first day of March each year, pay a subscription of any amount previously determined by members in general meeting; provided that when an application for membership id made on or after the first day of January in any year, the subscription payable on the first of March next following may not be paid.

c. Honorary Life members shall not be called upon for a subscription.

* Annual General Meeting

6. The annual general meeting of the members of the Society shall be held within two months of 28th February at which the annual statement of the honorary Treasurer’s account for the year ending on 28th February shall be submitted; the office bearers and members of the Committee for the ensuing year shall be elected. At this meeting it shall be competent to discuss any matters relating to the business of the Society, provided three days notice of the matter to be submitted shall have been given to the Honorary Secretary in writing.

* Special General Meeting

7. The Committee may convene a special general meeting of the members at any time for the transaction of business duty specified in the notice calling the meeting and no other, and the Honorary Secretary shall convene a special general meeting of the members on receiving a requisition to do so, signed by at least twelve Ordinary, Associate, or Honorary Life members of the Society, starting the subject to be submitted for consideration.

* Notice of General Meeting

8. Subject to rules 16 and 17, every general meeting of members shall be convened by a notice to the members resident in Hong Kong by post or delivered by hand at least one week before the date of the meeting. Non-receipt of notice by a member shall not invalidate the meeting.

* Quorum for General Meetings

9. The quorum for general meetings shall be not less than 10% of the members eligible to vote. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of a general meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened on a requisition of members shall be dissolved; in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day two weeks later at the same time and place and is at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.

* Voting

10. a. Each member, with the exception of Ordinary and Associate members whose subscriptions are in arrears and Associate members, shall be entitled to one vote at general meetings of the Society.

b. At all meeting of the Society, except as provided in rules 16 and 17, questions shall be decided by the majority of members present and in the event of an equal decision the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

* Removal from Register of Members

11. The Committee shall have power to delete from the register of members of the Society the name of a member:

a. who in the opinion of the Committee has conducted themselves in a manner which is unbecoming as a member of the Society, provided that such member shall have the right, within fourteen days of the Committee’s notice to him/her of its decision, to request the Honorary Secretary to convene, and the Honorary Secretary thereupon shall convene, a special general meeting and if a majority of not less than tow-thirds of those members present at such meeting consider that the offender’s conduct has been such as to warrant his/her expulsion shall not be effective until the expiry of the said fourteen days or, when relevant, until ratified by the Society in general meeting; or

b. whose subscription remains unpaid after three months from the renewal date; provided that any member whose name has been so removed may at any time at the discretion of the Committee be reinstated on payment of arrears.

* Expenditure

12. The funds of the Society shall be applied to meet its recurrent expenditure and to carry out activities as set forth in the objectives of the Constitution and shall not be used for any other purpose.

* Bank Account

13. The banking account of the Society shall be operated on two or three named signatures from members of the Committee, one of whom is the Honorary Treasurer. Accumulated funds may be invested as directed by the Committee.

* Place of Business

14. The Society’s registered address shall be Moore Stephens, Room 905, Tower Two Silvercord, Canton Road, or such other place as may be officially notified to the Registrar of Societies by the Committee as being its registered address.

* Honorary Auditors

15. Honorary Auditor or Honorary Auditors at the case may be shall be appointed at each annual general meetings.

* Alternation of Rules

16. a. No alternation shall be made in the rules of the Society unless with the consent of two-thirds of the members present at any general meeting. Not less than two weeks notice of such meeting shall be given and details of the proposed alternations shall be conveyed to members prior to the meeting.

b. Alternations to the rules of the Society approved as aforesaid, in respect of the changes to the name, objects, office-bearers and principal place of business must be notified to the Registrar of Societies within one month of such changes taking place.

* Dissolution

17. a. The Society shall not be dissolved with the consent of not less that three-fifths of the Ordinary, Associate and Life members of the Society at a special general meeting convened for the purpose and of which not less than two weeks notice shall be given to members. This consent, or otherwise, may be expressed either in person or by proxy and the notice calling the meeting shall specify that these alternative voting procedures are available.

b. In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged from Society funds and for any remaining debts or liabilities all members shall be responsible. Any finds will be divided equally amongst the members or give to charity.

c. Notice of dissolution shall be given within seven days to the Registrar of Societies.

Page maintained by the Hong Kong Highlanders Committee. First published by Jean Young. Last updated May 2008.

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