1. Names, Colours and Affiliation
1.1. Name
The name of the Club shall be the PINELANDS HOCKEY CLUB (“the Club”).
1.2. Colours
The colours of the Club shall be Light Blue, Dark Blue and Old Gold.
1.3. Affiliation
The Pinelands Hockey Club is a member of the Pinelands Sports Club and affiliated to the Western Province Hockey Union.
2. Office Bearers
2.1. The Office Bearers of the Club shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall consist of a President, Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
2.2. No members shall respectively hold the position of Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson for a period of more than 3 consecutive years.
3. Committee
3.1. The general management of the Club shall be vested in the Committee of nine elected from Playing and Student Members and shall consist of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Men’s Club Captain, Ladies’ Club Captain, Convenor of the Social and Fund Raising Sub-Committee, Convenor of the House and Grounds Sub-Committee and Convenor of the Refreshments Sub-Committee, who shall be elected every year at Committee shall be from the mens’ section and at least three members from the ladies’ section.
3.2. Nominations for office bearers, members of the Committee, Western Province Hockey Union representatives and ladies’ and mens’ match secretaries are to be submitted in writing to the Secretary (1) day prior to the commencement of the Annual General Meeting, such nomination to be signed by the proposer and seconder and by the nominee accepting his or her nomination.
3.3. In the event of there being no written nominations received for a particular position, then nominations for such position shall be accepted from the floor at the Annual General Meeting having been duly proposed, seconded and the nomination verbally accepted by the nominees. At the 1996 Annual General Meeting nominations for the positions detailed in 3.2 can be made at any time prior to the commencement of such meeting.
3.4. The President of the Club shall ex officio be a member of the Committee and any sub-committee to which he or she is appointed.
3.5. The Committee shall at its first meeting consider the appointment of a coach to each of the two sections and, if deemed necessary appoint a person to such positions on terms and conditions as determined by it. The coaches shall be responsible for the training of the players and the running of practices for all teams and shall be responsible to and report to the Committee from time to time.
3.6. The Committee shall also at its first meeting elect representatives to serve on the General Committee of Pinelands Sports Club, which representatives shall consist of the Chairman of the Club, a committee member and another member of the Club.
4. Conduct of Committee Meetings
4.1. Its number any member who is absent from three consecutive committee meetings without having previously obtained leave of absence. The Committee shall remove any member who has been elected to any sub-committee who is absent from three consecutive sub-committee meetings without previously having obtained leave of absence.
4.2. Any decision of the Committee shall bind all members thereof and neither the Committee nor any individual member thereof shall disclose to anyone outside the Committee the discussion or voting on any matter on which a decision is taken. If such disclosure is made and the Committee is of the opinion that the conduct of the member making such disclosure is prejudicial to the good order and conduct of the Committee or of the Club such member may be requested to attend a hearing of the Disciplinary Sub-Committee.
4.3. The Secretary shall keep full and correct minutes of all proceedings of all general meetings of the Club and of all Committee meetings.
4.4. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy, temporary or otherwise, which may occur among the office bearers or members of the Committee or members of any sub-committee.
4.5. At all meetings the Committee five shall form a quorum. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall be chairperson, and in the absence of both Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson the members present shall appoint a chairperson for the meeting. In the event of any equality of voting on any question, the chairperson shall be entitled to exercise a second or casting vote in addition to his ordinary vote.
4.6. The Committee shall from time to time appoint from among their number such sub-committees as they may deem necessary or expedians and may depute or refer to them such of the powers and duties of the Committee as the Committee may determine. Such sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee, and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee.
4.7. All acts done by the Committee of the Members thereof in bona fide execution of their duty shall be deemed to have been done by the Club as a whole, and the members of the Committee in their individual capacities shall incur no further liability in respect of such acts that would be incurred by any other member of the Club in their individual capacities.
4.8. The Committee may from time to time make, repeal and amend bye-laws and rules as they shall think expedient for the internal management and well-being of the Club. All bye-laws and regulations made by the Committee under this clause shall be binding upon the members until repealed by the Committee, or set aside by a resolution of a general meeting of the Club.
4.9. At its first meeting, the Committee shall elect members to Disciplinary, Selection, Fund-raising and Social, Grounds and House Sub-Committees.
4.10. All decisions of the Committee and the Sub-Committees shall be taken by simple majority although in the event of a deadlock, the respective chairpersons shall have the casting vote.
5. Sub-Committees
5.1. Disciplinary Sub-Committee
5.1.1. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall consist of a chairperson who shall be the President of the Club, and two other members elected from the Committee. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee may appoint a member of the Club to act as an advisor to such committee, but such person shall not be entitled to vote thereon.
5.1.2. The Committee may when, in its opinion, the conduct of a member in or out of the Club has been improper or has injured the good name of the Club, request such member to attend a meeting before ht disciplinary sub-committee, which sub-committee will be called to consider such member’s conduct. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee may at the culmination of such meeting and having heard any representation that the member might wish to make, suspend such member or expel him/her and terminate his/her membership. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall only have the power to suspend a member for a period not exceeding two months and whilst under suspension a member shall be precluded from using any facilities or assets of the Club.
5.1.3. The expelled member shall have the right to appeal to a General Meeting of the Club against any decision of the sub-committee under this clause provided that he/she gives notice in writing to the Secretary of his/her appeal within fourteen (14) days of the notification of the decision to the member concerned, and provided further that such notice of appeal shall be supported by the signatures of not less than ten (10) members of the Club in addition to that of the appellant.
5.1.4. No such decision shall however be reversed except by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of such General Meeting, the decision whereof shall be final. In determining such majority half or a larger fraction of a vote shall count as one vote. Pending the determination of the said appeal the member concerned shall remain a member of the Club but shall be suspended and not be entitled to represent the Club in any hockey game.
5.2. Selection Sub-Committees
5.2.1. A Selection Sub-Committee for the mens’ and ladies’ sections shall be appointed by the Committee having been guided by nominations received at the Annual General Meeting. This committee shall consist of four members each under this chairmanship of the respective sections’ Club captains. The function of the Selection Sub-Committee will be to make team selections.
5.2.2. The Selection Sub-Committees shall initially select such teams as may have fixtures to fulfill and to select the captains of such teams. The Selection Sub-Committees shall meet once in each week during the hockey season and may consult with the appointed captains of each teams in selecting players.
5.2.3. The Honorary Match Secretary of each section shall act as secretary to the respective Selection Sub-Committees and be entitled to attend and participate in such meetings but shall have no rights to vote on selections.
5.3. Social and Fund-raising Sub-Committee
5.3.1. The Convenor of the Social and Fund-raising Sub-Committee shall be responsible to co-ordinate the raising of funds for the Club and arranging social functions for its members.
5.3.2. He/she may appoint a sub-committee of a maximum of three members under his/her chairmanship to assist him/her in fulfilling his/her functions.
5.4. House and Grounds Sub-Committee
5.4.1. The Convenor of the House and Grounds Sub-Committee shall be responsible for the management of the house and grounds.
5.4.2. He/she may appoint a sub-committee of a maximum of three members under his/her chairmanship to assist him/her in fulfilling his/her functions.
5.5. Refreshments Sub-Committee
5.5.1. The Convenor of the Refreshments Sub-Committee shall be responsible to arrange the availability of refreshments for the members.
5.5.2. He/she may appoint a Sub-Committee of a maximum of three members under his/her chairmanship to assist him/her in fulfilling his/her functions.
6. General Meetings
6.1. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than 15 November of each year. The notice calling the meeting shall be posted to members not less than fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting, and such notice shall state the business to be transacted thereat.
6.2. As a General meeting thirty (30) members present and entitled to vote shall form a quorum, and no business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum be present, and unless a quorum be present within thirty (30) minutes of the advertised time for such meeting, the meeting shall stand adjourned for a period of seven days, whereafter the meeting shall proceed at the same time and venue of the original meeting and those members present thereat shall form the quorum irrespective of the number.
6.3. Any decisions, save those set out in clause 6.7 below, shall be taken by simple majority.
6.4. The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting whenever it may think fit, and shall be bound to do so within twenty-eight (28) days of receiving a requisition signed by at least ten (10) members of the Club, or as provided in clause 5.1.3. The notice calling the meeting shall be sent out as provided in clause 6.1.
6.5. The chairperson of a general meeting shall be the President of the Club or in his absence the Chairperson, who shall:-
6.5.1. Determine the manner and procedure in which votes are to be cast and counted.
6.5.2. Determine the result. In the event of a deadlock the chairperson shall have a casting vote.
6.6 At an Annual General Meeting of the Club, office bearers, members of the Committee, Western Province Hockey Union representatives and Honorary Match Secretaries for the ladies’ and mens’ sections shall be elected. In addition, an Honorary Auditor shall be appointed and the audited statement detailing the assets and liabilities as well as the revenue and the expenditure of the Club for the previous financial year shall be approved or, failing approval thereat, approved at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for such purpose.
6.7 The Constitution of the Club may be repealed or altered only at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days before such meeting in order to enable due notice of any proposed changes to be given to members. An amendment may only be made, should two-thirds (2/3) of those members present vote in favour thereof, subject to there being a quorum.
7. Finance
7.1. An Honorary Auditor shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting. Any casual vacancy in this position shall be filled by the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.
7.2. The financial year of the Club shall run from 1 October to 30 September.
7.3. The Treasurer shall keep a record of the revenue and expenditure of the Club and shall at the Annual General Meeting submit an audited statement showing the assets and liabilities as well as the revenue and expenditure of the Club for the preceding financial year. The statement shall be approved by the Committee at the last committee meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting before submission to such meeting.
7.4. The Treasurer shall submit at every meeting of the Committee a statement of the Revenue and Expenditure (including a statement of stock on hand) for the previous month.
7.5. All monies received by the Club shall be deposited in a local Bank or Building Society selected by the Committee. All cheques or withdrawal forms shall be signed by any two of the following: The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Secretary, Convenor of the Refreshments Sub-Committee.
7.6. The Committee shall have the right to invest monies in an interest-bearing account or unit trust fund with a recognized and reputable financial institution.
7.7. The Committee shall not be entitled to borrow or loan money on behalf of the Club unless prior consent thereto has been obtained from the majority of the members present at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.
8. Membership
8.1. The membership of the Club shall consist of Playing, School-going, non-playing members and Life members defined as follows:
8.1.1. Honorary Life Members Only on the recommendation of the Committee, persons may be elected Honorary Life Members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting and shall thereafter be entitled to all the privileges of membership without paying any subscription or any special payment for such membership. All existing life vice presidents shall be afforded the privileges accorded to Honorary Life Members.
8.1.2. Playing Members A Playing Member shall be any person accepted as a playing member of the Club other than a school-going member or student member.
8.1.3. School-going Members Any person attending school and who is accepted as a playing member of the Club.
8.1.4. Student Members Any person attending a tertiary Institution on a full-time basis.
8.1.5. Non-playing Members Any person other than a Playing, School-going or Student member and who is accepted as a member of the Club. Such membership shall not exceed 50% of the playing membership in any season.
9. Election of Members
The Committee shall from time to time determine the procedure for the election of members.
10. Membership Fees and Levies
10.1. The Secretary may before the commencement of the outdoor hockey season of each year circulate to all members a notice requesting such members to indicate whether they do or do not wish to renew their membership. In said circular members shall also be asked to indicate their latest address and telephone numbers.
10.2. The membership fees shall be fixed annually by the Committee for the various categories of membership once the affiliation frees fro the Unions have been received. All membership fees shall be due and payable on 1 April of each year, prior to which date the Treasurer shall dispatch accounts to all current members.
10.3. A member who has failed to pay his/her subscription by 30 April in the same year shall cease to be a member of the Club. The Committee shall, however, have power to reinstate such member on receiving payment of the membership fee and a satisfactory explanation.
10.4. The Committee may, from time to time, determine and raise a levy on members participating in any other league structure, but without limiting the generality thereof, in respect of members participating in hockey and summer league fixtures to cover the cost of their participation.
11. Club Property
All movable or immovable property shall be held by and vested in the name of the Committee as Trustees on behalf of the Club. Any cash shall be dealt with under clause 7 but any other property shall only be disposed of by the Chairperson (or any Committee Member duly authorized by him) after the Club has approved such disposal at a General Meeting. Approval in the same manner shall be required before any property of the Club is pledged or hypothecated, or where the acquisition of any immovable property to be purchased or donated to the Club is considered.
12. Actions
Any action instituted by or against the Club shall be taken in the name of the Committee as Trustee of the Club.
13. Dissolution
13.1. The Club shall be would up voluntarily whenever a resolution requiring such winding up is passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the number of members present at that meeting subject to there being a quorum. The quorum required shall be that as provided in clause 6.2.
13.2. The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting for the purpose of winding up the club whenever it may think fit and shall be bound to do so on receiving a requisition signed by at least ten (10) Playing, School-going, Student or non-playing members of the Club. The notice calling the meeting shall be sent out as provided in clause 6.1
13.3. If upon winding up and after payment of debts and liabilities any assets remain, the same shall be disposed of and given to the Western Province Hockey Union.
This Constitution shall be effective from time and date of the General Meeting at which it is ratified by the members, namely the Extraordinary Special Meeting held on 12 November 1996.
