Updates to HCBC Constitution to meet Incorporated Societies Act 2022
The Hamilton Contract Bridge Club Inc. is an Incorporated Society/club operating under the 1908 Incorporated Society Act. In 2022 the Government released a new version of the Act which comes into effect at the end of April 2026. If the Hamilton Club wishes to maintain its incorporated society status it is required to update the Club's Constitution to reflect the rules in the new Act. The Club decided back in 2023 that it wished to remain Incorporated so these changes started back then when the IRD required us to add clauses to the then current constitution so the opportunity was taken to make a start on the constitution the club would require. That update has been used as a starting point for the latest release which adds the remaining features required.
This page will be available for the next two weeks and available for comment until at least the Clubs next Committee Meeting on 9th June. The committee will then determine the next step in the future of the Constitution Update depending on the response from the members.
To respond to this proposal please email contact@hamiltonbridge.co.nz , leave a written response with our secretary or contact any of the Clubs Committee to discuss.
Click READ MORE below to read the proposed Constitution and check out reasons for the changes
| Key Features ( constitution requirements ) | |
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| Minimum number of members required for an incorporated society/club is reduced from 15 to 10. | |
| Consent of each new member of the club needs to be collected at the time of joining. • Click here for more information on members' consent. |
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| Each club must appoint at least one contact person to be contactable by the Registrar. | |
| There must be at least 3 Officers on the club Committee/Board. | |
| Officers have new duties, which include: • acting in good faith and in the best interests of the club. • complying with the 2022 Act and the constitution. • exercising the care and diligence that a reasonable person would exercise in the circumstances. |
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| Officers on the club's Committee/Board must be members of the club and all Officers must not be disqualified from being an Officer. | |
| Dispute resolution processes must be included in the club's constitution and the processes must be consistent with the rules of natural justice. • Click here for more information on dispute resolution processes. |
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| New rules define when an Officer has a conflict of interest and a duty to disclose conflicts. | |
| Winding up - surplus assets must be given to an identified not-for-profit organisation or class of organisation that is identified in your constitution. | |
| Privacy & Privacy Act - collecting and then keeping members and former members personal information private and disclosing what information we do need to use. • Then how and who we will need to disclose it to, our storage and security to limit the disclosure to only those who need to know and disposing of the information when are done with needing the information. |
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2025 Hamilton Bridge Constitution
This latest Version, V4g is our completed first full draft meeting the requirements for Incorporated Society Rules 2022.
Please note that this is seen mostly as foremost a Constitution but it is actually a combination of a Club Constitution & Club Rules. As no Hamilton Club Rules / Bylaws exist as a standalone document though some existed in earlier versions of the constitution ( e.g. use of cheques, banking etc. ) where they connect with the Constitution they have been updated / extended so a more complete set of rules exists. The intention is in the future that the rules will be removed from the Constitution and separated into two documents.
The new (2025) version is an update and extension of the current constitution which was approved by the members in 2023.
A copy of the starting version can be found on the Club web site under Info / Constitution TAB labelled as “The 2023c Constitution” or click to view Constitution Version 2023-3c
The Constitution displayed below is not yet the finished version of the new Constitution but as the Committee has reviewed and accepted it is ready to be submitted to the members for their approval and comment. Once the members reviews are received the Committee will examine the feedback and make necessary changes with the view that document is likely to be document ready for the members final vote on the new Constitution
2025 Constitution Update
The first item below (1) is the proposed 2025 version which shows all the proposed changes to be made to the current 2023 Constitution - both additions and deletions. This is the version that is being shown to the members for feedback and - changes from the 2023 Constitution are shown formatted in red
The second item (2) is a "clean copy" of the version above as Item 1 - it is displayed without the changes highlighted as it will be presented ready to be voted on at a SGM and then assuming approval by the members forwarded to the Incorporated Society for registering.
The third items (3) are the additional files required to be used with the proposed 2025 Constitutions to facilitate its use.
1. Working 2025 Constitution - draft format containing all changes identified - click to view or download
2. 2025 Constitution as voted on and passed - ( clean copy ) - click to view or download
3. Supplementary files for use with 2025 Constitution - click to view or download
Useful files from the Incorporated Society Web Site
Incorporated Society 2022 Act - Version 5 October 2023 - click to view or download
2025 Constitution - Whats changing for the members - click to view or download
Incorporated Societies - Key changes from 1902 to 2022 Incorporated Societies - click to view or download
Incorporated Societies - 2022 Act Constitution checklist - click to view or download
Where did the updates that make up the new constitution come from – everywhere !
Principally from other constitutions being developed for the same purpose -
• Starting point was a couple of revisions of the "Draft Your Own" Constitution from the Incorporated Society website; and
• Completed constitutions from NZ Bridge , one or two other bridge clubs , a church; and
• Maybe ½ a dozen other constitutions mentioned in “Clubs of NZ” , "Sport NZ" and similar; and
• Finally, notes written by the above and other interested parties such as Community Law and Legal Help / Aid helped.
Thank you all.....
