SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7432, 29 November 1892, Page 4

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

A RECONSTITUTION. In response to a circular issued to members of the Canterbury Society of Ar— r, stating tbat, in consequence of the non-observance of certain formalities when the Society was reconstituted, its legal . position required rectification, a general ' meeting was held last night at -the Art i Gallery, at which between thirty and forty > members were present. The Hon E. &J. ' Stevens, one of the Vice-Presidents of the . Society, waa voted to the chair and read i the circular. He explained that in 1889 ' the Legislature had, on certain conditions, > granted the Society the piece of land ' on which the Art Gallery stands. These conditions were that the Society should be incorporated under rules then i laid down, with the object of reconstitut- > ing it. On these rules members had been i irregularly chosen, or perhaps it might be said not been elected, therefore they had no Council and no officers, and their very existence aa a Society seemed doubtful. ' Under the circumstances the Council had i thought it advisable to take the members i into its confidence, with a view of devising ' some means for getting out of the present difficulty, and to ensure the grant of land being legally and properly vested. It was not for him to say whether the Society did or did not legally exist ; but such irregularities had occurred in the election of members that it seemed that some decisive steps must be taken to put the Society on a sound basis. 1 Mr J. M. Madden moved-^'That the i Society hitherto known as the Canterbury [ Society of Arts be merged into a Society ; with the same name aB soon aa convenient." Mr W. M. Gibb seconded the motion. ' Professor Cook pointed out that if there 1 was no Society of Arts in existence there - was little use in talking of merging. Mr G. W. Rusßell contended that, aci cording to the articles of Association, they had a definite date, viz., August 2, 1889, at whioh they could plainly see that the Society had a legal existence. If it had 3 happened that members had been irregularly elected since then, they could start from that point. Therefore, if the meeting ; were to paaa a resolution validating everything done up to that time, and a preliminary Committee were elected to revise the > articles of Association, all should go on [ properly in future. > Mr T. I. Joynt said that the mere ( fact of members having been irregularly elected did not extinguish the body. He ' had no doubt on the question that the Society had a legal existence, and all they '. wanted was a legally formed Council, j officers and members. He moved — "That the Canterbury Society of Arts be reconstituted under a new memorandum and new articles of association." Captain Mather seconded the motion. Mr Madden obtained leave to withdraw I hia motion. In answer to the Chairman, Mr Jovnt aaidthat Mr W. H. Wynn-Williama and he were both of the opinion that the Society was a corporate body, but without members, and that it was necessary that a new memorandum and articles should be prepared. , Mr R. D. Thomas thought with Mr Russell that the signatories to the original articles .of association could proceed to nominate members and elect a Council, and that being so it was a pity to go to i the expense of drawing up fresh articles i and memorandum and registering. Mr Beetham agreed with Meßsra Russell and Thomas that the officers were appointed by the articles, and that there waa no question of their existence. He should therefore move as an amendment — " That all the words after ' that ' in the resolution be omitted, and that the following be substituted: — 'The officers named in the articles of association should proceed to the election of members of the Society in accordance with the articles of association.'" Captain Garsia seconded the amendment: The Chairman here read an apology for absence from Mr R. W. Fereday, and his opinion on the subject, which was that he could not see how the position of the Society could be reotified, except by an Act of the General Assembly declaring the present Society extinct, and vesting the property in a new Society to be formed and registered, and declaring certain persons to be the officers and council for the current year. After a discussion, in which Professors Cock and Hutton and Meeßrs Thomas, Russell, Beetham and others took part, Mr Joynt'a motion was carried. Mr Joynt then moved, and Mr Madden seconded, and it was agreed— "That a Committee be now appointed for the pur- ; pose of preparing a new memorandum and new articles of association." Mr Thornhill Cooper moved— "That ' Mesßra R. Beetham, J. M. Madden, T. I. 1 Joynt, G. W. Russell, W. M. Gibb, W. K. Sprott, R. A. Gill, J. Gibb and the mover ' form Buch Committee." * Mr A. Carrick moved as an amendment —"That the members of the existing * Council be elected the Committee, viz., * Mr Beetham (President), their : Honors Judges Denniston and Ward, the Hon E. C. J. Stevens and Mr W. H. WynnWilliams (Vice-Presidents), Capt. Garsia, j Miss Meeson, Messrs J. and W. M. Gibb, j J. M. Madden, R. D. Thomas, R. H. 3 Rhodes and R. Westenra, seven to form a j quorum." } This wjBB seconded by Mr H. R. Webb , and carried, Captain Garsia to be the con- ' r vener of the Committee. 3 On the motion of Mr Joynt, it waa agreed 3 that the Committee should report to a t general meeting to be held on Thursday, j Dec. 15, and that the present meeting 3 should stand adjourned for that purpose! The meeting terminated accordingly, with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.