Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1898. On By-Laws.

Manawatu Herald, 10 August 1893, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1898. On By- Laws.

It is easy for the management of clubs to misconceive the extent of their powers. Members placed, in position, to see to the due fulfilment of the laws of the body to which , they belong, fancy at times that the rules are not framed' sufficiently satisfactory for the due execution of their task and so set to work to compile by-laws for th Q ' simplification of thtm. It is on thi g

question of the creation of new rules, or laws, that we desire to offer a word of caution. The power possessed by any club over its members is only derived from the rules agreed to at a general meeting being the agreement; of the majority, thgn present to abide by these condition!?. Frequently - a rule gets inserted granting more special power to a committee o f the members to supervise the working of these rules and to do all things which are necessary to bring them into force, and this is sometimes interpreted to mean a power delegated to a small number of the club to frame new rubs about which the majority have n-.ver been consulted. The result is unsatisfactory and seldom adds to the harmony of the working of the institution. The excuse urged, may be, that these are not really rules but by-rules, but in as far as they interfere with the convenience of members they are read and acted upon as though they were aa good as any rule made at a public meeting. We have been asked to express our views on similar rules dealing with the management of similar local institutions, and we place the same before our readers for their , consideration. :....', All power politically, and in private bodies, is obtained primarily from the support of the majority. This is evidenced in our Parliamentary Government and the administration of our several local governing bodies. I The will of the people is supreme. On similar grounds raiust the voluntary association of people for private amusement be also founded. The Government of th 6 colony enacts, in the first place, laws for the local governing body to follow, and on the same principle the first general meeting of members frame rules. As circumstances so alters cases ithas been found necessary to allow a large margin for " give and take " in local government and so the Acts empower the local bodies to increase the scope of the law by adding further sections to the law in for.cc, known to the public as " by-laws " which, when properly framed are as all powerful as the original law under which they were created. The " by-law " in fact becomes a portion of the law. The " by-laws " are not permitted to be framed and passed hastily, their importance being accentuated by the very strict directions laid down as to the twice considering of the matter by the local body, and the public notice needed to be given of its intention to do such a thing, and the length of time that has to elapse between the time of giving notice of the intention to make such a %c by-law " and its actually coming into force. Thus the guidance received from the above proves that it has been found extremely advisable that any additions to the law of the land needs ranch publicity and much caution, and so in like manner should any additions to the .rules of a club be made. The deputing of the alteration of the rules of any self-govern-ing body to the will of very small minority of that body, with power to bring the same into effect' without the sanction of the members in general meeting obtained, is the abandonment of the essentials of true Government aa it is understood in the present day. It seems unnecessary to further dwell upon tbis ; pojut r © ; xcej)t'ifco-sayr-that if the committee; of j &\ club' find "that the rules are not framed so as to give sufficient elasticity for the due developement of that particular work for which they have been framed, the committee should consider what additions are advisable, and, after due notice of the object for which such a meeting is called, convene a general meeting of the members of the club and secure the support of the majority of those present to such alterations being made. We should imagine that a club only directs its committee to superintend the working of the rules made and to advise as to what further rules are needed. A delay in carrying out some of the wishes of the committee may be caused, by. .adopting the course we •would 1 recommend; 'but ire think it will be. admitted as being- the fairest to all concerned. . - We desire to assert that we have not written the above in any way about any club in particular, but from having been requested to take ageneral view, as it has been- found that miiny tilths are carrie4 f on>by young" and' active "meirißers i "more skilled in the use of their limbs, than in the* principles governing institutions. From a very fair experience, we are enabled to state that any number of persons banded together for any purpose, very fiercely resents any supposed attempt at an usurpation of power which they would most willingly grant if sought for in a proper manner. Therefore ask from the fountain of power, the power it is desired to obtain.