1. NAME

The name of the Branch shall be the Hong Kong Branch of the Ambulance Service Institute and shall bear the short title of Ambulance Service Institute (Hong Kong Branch).

 

 

2. OBJECTS

(a) To promote, encourage and improve the theory and practice of Ambulance Service Organisation and Administration and all operations and expedients connected herewith, and to give an impulse to ideas likely to be useful in connection with or in relation to such theory and practice to the members of the Institute and the community at large.

(b) To enable members to meet and to correspond and to facilitate the interchange of ideas respecting improvements in the various branches of the said theory and the [publication and communication of information on such subjects.

(c) To do all other things incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above or any of them.

(d) To do all in its power to prepare and produce suitable candidates for membership of the Institute as requisite.

3. MEMBERSHIP (a) All properly elected Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Graduate, Associate, Licentiates, Affiliate, Life members and duly enrolled Students shall be eligible for membership of the branch. (b) Term of admission Those who comply with the requirements of the rule 3(a) may be admitted to membership of the Branch at the discretion of the Committee. The Branch may also admit to membership as Honorary Branch Members any properly enrolled members of the Institute and may other person who is prepared to render technical assistance to the Branch. (c) Every member shall pay a subscription when elected and the same amount as an annual subscription every year.

(d) Branch subscriptions are due in UK on 1st January each year and will be paid in HK on a date specified by the Committee.

(e) If any member should leave his subscription in arrears and fail to pay such arrears within three months after a written application has been sent to him by Secretary, his name may be struck off the register of Branch members by the Committee at any time afterwards, but he shall nevertheless continue liable to pay the arrears of subscription due at the time of his name being struck off; provided always that his rule shall not be constructed to compel the Committee to remove any name if they shall be satisfied that the name ought to be retained, provided that a member shall have the right to speak in his own defence when it is proposed to terminate his membership.

 

 

4. COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS

(a) There shall be elected at the Annual Meeting a president, Vice-President, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer (which office may be joined with that of Hon. Secretary), an Auditor and 5 other members (not more than 2 of whom may be Student) to ensure the efficient conduct of the Branch.

(b) All qualified members of the Branch of whatever grade shall be eligible for election as Officers of the Branch Committee and all members of the branch of whatever grade shall be eligible foe election as members of the branch committee.

(c) The officers and members other than the Auditor shall be entitled to be present and vote at all the Meetings of the Branch Committee, in the event of a deadlock the President shall have a casting vote.

(d) The Branch Committee shall hold office for one year and all members of the Branch Committee shall be eligible for reelection.

(e) Candidates for offices should be proposed by one member, seconded by another, elected by majority votes.

 

 

5. GENERAL MEETING

(a) An Annual Meeting of the Branch shall be held in or about the month of April of each year of which 7 days notice should be given at which the accounts of the previous year shall be submitted for approval and the Committee and Officers for the ensuing year shall take office having been elected in accordance with Rule 4.

(b) Special General Meetings shall be held as required at times and places to be determined by the Branch Committee, notice of which shall be posted to all members of the Branch not less than nine days prior to the day of the Meeting. Such notices shall specify the exact business to be discussed at the Meeting, and no business shall be transacted or resolution proposed of which notice has not been given.

(c) On a requisition in writing signed by or on behalf of ten members being received by the Branch Secretary a Special General Meeting of the Branch shall be called forthwith giving at least nine days' notice and not more than twenty-one days' notice thereof.

Such notice shall specify the exact business to be discussed at the Meeting, and no business shall be transacted or resolution proposed of which such notice has not been given. (d) Every members present at a Branch Meeting, irrespectively of grade, shall have one vote, but in cases of equality of voting, the Branch President shall have a second and casting vote. (e) At all meetings, motions shall be passed into resolutions by the majority of those members present. (f) In the absence of the President and the Vice-President from a meeting the Committee members present at the meeting shall elect amongst themselves a president to preside over that meeting. (g) Any 10 members present at any meeting should form a quorum.

6. PROCESSINGS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE

(a) The Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy in their number.

(b) The Branch Committee may regulate their own procedure (other than the appointment of a president, when either the President or Vice-president are present) and the procedure of any Committee appointed by them may delegate their powers and discretion to a Committee consisting of a quorum to include a President or elected president and three members, the President to have a second or casting vote.

(c) The Branch Committee shall manage the property, proceedings and affairs of the Branch, and shall exercise all powers of the Branch which are not required to be exercised by the Branch in general Meetings, subject to any Regulations from time to time made by the Branch in a General Meeting.

(d) In particular the Branch Committee shall have power to refuse to admit any person to membership of the Branch without assigning any reasons therefor, and may terminate the membership of any person who fails to fulfil the conditions of membership.

(e) The Branch Committee shall meet at times and places to be determined by itself, but if the Secretary of the Branch should receive notice in writing from three members of the Committee requesting him to call a Meeting of the Committee, he shall do so forthwith giving at least nine and not more than twenty-one days' notice thereof.

(f) It shall be the duty of the Committee to see that notices of all Meetings and copies of other communications issued to members of the Branch are sent as soon as available to the President and General Secretary of the Institute; also to send to the General Secretary three copies of all Branch Minutes and three copies of papers read at Branch Meetings.

(g) The Committee shall not take any action not in accordance with the general policy of the Institute, and any resolution, either of the Committee or a General Meeting, which in any way affects matters of policy, must be submitted forthwith to the Council of the Institute.

(h) The Chairman and Treasurer shall be empowered to incur expense on behalf of the Branch and Committee, and be authorized to operate a current banking account for this purpose and shall notify the Committee of any action taken under this ruling.

 

 

7. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION

(a) This Constitution shall not be altered or added to except at a General Meeting of the Branch at which such alteration or addition is approved by at least two-thirds of the members presented, notice of the proposed alteration having been given to members

N.B. Any such alteration shall require the confirmation of the Council of the Institute before becoming operative.

(b) The constitution shall come into effect after it has been approved by the Registrar of Societies.
8. Any decision to dissolve the Branch can only be taken at a General Meeting and must be assented to by two-thirds of the Branch Member present at the meeting, the disposal of assets will be decided at this meeting.