CHAPTER 69. An Ordinance respecting Agricultural Societies. HE Lieutenant Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Territories enacts as follows: SHORT TITLE. 1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Agricultural Societies Short title Ordinance." 1903, c. 17, s. 1. INTERPRETATION. 2. In this Ordinance, unless the context requires otherwise Interpretation 1. The expression "department" means the Department of Agriculture; 2. The expression "commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture; 3. The expression "society" means any Agricultural Society organized or continued under this Ordinance. 1903, c. 17, s. 2. OBJECTS OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. societies 3. The objects of a society shall be to encourage improve- Objects of ment in agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, manufactures and the useful arts 1. By holding meetings for the delivery of lectures and for the discussion of subjects connected with the theory and practice of any of the said industries; 2. By promoting the circulation of agricultural, pastoral, horticultural, arboricultural and mechanical periodicals, and · by the formation and maintenance of a reference library on such subjects for the use of its members; 3. By importing and otherwise procuring seeds, plants and animals of new or valuable kinds; 4. By holding exhibitions as hereinafter provided at which prizes may be awarded for (a) Excellence in the raising or introduction of live stock. or implements. Expenditure of funds (c) The production of grains and all kinds of vegetables, plants, flowers and fruits, home manufactures and works of art; and generally for excellence in any agricultural production or operation; 5. By offering prizes for essays on subjects relating to agriculture, including the prevention of prairie fires and the eradication of noxious weeds; 6. By taking action to eradicate poisonous and noxious weeds and to exterminate such animals as are found to injure or impede agriculture; 7. By carrying on experiments in the growing of crops, the feeding of stock or any other branch of agriculture or by testing any system of farming; 8. By affiliating and co-operating with associations organized to improve live stock or encourage grain growing, dairying, forestry or fruit growing, or promote the study of plant life or the destruction of injurious insects and plants. 1903, c. 17, s. 3. 4. The funds of agricultural societies, howsoever derived, shall not be expended for any objects inconsistent with those authorized by this Ordinance. (2) Such funds shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the society in a chartered bank or other banking house; and all cheques shall be signed by the president or a vice-president and the treasurer or secretary-treasurer of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 4. EXISTING SOCIETIES CONTINUED. Existing societies 5. All agricultural societies established and in operation at the time of the coming into force of this Ordinance shall be continued as agricultural societies under and subject to the provisions of this Ordinance and the present officers of such societies shall continue to hold office as such until the next annual meeting of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 5. ORGANIZATION OF SOCIETIES. Organization 6. An agricultural society may be formed under the provisions hereof in the following manner: 1. An application in form A in the schedule hereto and containing the information indicated as required thereby shall be signed by not less than fifty persons all being over eighteen years of age and residents of the Territories and not being members of any other agricultural society; 2. Every person signing the said application shall pay at least one dollar as or as part of his first annual subscription to the funds of the proposed society and such moneys shall be paid to and be held by one of the subscribers in trust for the society; 3. The application shall be verified by an affidavit of one of the subscribers in the form appended to said form A; 4. The application so verified shall be transmitted to the commissioner who, if he approves thereof, shall declare the subscribers thereto to be organized into a society under the name of "The Agricultural Society," and shall issue a certificate of such organization in form B in the schedule hereto and thereupon the society shall be deemed to be formed and it shall be a corporation and in addition to its other rights as such it shall have the power to hold real estate necessary for the objects of the society; but any society may, subject to the permission of the commissioner, change its name at any time. 1903, c. 17, s. 6. of members 7. As soon as practicable after the formation of the society First meeting a meeting of the subscribers and of such other persons as may desire to become members thereof, which shall be the first annual meeting of the society, shall be held at the call of such person as the commissioner may nominate for that purpose and at such time and place and with such prior public notice as he may direct. 1903, c. 17, s. 7. sent to 8. A report of the said meeting certified by the president Report to be and secretary which shall contain a statement of the number department of members and a list of the officers elected and appointed shall be sent by the secretary to the department within one week after the meeting. 1903, c. 17, s. 8. MEMBERSHIP. for membership 9. Any person who would have been qualified to sign an Persons eligible application for the formation of a society may become a member thereof at any time on payment to the treasurer of a membership fee of not less than one dollar. (2) Payment of the said fee shall entitle the person paying it to the privileges of membership for the year for which it is paid. (3) At the time of payment of his membership fee every member shall give to the treasurer the post office address to which all notices of meetings and other notices shall be sent. (4) Subject to the by-laws of the society a firm or an incorporated company may become a member of any society by the payment of the regular fee, but the name of one person only shall in any one year be entered as the representative or agent of such firm or company and that person only shall exercise the privileges of membership in the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 9. SUPERINTENDENT OF FAIRS. Officers appointed by commissioner 10. The commissioner may from time to time appoint a superintendent of fairs and institutes and such other officers as may be required to carry out the provisions of this Ordinnance and may appoint an inspector to examine the books and accounts of any society and may confer on him any or all of the powers which may be conferred on a commissioner appointed under the provisions of An Ordinance respecting Inquiries concerning Public Matters. 1903, c. 17, s. 10. Officers Qualification of voters and officers Officers to be elected at first OFFICERS OF SOCIETY. 11. The officers of the society shall consist of a president and two vice-presidents who shall be ex officio directors and nine, twelve or fifteen additional elected directors as may be determined by the society, a secretary and a treasurer or a secretary treasurer and two auditors. 1903, c. 17, s. 11. 12. The persons qualified to vote for officers or to be elected shall be only those members who have paid their membership fee for the year in which the election is held. 1903, c. 17, s. 12. 13. At the first annual meeting all of the officers except the annual meeting secretary and the treasurer or the secretary treasurer shall be elected by ballot.. 1903, c. 17, s. 13. Term of office of president 14. The president, vice-presidents, directors and auditors elected at first elected at the first or any subsequent annual meeting shall hold office until the next following annual meeting. 1903, c. 17, s. 14. meeting Secretarytreasurer Security to be given by treasurer 15. The board of directors may from time to time appoint a secretary and a treasurer or a secretary treasurer who may be a director or directors and who shall hold office during pleasure. 1903, c. 17, s. 15. 16. The treasurer or secretary treasurer of every society before entering upon the duties of his office and within one month after his appointment, shall give such security as the board of directors may deem necessary for the faithful performance of his duties, including the due accounting for and payment over of all moneys which may come into his hands, and it shall be the duty of the directors to inquire into the sufficiency of such security and to report thereon to the department forthwith after its completion. (2) No grant shall be paid to any society under this Ordinance unless and until the directors shall have reported that the security of the treasurer or secretary treasurer has been approved by them. 1903, c. 17, s. 16. office 17. In the event of an officer of an agricultural society dying Vacancy in or resigning office, or in any other way vacating his office during the period for which he has been elected, the board of directors shall appoint an eligible person to fill the office for the unexpired term of the person so vacating office. 1903, c. 17, s. 17. may call 18. If at any time there shall be no officers of a society or Commissioner if there is an insufficient number of officers and they do not meetings, etc., act the commissioner may authorize any person to call a meet- in certain cases ing of the society for any purpose or to take such other action as the commissioner may deem proper in the interests of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 18. MEETINGS OF SOCIETY. of society 19. Every agricultural society shall hold an annual meet- Annual meeting ing within the first ten days of the month of December in each year at such time and place as may be decided on by the board of directors. 1903, c. 17, s. 19. 20. At least two weeks' previous notice of the time and Notice of place of holding an annual or other meeting of a society shall annual meeting be given by the secretary by written or printed notice mailed to each member of the society, and such additional notice as the directors may decide. 1903, c. 17, s. 20. meeting 21. In case any society shall, through any cause, fail to Substituted hold its annual meeting within the time appointed the commissioner may appoint a time for holding the same, and the meeting shall be called by the secretary or by some person appointed for that purpose by the commissioner in the same way as the regular annual meeting and this meeting shall in all particulars be taken as the annual meeting of the society. 1903, c. 17, s. 21. 22. The following shall be the order of business at annual Order of meetings of agricultural societies: (1) Reading minutes of previous meeting. (2) Addresses and reports of officers. (3) Reports of committees. (4) Unfinished business. (5) New business. business |