Page:New Zealand Institute Act 1867.pdf/2

 444

Zealand Institute" and they and their successors to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned together with the governors to be selected as hereinafter provided and the members for the time being of all and every society or societies hereafter to be incorporated with the said institute in such manner as is hereinafter provided for so long and such time as such several societies shall remain and continue to be incorporated with the said institute shall be and they are hereby declared to be one body corporate and politic in deed name and law by the name of "The New Zealand Institute" and that by the same name they shall have perpetual succession and a common seal and shall and may sue and be sued implead or be impleaded grant or receive and shall have power and authority to take and purchase and hold lands tenements and hereditaments to them their successors and assigns for the purposes hereinafter mentioned.

On the first day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight and on the first day of November in each succeeding year three members of the said board of governors (other than the Governor the Colonial Secretary and the Superintendent of the Province of Wellington respectively for the time being) who shall have been present the least number of times at the meetings of such board shall retire from office but shall be eligible for re-appointment and in case of an equality between two or more members of the said board in respect of the number of attendances of such members at the meetings of the said board then the retiring members shall be determined by lot and on the annual retirement of the said three members and in case of the death resignation or incapacity of any member or members the successors of such retiring members or of such members so dying resigning or becoming incapable shall be appointed by the Governor.

So long as not more that three separate societies shall have been incorporated with the said institute it shall be lawful for each such society annually in the month of November to elect one of its members to be a member of the board of governors during the ensuing year but so soon as more than three separate societies shall have been incorporated with the said institute then and thenceforward it shall be lawful for each separate society so incorporated annually in the month of October to appoint one of its members to vote in the election of governors and the several members so appointed shall elect three from among themselves to be members of the board of governors during the ensuing year and the members so elected shall enjoy equal rights and powers with the governors appointed as hereinbefore first provided.

Any branch society may cease to be incorporated with the institute by not electing any governors pursuant to section seven of this Act.

It shall and may be lawful to and for any person or persons bodies politic or corporate society or societies their heirs and successors to give and deliver and to grant convey assure devise and bequeath to the use and benefit of or in trust for the said body corporate any messuages lands tenements rents annuities and hereditaments whatsoever and any library books maps prints fixtures goods chattels minerals specimens or other effects or articles whatsoever calculated for the formation of a museum all which messuages lands tenements rents annuities or hereditaments and all which library books maps prints fixtures goods chattels minerals specimens or effects as aforesaid the said body corporate are hereby authorized and enabled to receive accept and hold.

It shall particularly be lawful for all persons and bodies politic or corporate society or societies who may at the time of the passing of