Draft By-Laws

 

  1. Place and Date of Meeting

The Lodge shall meet at the Masonic Temple, Corbridge Road, Byker, Newcastle, NE6 1HY and shall hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday in the months of January, February, April, June, October and December at such time as the Master may direct.

 

  1. Election and Installation Meeting

The Master and the Treasurer shall be elected by ballot at the regular meeting in June. The Master Elect shall be installed at the Annual Meeting in October.

 

  1. Election of Tyler

Subject to the provisions of Rule 113, Book of Constitutions, the Tyler shall be elected by show of hands at the regular meeting in June.

 

  1. Lodge Committee

The Lodge Committee shall consist of the Master, Wardens, Past Masters, of and in the Lodge, the Secretary, Treasurer and three other members to be elected annually by the Lodge at the regular meeting in June. This committee shall consider and report to the Lodge on all proposals for membership and on any matters specially referred to it by the Lodge. Five members to form a Quorum.

 

  1. Audit Committee and Annual Accounts

The Audit Committee shall consist of two members of the Lodge, each shall be elected at the regular meeting in June.  The accounts shall be made up to the 30 September, in each year, and shall be presented to the Lodge, duly audited at the regular meeting in December or January. A copy of the accounts and of the Account checkers certificate showing that all balances have been checked and the accounts audited shall be sent to all members together with the summons convening the meeting.

 

  1. Fees and Annual Subscription

The Initiation Fee shall be £50.00, the Joining Fee and the Re-Joining Fee shall be £40. Such fees to be exclusive of subscription. In addition to these fees the candidate shall pay to the Lodge such registration fees as are payable to Grand Lodge and, if applicable, Provincial Grand Lodge together with any tax thereon and the candidate shall before becoming a member be informed of the total amount due.

The annual subscription due and payable in advance on the 1st October shall be of such amount as the Lodge shall determine from time to time, by resolution, after notice on the summons at the previous regular meeting.

Any member, whose subscriptions are unpaid for six months, may be liable for exclusion from the Lodge after due notice, in accordance with Rule 181, Book of Constitutions.

 

  1. Admission and Candidates

The admission of candidates for initiation and joining shall be regulated by the provisions of Rules 157 to 166, Book of Constitutions. On the ballot for a candidate for initiation or joining, three black balls shall exclude. The particulars of candidates for initiation or joining must be supplied on the prescribed form to the secretary before the meeting at which they are to be proposed.

 

  1. Termination of Membership

A member desirous of terminating his membership of the Lodge shall tender his resignation in writing to the secretary, or orally in open Lodge, in accordance with Rule 183, Book of Constitutions, and he shall be entitled to the certificate mentioned in Rule 175, Book of Constitutions, stating the circumstances in which he left the Lodge, should he at any time wish to rejoin he shall be subject to the rules relating to Joining members.

 

  1. Payment from Lodge Funds

Payment of any sum exceeding One Hundred Pounds if for other than ordinary purposes, may only be made by resolution of the Lodge, of which notice has been given in the summons, except in a case of emergency when such payment may be authorised by the Master and reported to the Lodge at the next regular meeting.

 

  1. Amendment of By-Laws

Except as otherwise required by Rule 141, Book of Constitutions, amendment of these By-Laws or of any of them, may only be made in the following manner :-

  1. Notice of motion in writing stating the precise amendment or amendments proposed shall be given in open Lodge at a regular meeting.
  2. The motion shall be set out in the summons for the next regular meeting or for an emergency meeting summoned for the purpose, and shall at such meeting be put to the Lodge.
  3. A resolution for amendment of which notice shall have been given as aforesaid, shall be carried if a majority of the members voting shall vote in favour of it but it shall not be effective until approved by the Provincial Grand Master and by the Grand Master.

 

Note: – Should there be any objection to the introduction of a candidate for initiation or for a Brother joining, it is recommended that such objection be mentioned privately to the Master or Secretary who may communicate with the proposer and give him the opportunity of withdrawing his candidate.

 

The Book of Constitutions shall be referred to on every occasion for the guidance of the Officers of this Lodge, these By-laws being only intended to provide for such matters as are settled by the Book of Constitutions.

 

Approved by the Brethren at the regular Meeting held on ………….

 

WBro Chris Emmerson                    Master

WBro Wayne Barclay                       Secretary

WBro Alan Bell                                    SW

Bro Dr. Chris Tait                              JW

 

Approved By the Provincial Grand Secretary

WBro Brian Rudd

On Behalf of the Provincial Grand Master

On the ……………