1. The Society shall be called ‘The Modern Mystic League (Blackburn and District Society of Magicians)’ (herein referred to in these rules as ‘the Society’)

1) To endeavour at all times to elevate the art of magic;

 

2) To prevent the disclosure of magical secrets or principles other than to recognised members of the magical fraternity;

 

3) To ensure that members do not to copy any original magical routine or effect without the consent in writing, of the originator;

 

4) To arrange lectures, entertainments and such other functions, and to publish the Society’s magazine (the “Memel”) as may be desirable for the purpose of facilitating social intercourse and the exchange of ideas between magicians.

3. The membership of the Society shall consist of amateur and professional magicians over the age of 16 years.

4. Every candidate for membership shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another. All applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary and shall be signed by the candidate. Election shall be at the discretion of the Committee of the Society, whose decision shall be final. Every candidate for election must present an initiation show at the earliest opportunity by arrangement with the Honorary Secretary. The election of a candidate is subject to the presentation of an initiation show of a suitable standard. If the Committee of the Society considers an application for membership unsuitable they may reject the application without giving reasons to the candidate.

5. The Society shall be managed by a Committee of members. The following officers of the Society shall be members of the Committee:

1) The President

2) The Chairman

3) The Honorary Secretary

4) The Honorary Treasurer

5) The Honorary Librarian

6) The Editor of the “Memel” (the Society’s magazine)

7) The Concert Secretary

8) The immediate Past President (for a period of one year following term of office)

9) The President Elect

In addition at least two other members of the Society shall be members of the Committee.

The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Society in each year and, subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the A.G.M. following their election. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur. The retiring members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.

6. The annual subscription shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting in each year. Upon payment of the same a member shall be issued with a membership card, or receipt, valid for the ensuing year.

7. Such entrance fees as the committee may determine shall be payable by a candidate who has been elected a member and shall be paid with the first annual subscription. No candidate who has been elected a member shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until payment of the entrance fee (if any) and the first annual subscription. If the entrance fee (if any) and the subscription are not paid within one month after notice shall have been sent informing the member of election, such election shall be void.

8. Annual Subscriptions for a particular year are due in January of that year. Any member who has not paid his or her subscriptions by June 1st of that year, and who has neglected to comply with a written request for payment within one month after the same shall have been sent to them, shall cease to be a member on the expiration of such one month period, unless a reason satisfactory to the Committee shall be given for the delay, and notice shall be printed in the “Memel”.

9. Unless otherwise stated, all meetings of the Society are open to members only. Recognised members of the magical fraternity may use and enjoy the facilities of the Society upon invitation of a member of the Society as visitors upon payment of a proper visitors’ fee determined by the Committee. Such visitors shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of members.

10. The Society shall have power at the Annual General Meeting to elect as Honorary Life Members, without payment of any further subscriptions, any member of the magical fraternity who shall, in the opinion of the Society, have rendered distinguished service to the Society. There shall not be more than 6 honorary members at one time.

11. A member desiring to resign from the Society must give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary and must return any library books or other property of the Society and notice shall be printed in the “Memel”. Any member who resigns and thereafter seeks re-election shall be regarded as a new candidate for membership under rule 4.

12. The Committee shall have power to expel any member of the Society who shall offend against the rules of the Society, or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee render that member unfit for membership of the Society. Before any such member is expelled the Honorary Secretary shall give the member notice of at least seven days in writing to attend a meeting of the Committee to answer complaints made against him or her. At least 75% of the committee must vote in favour of expulsion before this is carried out.

No member whose membership has been terminated under this rule or who owes money to the Society shall be introduced by any other member as a visitor.

13. The Committee shall have the power to alter the rules, but no such alteration shall take effect until the same has been confirmed at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose.

14. An Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in January in every year to transact the following business:-

1) To receive the reports of the officers of the Society.

 

2) To install the President of the Society for the ensuing year.

 

3) To elect the President-Elect for the following year.

 

4) To elect the officers and other members of the Committee.

 

5) To receive and, if approved, to adopt a duly audited statement of the accounts of the Society to the end of the preceding year and to fix the subscription rate for the ensuing year.

 

6) To consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the rules.

 

7) To deal with any special matter which the Committee desire to bring before the members and to receive suggestions from members for consideration by the Committee.

15. A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee, and shall be convened within one month from the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than 7 members specifying the object of the meeting for any of the following purposes:

1) To consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the rules.

 

2) To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to place before the members; including the expulsion of a member.

 

3) To receive the resignation of the Committee or to remove any member or members thereof from office and to fill any vacancy or vacancies caused thereby.

 

4) To deal with any special matter which the members requiring the meeting may desire to place before the Society.

Notice convening a Special General Meeting shall be sent to the members not less than one month before the meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

16. At committee meetings and at general meetings the Chairman shall preside, or in the absence of the Chairman another member present shall be elected to preside, and whosoever presides shall have a casting or additional vote in the event of an equality of votes.

17. The President of the Society shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in the year preceding that of his or her term of office from amongst those members willing to serve as President of the Society who shall have been members of the Society for a period of at least three years. This selection shall be at the discretion of the Committee.

18. The Honorary Secretary shall conduct all correspondence and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of each meeting which shall be read and confirmed at the next meeting, and shall keep the records of the Society, to be open to inspection by the members at all reasonable times.

19. Members shall notify the Honorary Secretary of any change of their address or telephone number and notice shall be printed in the “Memel”.

20. The Honorary Treasurer shall make a record of all the financial transactions of the Society, the same to be open to inspection by the members at all reasonable times. Audited accounts to be presented at the A.G.M.

21. The Committee may appoint sub-committees and depute to them any of its powers except those relating to the election and expulsion of members.

Appendix: LIBRARY RULES

1. Membership of the Library is open to all members of the Society. Up to 6 books and videos may be borrowed at one time.

2. Books and videos are loaned for a period of one month. They may be retained after that time at the sole discretion of the Honorary Librarian.

3. The loan charge set by the Committee per month per book or video is payable in advance to the Honorary Librarian.

4. Books and videos should be taken out of the library with permission of the Honorary Librarian or his nominated deputy, who will ensure that the appropriate records are kept.

5. Reference works are not for loan but may be consulted when the library is open at the sole discretion of the Honorary Librarian.

6. All books and videos must be cared for and, while on loan, become the responsibility of the borrower.