THE BYE-LAWS OF THE LONDON INSTITUTION. SECTION I. OF THE DESIGN OF THE LONDON INSTITUTION. In addition to the provisions of the Charter, with regard to the Library and Lectures, there shall be a Reading-Room, where the foreign and domestic Journals, and other Periodical works, and the best Pamphlets and new publications, shall be provided for the use of the Proprietors and Subscribers. SECTION II. OF THE AUDITORS. At the Annual Meeting in April, Five Auditors shall be appointed, Three of whom shall form a Quorum. The Report of the Auditors to be printed and ready for delivery to each Proprietor at the House of the Institution, eight days previous to such meeting. SECTION III. OF THE GENERAL MEETINGS OF PROPRIETORS. ART.I.—The Annual General Meeting of Proprietors appointed by the Charter, shall be held on the last Thursday in April: the Chair to be taken at Twelve o'clock precisely. d II.—Three weeks at least previous to the Annual Election, a Meeting shall be held of the two Committees of Management and Visitors, for the purpose of recommending proper persons to be elected to the various offices which may be about to become vacant; Five of which Meeting shall be a Quorum. III.-The Secretary shall summon the Members of both the above Committees to such Meeting, at least one week previously to its being held, and shall specify in his Notice the design of it. IV. The Joint Committee of Management and Visitors, in preparing a List of persons to be recommended as Managers, shall consider the absence of any Manager from all the Committees to which he shall have been duly summoned, from the day of the last General Meeting, as equal, in effect to a resignation: and shall proceed to recommend some other Proprietor, as a Manager in his stead. V.-The Recommendatory List, together with the Report of the Board of Management, of the Visitors (if they make one), and of the Auditors, shall be annually transmitted to every Proprietor, along with his Notice of the approaching Meeting, at least eight days before such meeting take place. VI. The Minutes of the Transactions at every General Meeting of the Proprietors shall be entered in a book by the Secretary, or, in case of his absence, by some other person whom the President or Chairman of the meeting shall appoint to act in the place of the Secretary upon such occasion; the said Minutes shall be read over at the next Meeting, for approbation, as to the correct entry thereof, and, being so approved, shall then be signed by the President or Chairman of the meeting. VII.-Whenever at a General Meeting of the Proprietors, the Votes for and against a question proposed shall, on the scrutiny, be found to be equal, in case the question does not relate to an election, the President or Chairman shall have a double vote; but if such question be a question of election, in that case it shall be decided by lot. VIII.-Notice of all General Meetings of the Proprietors shall be given, at least eight days before the meeting, in four of the Morning Papers. IX.-No Special General Meeting of the Proprietors shall be held, unless by order of the President, or of the Managers, or of the Visitors, or in consequence of a Requisition in writing, addressed to the Secretary, signed by Fifteen or more Proprietors, and expressing fully the nature of the business intended to be brought forward; in which case the Secretary shall give notice of it to the Committee of Managers; and the said Committee of Managers shall forthwith convene a Special General Meeting of the Proprietors, and appoint the same to be held at any time they shall think proper, but not at a less distance than ten, or a greater than twenty, days, from the time the Secretary shall receive the said Letter. X.-The Secretary, in giving notice of General Meetings for a ballot or otherwise, shall not insert in the notice the Names of the Proprietors signing the Requisition; but only read such names at the ensuing General Meeting, and enter them in the Minutes of its proceedings. The same in regard to the mover and seconder of any motion. XI.-No Member of the Committee of Managers, or Visitors, or Auditors, shall be capable of holding any place, office, or appointment, under the Institution, to which any salary, profit, or emolument, is or shall be annexed. SECTION IV. OF ELECTIONS, AND THE MODE OF PROCEEDING AT GENERAL ART. I.-On the day of the Annual Election, the President or Chairman shall take the Chair precisely at Twelve o'clock; and, after the Reports of the Managers, Visitors, and Auditors, shall have been disposed of, and the remaining business demanding discussion shall have been transacted, the Ballot shall commence, and shall remain open till Four o'clock; or, if not commenced till after three o'clock, for one whole hour subsequent to its commencement; and a Balloting-glass being placed before the Chair, two Scrutineers shall be appointed to examine and declare the result of the Ballot. II.-A complete List of all Proprietors who may have signified their intention to the Managers to become Candidates for any office, shall be prepared and ready for delivery to each Proprietor eight days at least before the Annual Election. III.-Each Proprietor who votes at an election, shall deliver his Balloting-list, folded up, to the President or Chairman, who shall in his presence immediately put it into the Ballotingglass; and the name of each Proprietor who so delivers in his list, shall be marked on a printed list by the Secretary, or the person officiating in his stead. IV. When the Ballot is closed, the Scrutineers shall cast up the number of the Votes for each person, and report the same in writing, signed by each Scrutineer, to the Chair, when the President or Chairman shall declare those who have the majority of votes to be the persons elected to the respective offices. V. When the suffrages in favour of two or more Candidates are equal, the election shall be decided by lots, which lots shall be prepared by the Scrutineers, and drawn by the Chairman. VI.—If at a Meeting of Proprietors any question shall arise during the course of an election, respecting the forms thereof, such question shall be decided by a majority of the Proprietors present. SECTION V. OF THE MANAGERS. ART. I.-The Managers may, if they think fit, appoint a person to act as Superintendent of the House, to preserve order and decorum therein, to control the current expenses, and to inspect and direct the inferior officers and servants in the discharge of their respective duties. |