The law relating to associations registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the law relating to associations registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 which provides a method of incorporation for Section 4(1) of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908, hereinafter referred to as "the Act", unless the context requires otherwise. Any society consisting of not less than fifteen persons associated for any lawful purpose but not for pecuniary gain ... Although there are over 12,000 12,488 as at 31 September 1971. Information supplied by the Registrar of Incorporated Societies societies registered under the Act, the law governing their incorporation and management has not been considered frequently by the courts and has attracted little attention in legal writing. Broadly speaking the Act provides a relatively cheap and convenient method for non-profit associations to acquire the benefits of corporate status while avoiding the alternative costly and complex procedures of registration under the Companies Act. Today there is a wide variety of associations registered under the Incorporated Societies Act: from representative and pressure groups such as the Public Service Association, the Automobile Association, the Returned Servicemen's Associations, Nurses Associations and Federated Farmers, to sporting clubs such as the New Zealand Rugby Football League and many golf clubs; from charitable organisations such as the Red Cross and the New Zealand Crippled Children Society to cultural groups such as the Orpheus Choir and the Downstage Theatre Society; and from social clubs such as the Wellington Club to ratepayers' associations and ethnic groups.