Paphiopedilum Society of New South Wales Inc.
By-Laws,amended 2017
By-Laws of the Society are regulations made by the Committee of Management for the efficient functioning of the Society. It is necessary for procedures to be carried out within the guidelines of the by-laws to avoid confusion and disputes. Interpretation of the By-Laws shall be decided upon by the Committee of Management.
All plants referred to in the By-Laws belong to the Orchid sub-family Cypripedoideae.
1.Sales Table:
A sales table officer (STO) shall be appointed by the Committee of Management to manage the sales table. The STO may appoint an assistant or assistants to assist him and the sales team shall be responsible for all transactions on the sales table.
Only orchids belonging to sub-family Cypripedioideae are allowed on the sales table. General items like pots, fertilizers and potting media, if requested by the members, may be made available for sale by the Committee of Management.
Any financial member of the Society can put plants on the sales table.
Guest speakers may be allowed to put plants on the sales table if approved by the Committee of Management.
Plants put on the sales table must be pest and disease-free, established in its container, properly labeled with the plant’s name in the pot and carries a price tag withthe owner’s name and the amount clearly shown.
The STO shall have the authority to remove any sick, diseased or infested plants from the sales table.
The STO shall complete the Sales Table Form prior to the end of trading and give it to the Treasurer along with the sellers Price Tags.
Price tags will be returned to the owner with payment, after a commission of 15% , or as otherwise determined by the Committee of management, has been taken for the Society for all plants sold.
Any plant(s) not sold will be returned to the owner.
All transactions are by cash only.
2. Raffle:
A raffle officer (RO) shall be appointed by the Committee of Management to manage the raffles.
The Committee of Management will endeavour to conduct raffles at most meetings.
The Committee of Management shall purchase suitable plants from time to time for use as raffle prizes.
Donations of plants and other items for use in the raffle are welcome.
Plants put on the raffle table must be pest and disease-free, established in its container, properly labeled with the plant’s name in the pot.
The RO shall complete the Raffle form at the end of raffle sales and give it to the Treasurer along with the money received.
All transactions are cash only.
3.Benching of Plants:
The benching schedule is determined by the Committee of Management. Benching classes may be adjusted periodically when required.
There is an “Open” section for experienced growers and a “Novice” section for less experienced growers. “Novice” growers will be assessed by the panel of judges and elevation from the “Novice” section to the “Open” section shall be recommended by the judging panel and approved by the Committee of Management.
Open growers are those who are classed as open in any other society affiliated with the Orchid Society of New South Wales.
Junior members may show in either novice or open as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee.
A junior class will be considered in the future by the Executive Committee when and if deemed necessary
All plants benched must be healthy and pest and disease-free and must be owned and grown by the member for at least six months prior to benching.
All plants benched must be registered on benching cards showing the name of the plant, the class it belongs to and the owner’s name. If the name of the plant is not known, “unknown” should be filled in.
Benching cards are provided at meetings.
The ranking of the plants judged shall be recorded on the benching cards.
All benching cards will be collected at the end of the meeting for the point score competition.
Plants exhibited at monthly meetings must remain in place until the conclusion of the meeting except by permission of the president.
4.Point Score Competition:
The following points shall be awarded to plants in all classes placed:
1st 3 points 2nd 2 points 3rd 1 point
Every plant benched each month, including the ones placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd shall be awarded with one point, meaning, a plant placed 1st will have 4 points, 2nd 3 points, 3rd 2 points and every unplaced plant 1 point each.
Results of the point score competition shall be announced at the last meeting of the year. Prizes shall be determined by the Committee of Management.
5.Judging:
Judging of all plants benched monthly and at shows shall be in accordance to the Judging Guidelines of the Australian Orchid Council (AOC).
A judging panel headed by a judging panel leader shall comprise of AOC-accredited Judges and Associate Judges from the Orchid Society of New South Wales (OSNSW) and those appointed by the Committee. The judging panel leader shall be appointed by the Committee of Management. On occasions, trained judges from other societies, interstate and international may be invited to participate in the judging.
Other experts may be invited to join judging panel at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Decision of the judges is final.
The judge panel leader shall have the power to relocate plants that have been incorrectly placed in the classes and remove plants that are obviously diseased or pest-infested.
The judging panel leader shall hold a judges’ meeting when necessary to discuss judging issues and make recommendations to the Committee of Management.
When requested and approved by the Committee of Management, trainee judges from OSNSW will be allowed to learn how to judge Paphiopedilum using the benched plants at the monthly meetings.
Plants benched at general meetings may be considered for awards at the discretion of the assembled qualified judges. If a member wishes to have a plant considered for an award, he must give seven (7) days prior notice to the Secretary and will be considered if sufficient AOC/OSNSW judges are available on the night.
6.Shows:
The Committee of Management may organize Paphiopedilum shows when feasible. Where and when the show is conducted shall be determined by the Committee of Management.
The show marshal, an assistant show marshal and a show sub-committee shall be appointed by the Committee of Management and shall be responsible for the show schedule and the smooth conduct of the show.
Prizes for the show shall be set by the Committee of Management.
The Society may put up displays of Paphiopedilums and allied genera at major New South Wales orchid shows when approached to do so. The feasibility of putting up a display at such shows shall be determined by the Committee of Management.
7.Speakers:
From time to time and whenever possible, the Society may invite prominent local and international Paphiopedilum growers to speak at general meetings. Topics to be presented are to be agreed upon by the Committee and the speakers.
A speaker shall be presented with an appropriate token of appreciation determined by the Committee and provided free of charge a sales table to sell his plants.
8. Auctions:
An annual auction may be considered by the Committee.
As a special opportunity for members to obtain quality plants the Committee may hold an occasional auction at a general meeting. Any member who would like to provide a plant for such an auction should approach the executive committee. The Society will take a commission of 15% of the knockdown price and any aforementioned auction.