Radio Reading Service

Not for profit ~

NZRPD

The Radio Reading Service is the operational arm of New Zealand Radio For The Print Disabled Inc.  The Society with Charitable status was set up in 1985 to establish and operate the facility which now broadcasts the Radio Reading Service. 

We recently made a submission to Parliament's Social Service Select Commttee on the new Charities Bill which will impact organisations such as this.  NZ Radio For the Print Disabled Inc is a not for profit Social Service entiy and our "Charitable Status" is very important to us.    

All correspondence should be addressed to:-

NZ Radio For The Print Disabled Inc.

P.O. Box 360. 

Levin

New Zealand Radio For The Print Disabled Inc is a Society, what dose that mean?

We were Incorporated on 11 March 2023 with Certificate 259884.

An Incorporated society in New Zealand is a group or organisation that has been registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908.  When incorporated it is authorised by law to run its affairs as though it were an individual person. The society is not established for the purpose of gain or profit making commercial activity.

There are many community groups and organisations which have become incorporated societies. They include sports clubs, social clubs, music and cultural groups, special interest and activist organisations.

Any group of 15 or more persons may apply to become incorporated under the Act.  An incorporated society can do anything provided:

•  its activities are lawful

•  its activities are not for the financial gain of the members

•  its activities are authorised by the "objects" in its rules.

An individual can not make money out of an Incorporated Society.  Personal financial or pecuniary gain which is profit-making from a society's activities is prohibited. This does not mean, however, that a society itself cannot make profits from its activities providing it does not become a trading operation or pursue profit to the exclusion of its objects. A society can employ people (including members) to do various jobs but cannot give out profits to members.  

People who donate to the organisation can be assured the funds are administered in pursuit of the societies objectives by people functioning under an agreed set of rules which are a public document.  All monies donated to the society are properly accounted for and audited.    

Authorised Activities

The rules of an incorporated society specify how the society will operate and include a section called the "objects".  These "objects" are the purposes for which the society exists.  Unless you include a particular activity as an object (purpose) of the society, you are prohibited from carrying out that activity.   We were formed to establish and operate a Radio Reading Service or ��Radio For The Print Disabled��

What are the advantages of being an Incorporated Society?

There are four main advantages of being an incorporated society:

The society becomes a separate legal entity from its members. As a result, it can lease, rent, buy/sell property, borrow money and enter into contracts in its own name. The society also becomes capable of perpetual succession - that is, its existence continues despite membership changes. The purpose endures.

Members have no personal liability for the debts, contracts or other obligations of their society. The exceptions to this are when debts or obligations are incurred from operations involving financial gain.  In such circumstances, the members involved in the operations become personally liable for the debts and obligations

The second exception is where debts or obligations are incurred as the result of unlawful actions. Again the members involved become personally liable.

As the rules of the society must meet the minimum requirements laid down in the Act, there is some certainty as to the way the affairs of the society should be conducted.

Members can have no individual claim on the property of the society except where the rules state that surplus assets are to be distributed to members when the society is put into liquidation.  Property belongs to the society and no individual has personal interests or rights in the property.

All incorporated societies must be registered at an office of the Registrar of Incorporated Societies. This is the official who determines whether or not a chosen name is available at the time incorporation documents are lodged.

The Rules

The Incorporated Societies Act lays down a minimum number of points that must be covered in a society's rules. The rules state how the organisations business is governed together with how often and when meetings will take place. Groups such as ours choose how the rules are expand to cover all foreseeable circumstances.  All together these rules are often referred to as the Constitution or Articles Of Association.