by Richard George » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:18 am
That's the point; under Rule 148, the lodge has no say in the matter. They don't vote, membership just ceases. The lodge can't claim fees if the individual is not a member!
-quote-
148. Should the subscription of a member to his lodge remain unpaid for two full years, at the expiration of that period he shall cease to be a member of the Lodge ... (etc).
-unquote-
Doesn't say anything about voting.
Remember also, that I stated that it's 2 years ACCUMULATED arrears (that's the 'full' bit). That means (for example) .. let's say subs are £50 pa and the member is paying £40 pa by standing order. His membership ceases after 10 years .. 2 years accumulated at £10 arrears each year. But remember that a lodge has the power under R181 to exclude before that length of time (see below!) if it's (for example) obvious he's never going to pay the difference before the 10 years are up. Also remember that if someone else chooses/agrees to pay the outstanding, Province/GL aren't bothered. If the lodge decides to cover someones expenses and never reports it, 'we' (royal we) will never know; any Rule can only come into play if the lodge reports the non-payment .. the lodge itself has (note: HAS!) to pay Province/GL regardless of if they recover that money from the member (Rule 147).
It's therefore basically down to how long the lodge wants to cover for the member. When they start to report it, 148 comes into play when they report that '2 years arrears' (either just 2 years non-payment, or as described above) has been reached (no vote), or the exclusion under 181. Yes, it's up to the treasurer/secretary to report it, but that's what they've volunteered to do by accepting those jobs. Rule 148 just places an upper limit on how long a lodge can carry a member (again, assuming it's reported).
Now, of course the interesting point is what the lodge chooses to do with any money it might receive via a standing order following a 148/181, because you can be sure that if the individual couldn't be bothered to increase it in line with increases in subs, he probably won't bother cancelling it ....
----------------------------------
NB: I know of lodges that can invoke R181 after 1 year to limit how much they have to fork out; I also know of lodges that basically say - "if your subs are unpaid after 6 months we reserve the right to exclude you" - although personally I think that's a bit draconian; they have to pay whether he's 6 months or a year - the cost is the same.
Richard George
Craft: Granta 6179, Porta 9511, CIML 7429
RAC: Fidelity 441, Walden 1280, CIP 7429
Mark: York 334
KT: Arthur Dentith 434
A&AR: Octagon 1076, Iceni 1126, Cambs& Isle of Ely 1157
KTP: Clare 74
ROS: East Anglia