Historic Theme Pages
Norwegian Settlement in the Bella Coola Valley
Norwegian Settler's Original Constitution
Bella Coola Colony Of British Columbia
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
1. The name of this association shall be, - Bella Coola Colony, British Columbia
2. The purpose of this colony shall be to induce moral, industrious and loyal Norwegian farmers, mechanics and business men to come to Bella Coola and make their homes there under the laws of British Columbia
3. To take charge of the colonization, the colonists elect one President, one Vice-President, one Secretary, and two other members, who shall constitute the managing committee of the Colony.
The president and secretary shall also constitute the negotiating committee between the Government and the Colony.
4. To become a member of this Colony, a petition must be made to the managing committee, and with which must be furnished satisfactory evidence of good moral character, working ability, and possession of necessary means to cover traveling expenses and provisions for one year. The petitioners have also to submit themselves to the rules and regulations of the Colony by signing the same.
5 Every member of this Colony must abstain from import, manufacture, export, or in any other way whatever the use of intoxicating drinks, excepting for sacramental, medical, mechanical, and chemical uses.
6. Transgression of these rules, when proved in front of the managing committee of the Colony, shall be punished by banishment from the territory of the Colony, and the Colonist's real estate, if any, shall be forfeited to the Government.
These rules adopted and approved September 11 th, 1894 .
BY-LAWS
1. All officers of this Colony shall be elected by a majority of the legal voters, and hold their offices for one year until their successors are elected and qualified.
2. The duties of the officers of this Colony shall be the same as the duties of the officers of other similar organizations.
3. An annual meeting of the Colony shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the month of June every year.
4. At such annual meeting there shall be entitled to vote every member of the Colony who as such is the holder of and the person mentioned in a free grant agreement from the Minister of Immigration for the Province of British Columbia.
These by-laws may only be altered or amended at the annual meeting, and the by-laws and any alterations shall be submitted to and approved by the Minister of Immigration before coming into force.