18Power of Union to federate with other Australian Unions, &c.

18 Power of Union to federate with other Australian Unions, &c.

*[Section 18 Amended by No. 36 of 1958, s. 5 ]*It shall be lawful for the Assembly at any time to effect a federation, for any defined purpose or purposes, of the Union and its constituents with any one or more of the Baptist Unions in any one or more of the Australian States, or may unite in home and foreign mission work with any other Baptist society or societies, in any place or places, or may receive as constituent members any one or more of the Baptist churches having the like restrictions and conditions of membership in any of the Australian States, upon such terms and conditions as the Assembly shall determine; and notice of the consummation of such federation, union, or reception published in the Gazette, and purporting to be signed by the President of the Union, shall be prima facie evidence of such having been effected, and of all other facts therein stated: Provided always, that all and every the real and personal property of the Union, and of each of the churches and constituents of the Union, shall continue to be held by the Union, or the person or persons in whom the same shall then, or may thereafter, be vested in trust for the said Union and the several churches and constituents thereof, upon the same trusts, and in the same manner in every respect, as if such federation, union, or reception had not been effected, and shall continue to be held subject to the provisions of this Act.