PUBLIC LIBRARY MEETING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1093, 6 November 1883, Page 2

PUBLIC LIBRARY MEETING.

A well attended meeting was held last evening at the new Library Hall for the purpose of electing officers and Committee for the ensuing year. The President (Mr Joseph Ward; occupied the chair and briefly stated the objects for which the meeting was held. The minutes of the previous annual meeting having bean read and confirmed the hon Secretary read the following report:— In presenting their report for the period between the Sth day of April, 1882, and the Sth day of November, 1882, your Committee have to report that they have held twenty Committee meetings, and during the same some important business has been transacted. In order to supply current subscribers with the means of obtaining a reading room, the Committee deemed it necessary to make arrangements with the Town Hall Company, which was accordingly done, and the upper ro ;m engaged for three months, in the early part of last year. Owing, however, to the room not being sufficiently well patronised by subscribers, it decided to abandon the idea of having a reading room until a new building was erected. In addition to this, several papers and periodicals was j abstracted from the room, and altogether the expense was so great as not to warrant the Committee in keeping it open beyond the three months arranged for. As a supply of books were requisite to open the Library with, it was resolved to emit the sum of LIOO to Mudie’s for a supply of standard works. The consignment came to hand some months ago, but has only been opened this afternoon. The Committee decided upon not opening them sooner, owing to the liability of losing, or getting the books destroyed before a proper place was ready for their reception. The President and the Hon Secretary waited upon the County Council and the Borough Council in reference to a grant in aid m one case, and to obtain a central site in the other. After these interviews with the County Council, that body generously granted a subsidy of pound for every pound collected from the public. With regard to the Borough Council, after some little delay the Committee were successful in obtaining the present site, which has been leased to the library trustees for a term of years on particularly favorable terms, and a promise to assist the Library Committee for the time being, in endeavouring to obtain the fee simple of the site as soon as an Act for such a purpose can be passed by the General Assembly. The choice of site caused no little worry and delay, as no less than three were selected and decided upon by the Committee at different meetings, but we believe the most central one, and one that will serve the best interests of the public, has been chosen. After the very liberal grant of L2OO from the County Council had been promised the Committee resolved itself into a Building Committee, and plans were at once obtained on favourable terms, and tenders called for the building. The tender of Messrs Nelson and Coutts for L 969 17s 6d, which was considerably under several others, was accepted, and the result is the fine substantial structure which they were now

in. The application for a portion of the Government grant of Ls>ooo to public libraries was made in due form, in the beginning of last year, and the sum of L 44 6s was remitted by the Government as our share of this fund. This sum has been placed to the credit of the building. The total of the subscriptions paid, together with the interest accrued on the L4OO which was lying at deposit with the Building Society until a short (time back, and LIOO from the Countv Council, has been ab orbed by the building fund, in ad titio 1 to a loan of L3OO which has had to be raised in order to pay off the contract for the building, The Bank overdraft is also about L 47, so that altogether the total liabilities on the building must at present be about L4OO, which will be reduced as soon as the balance due by the County Council and the remaining subscriptions now promised are paid, to a total indebtedness of about L2OO. It will be necessary for the incoming Committee to collect the outstanding subscriptions, as hitherto they have not been paid as promised, owing to the non-completion of the building. This excuse, however, can no longer be put forward, and it behoves the public to give the utmost support to the management of the institution in order that the debt may be speedily

wiperl off. Now that everything in connection with the Library can be put on a satisfactory footing, it is hoped that our successors will have no difficulty in defining a policy whereby the institution can be satisfactorily managed in the interest of the public, and with due regard to the liabilities entered into by those who carried on the business of the institution during the interim from April 1882, to November, 1883. The Chairman stated that as only subscribers could vote at the meeting it would be necessary to confirm a resolution which had been passed by the Committee re the amount to be paid as subscriptions. Ha might plate that these had been fixed at 15s, Bs, and 5s for yearly, half-yearly, and quarterly subscriptions. Mr Bullock moved that the subscriptions bo the same as fixed by the Committee. Mr St Hill seconded this.

Mr Poyntz proposed as an amendment, and Mr A. Roberta seconded—“ That the subscription be 21s, 10s 6d, and 6s. Mr Caygill thought that 10s per annum was quite enough, as the supply of books was hardly sufficient to justify so large a subscription as had been fixed by the Committee. The Chairman remarked that it would take quite Ll2O a year to keep the Library going. Mr Caygill said that if the subscription were made lower he thought that at least 600 subscribers would join instead of only 150 or so that had done so hitherto.

Mr Douglas thought that tho subscription as fixed was a fair one considering the improved building. Besides it was necessary to provide a much larger number of books and periodials than were now available. The Chairman then put the amendment which was lost, and the original motion was carried. The report and balance-sheet were then unanimously adopted. Mr Bullock, in a flattering speech, proposed Mr Ward as president of the institution. He thought that no one deserved the honor so much as Mr Ward, who had been intimately acquainted with the Library since its first start in Ashburton. He would suggest, however, that the office of president another year should be bestowed upon some other member of the Committee, who deserved it. As it was the highest office in the management of tho institution, it should be made a rolling one. Mr Bird, in seconding, also spoke of Mr Ward’s indefatigableneas in the work of the library.

The resolution was carried unanimously. The Chairman thanked them for the honor they had done him, and trusted that other gentlemen who had worked quite as hard as he had himself, and whom he was glad to see present, would successively fill the office of president. The following were then elected officers for the ensuing year Messrs G. H, St Hill, treasurer; W. 11. Zouch, hon. sec; S. E. Poyntz, librarian. The following gentlemen were then elected a Committee:—Messrs Revans, Bullock, A. Orr, Dempsey and A. Roberta. The Chairman stated that it was necessary to rescind one of the by-laws passed previously in reference to the amount of subscriptions to be paid. On the motion of Mr Bullock, seconded by Mr St Hill, it was resolved to rescind by-law No 4. Mr W. H. Zouch proposed and Mr Bullock seconded—“ That it be a recommendation to the incoming Committee to have the whole of the by-laws revised and submitted to a general meeting of subscribers for adoption. Mr Poyntz moved and Mr Gundry seconded— “ That it be a recommendation to the incoming Committee to make the annual meeting fall on November Ist in each year.”—Carried. A considerable discussion ensued in reference to the dates on which subscriptions should become due in each year, and it was ultimately decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Committee to deal with. Votes of thanks to the Chairman and the outgoing Committee were put and carried, and the meeting adjourned.

A Committee meeting was subsequently held, when it was resolved to advertise for the services ot a competent caretaker, and to open the reading room to the public from this ( iuesday) evening. The Committee then adjourned until Saturday next.