The Evening Star. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 352, 24 February 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1871.

Aftee the fiasco of last night, in the hall of the Mechanics' Institute, it might seem as if it were idle to attempt to infuse life into that institution. We hare tried to do so, and we shall not cease striving until the public will have wrested the Institute out of the hands of the clique who for several years have continued by a ruse to elect themselves to the management, and have degraded the .institute to a position of chronic uselessness. A dozen persons assembled last nigbt as representing the membership. The smallness of the attendance may be charged against the indifference of the public ; and much was attempted to be made of that apathy manifested iv nobody nominating candidates save the three worthies, who acted by the direction of what was well described by a speaker as the " power behind the scenes." But who has produced that indifference in the public ? who has choked off hundreds, and so sickened them with the incivility and disagreeableness, and the absolute Hfelessness that characterise everything connected with the Institute, that it is left to itself? "Who is it but the committee of management that is responsible for the inefficiency and the I'npopx^arity of any institution ? It is a!. 1, very well to taTk of the public being indifferent. The public is never indifferent when it is well served—when its feelings are consulted, and its tastes and wants gratified. But when, year after year, a few men, f 'om interested motives, taking rdvantage of their own knowledge of the ri°es of the Institute, and of the natural forgetfulness of the public, hush up their preceedings in silence, and without giving the smallest chance to tae public, without notice or iut''mation of any kind, at the very latest moment nominate themselves to the management, and then insult the members, as on last night, by asking them to come and give their sanction to the choice, we cannot wonder that the public simply turns aside and passes on its way. The Auckland Mechanics' Institute, with the exception of a library and news-room, is not fulfilling one of the functions of a Mechanics' Institute. And even these two departments are characterised by r ipleasantness, uncleanliness, and mcir^ity, which have turned many away in disgust. JSTo classes, no lectures; neither science nor art, nor even rational and harmless entertainment receives encouragement. The hall which should be devoted to the purposes of members, and for which it was built, is devoted to questionable purposes, while readers are crowded into little stifling rooms where " no speaking allowed" is insultiugly enforced. While all the time the same managers stealthily lay their plans to continue their hold on office, and perpetuate the worthlessness of the Institute, by taking advantage of the indifference and apathy which they have themselves produced. It is a gratuitous insult to charge the members with apathy as the cause of the non-success of the Institute, and, worst of all, as the cause of the neglect in nominations. Those interested in perpetuating the abuses of the Institute purposely kept the intended nominations secret, it was the business of the committee to have enlightened the members on a matter of such importance, as is done to the members of every other institution. And that was not done, simply because it was not intended that the public should interfere with the possession of power and the perpetuation of abuse. We do not charge all the office-bearers of the lustitute with being participants in the discreditable ruse, but we do charge them with conniving at it ; and in accepting office as the result of its success, they are equally censurable with the plottars themselves. The principle of public

nomination contained in Mr. Kiiby's motion was capable of being canned out in various ways, but the growl of c l:ssent with which the motion was rejected showed that the majority of the twelve present had come to the meeting with no intention that the cobwebs should be swept out of the Mechanics' Institute. "We regret the result of last night's meeting. It is such a disregard of the character of openness and straightforwardness that should characterise a public institution that it augurs ill. for the Institute. The suggestion was made that a public meet:ng of members could rescind the action of last night. It was, doubtless, -'nteuded that the suggestion should be inoperative, save to lay present excitement ; we sh?. 11 take care that it prove a liv'ttg reality. This jouivaol was chajpged with personal am'mosivf, in haft/^g severely criticised the action taken in connectiou with the Institute. "We disclaim all such feeJmg: we have never had such, nor grounds for such—so far as we are aw?re. But we regard the conduct of the Institute, ri its present hands, as an abuse—inoperative for the right pi'rooses of a literary aud scientific institution, and nee^essly offensive to its members As such, we

have criweised it; nor shaH we cease our effoi £s until it 's wrested r>oin the hfids of the clique by which it is at present abused, and its advantages and enjoyments placed withm reach of the people, in as far as they are disposed to qualiftr themselves for a share in. its piivii leges.