MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. -ANNUAL MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1694, 23 July 1875, Page 4

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. -ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the subscribers of the Mechanics' Institute was held in the hall of the Institute last night. Mr P. Moss, the Vice President, occupied the chair. At the opening of. the meeting ther_ were only ten gentlemen in the body of the hall, aud about half-a-dozen on the platform. The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting, and called upon the secretary, Mr Talbot, to read the minutes of the previous meeting and the report of the Committee

A gentleman wished to know if the Committee were present. Mr Moss said he presumed they were, but in the present depressed state of the finances of the Institute, perhaps they did not like to make too formidable a show. They would see, by the repoit for the past year, that, unless some means could be devised to raise the wind, they would have to close the Institute.

The report, which is too long for insertion, was in substance as follows. After alluding to the manner in which the necessary expenditure swamped almost the whole revenue leaving only £40 for books and periodicals, it went on to say that so long as the Committee could rely on the annual subsidy of the Provincial Government they felt justified in keeping open the Institute ; but now that it was withdrawn they recommended that it be closed. The number of bookt added to the Institute during the year was 85; number issued 12,000. The number o_ subscribers was altogether 360 to the library alone, 142; reading-room, 70 ; to both combined, 135 ; honorary members, 13. The receipts for the year ending July 1, 1875, have been : Balance from last year, 19s. 2d. ; subscriptions, £188 10s. 6d. ; from hall and. waste paper, £31 12s. 6d. ; from Provincial Government for Institute, £117; ditto, for classes, &c, £105; total, £443 2s. 2d. Expenditure : Magazines, newspapers, &c, £137 175.; books, £16; teachers of classes. £93 7s. 6d. ; secretary, £104 ; incidental £4 Is ; insurance, £10 10s ; firewood, &c, £10 10s. ; gas. £37 14s. 9d. ; registration of buildings, £1 Is. ; gas fittings, £1 13s ; bookbinding, £3 10s. ; carpenters, £6 10s. ; Faulder, £2 ; furniture, £4 Bs. ; printing, £3 Is. 6d. ; balance in hand, £1 ss. sd. Total, £443 2s. 2d. Mr Hazard moved, and Mr Leslie seconded, the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr Martin objected to the Committee; stating what the liabilities of the Institute would be at the end of the next twelvemonths. It was, in his opinion ultra vires. It was also stated in the report that the Government had withdrawn the usual £100 subsidy. This he understood was not the case. They had not paid the subsidy for want of funds, and had promised that in a short time the money should be forthcoming. It was proposed—and this he considered the feature of the report—to close the doors.

A Voice : They are closed. (Laughter). Mr Martin : I mean the doors of the Institute. The gentleman then went on to enlarge upon the misfortune which it would be to the people of Auckland, and especially the working classes, who could not afford to buy books for themselves if such an event happened. He referred to the case of the Young Men's Christian Association, and thought a similar special effort should be made to revive the Institution. He suggested that if no other means could be devised to better the position of the Institute they should try retrenchment and buy fewer books, fewer magazines, and fewer periodicals. (Hear, hear.) To close the Institute, and by that means allow a property valued at over £2000 to revert to the Government would be a great calamity. (Cheers.) The Rev. Dr. Kidd agreed with the previous speaker, and as that gentleman had not done so, he would himself move an amendment to the effect that the report be received. He considered the report very defective. Mr Martin had made a statement as to there being a chance of the subsidy being forthcoming. He Bliould like to know what tangible proof there was of this.

g. Mr Moss explained that the grant had been inserted in the Estimates of the Provincial Council, and had not been embodied in the Appropriation Act. Mr Talbot said that Mr Reader Wood had given him to understand that it'was probable that the money would be paid next session.

Dr Kidd said he certainly considered the amount spent on the reading-room was far too large in proportion to what was spent on the library. Mr. Kirby here rose and commenced a speech full of stormy invective against the committee, whom he stigmatized as traitors to the interests of the Institution. " That's fair, isn't it ? That's plain language for ye. I call upon you, Mr Chairman, to answer me this question. Who authorised the committee to put this house in debt by going in for all the extra expenditure on magazines ? And they wern't bought for the body of subscribers, but just for one or two members. Public property is a sacred trust, I say, and no man should dare to put tbis house in debt. No, not a shilling. That's safe talk, isn't it ? That's business. I think my children and grand-children have a right to a portion of that money, and I'd like to know by what assurance—by wkat impertinent assurance, I say—have the committee dared to deprive them of it ? There was £25 lost over the exhibition, too.

The secretary admitted this, but said that came in last year's accounts, which had been

passed. Mr Kirby continued : If the committee had done their duty, they wouldn't now be looking at half-a-dozen people in that hall. What he said was—" Turn 'em out, kick 'em out. It was a shame.

A Voice : Bravo, Kirby ! I'll second that. (Laughter.)

Mr Kirby : The man that cooked that report ought to put his head in a bag ! (Laughter.) Mr Kirby concluded his tirade by demanding the names of those committeemen who voted the £70 17s for extra expenditure on magazines. i After some little uproar caused by the question, which many said was out of order, Mr Moss said he was willing to admit that he had taken a prominent part in ordering the new magazines. ,He had advocated the expenditure with the view of increasing the public interest in the institution. It had had the effect of increasing the number of guinea subscribers. He was also willing to accept the responsibility of the report, which he considered a very accurate one. Under all circumstances he thought the only thing they could do with credit to themselves and to the Institute was to recommend the closing of the doors. The subscribers would be saved the trouble of kick* ing out the committee as they went out of office that night, and it would be for them to elect a new committee.

Mr Kirby : I wish I had the same command of language and temper as you have and I'd soon upset your argument. (Laughter) I now ask how many additional subscribers and the expenditure of this £70 17fl brings into the Institute.

Mr Moss : I want a little explanation. Mr Kirby : Answer my question, answer my question, sir, at once. (Laughter.) Dr Kidd detailed some of the particulars f _ the extra expenditure. Mr Moss said he thought there must be some mistake in Dr. Kidds figures. Mr Talbot explained that there had been about from £6 to £10 added to the funds of the Institute by the extra expenditure. Mr Kirby : Then it comes to this, that there has been a loss of over £60, and is that business 1 I wait for an answer.

Mr Sievwright endeavoured to ask a questionMr Kirby said he was in possession of the chair.

A Voice : You have been all night, and seem likely to be all to-morrow. (Laughter). Mr Kitchen suggested that perhaps the Committee had made a bad experiment. Business men often did that. The on?^ thing now was not to repeat it. Mr Jenkins, as one of the Committee, was qttite willing to take his share of the obloquy the Committee bad incurred.

Mr Clifton considered that the Committee had made an error of judgment. Mr Kirby had, he thought, displayed great want of knowledge as an auditor in coming there with a number of charges 3, and without any tangible motion. He had wandered frona the subject of the meeting, and had simply thundered out a volley of abuse at the Chairman. , , Mr Kirby denied that he had wandered or thundered either. The Chairman said he took the remariss of the honorable gentleman in the very best spirit. Mr Clifton, resuming, said he .hould support the amendment of Dr. Kidd. Mr George regretted the adverse circumstances which had come upon the Institute. He had been present at crowded meetings in previous years, and the failure of the present meeting was very deplorable. He considered that any step would be better than closing the Institute. (Hear, hear.) Mr Kirby, who had lecovered his breath, now returned to the "main pint," and launched out a fresh torrent of abuse at the Committee

Mr Leslie here recognised Mr Moss as an old antagonist in Dunedin Institute, and some mutual courtesies were exchanged. Mr Moss now proceeded to put the amendment to the meeting. Mr Kirby : None of your fine language ; I won't have that. Dr. Kidd explained that his amendment was meant not as a censure on tho committee but simply as a dissent from their opinion that the. doors of the Institute should be closed. . The amendment was then put and carried unanimously. Ou Mr Moss proceeding to propose the election of a new committee, Mr Kirby said he never knew the Chairman had any light to keep talking the whole blessed time of tho meeting. (Roars of laughter) The election of officers was then proceeded with and resulted as follows : — Mr P. A. Phillips was elected President; Mr Brett and Dr. Kidd, Vice-Presidents ; Mr W. J. Cawkwell, Treasurer. Messrs J. Wrigley, A. Reynolds, J. Martin, VV. Percival, J. Sievewright, J. Osborne, D, Evitt, G. Kitchen, W. Humphreys, J. Farrell, Cameron, T. Jenkins—Committee. Messrs Clifton and Kirby were elected auditoi-s. A vote of thanks was passed to the outgoing committee and the chairman, and the business concluded.