MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETIES.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2243, 15 July 1870, Page 2

MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETIES.

To the Editor of the Evening Star.

Sir, —Some few months ago, a meeting of citizens (composed principally of young men engaged in business during the day) resolved to fmm a Society having for its object, “The pic ’ sura'hi and profitable employment of snme of the leisure hours of its members with a view to their advancement in useful knov.lelge.” This object they resolved to endeavour to realise by means of The delivery of lectures, the reading of original < siays, select readings from approved authors, friendly discussions. &c. ; and also such musical or other entertainments as the Committee may deem likely to aid in accomplishing the Igeneral ‘object’ of the Society.” Since the formation of the Dunedin Society, a number of others have been established in various ports of the suburbs and the country, all of which, as far as lam aware, have been attended with bfmcdcial results.

I have been induced to trouble you with tho above remarks by tho perusal of a letter si ned “J.M.” in your issue of this evening. In that letter, the writer casts what I consider a most unmerited reproach, directly upon the Dunedin Society, and indirectly upon -•>11 kindred societies throughout the conn ry. Had your correspondent taken tho trouble to acquaint himself with the published “object ” of tho Dunedin Society, I think even be would have been bound to admit that it is a praiseworthy one. Had he informed himself of the “ means ” by which the members of the Society propose to seek the accomplishment of that object, then I think that even “J.M.” could not fail-(to admit that if properly carried into operation those means are well calculal ed to prove successful; and not quite so necessarily as he appears to assume to result in supplying recruits for the ranks of -‘infidels, freethinkers, and socialists.”

You will observe that I have given your correspondent the benefit of presuming that he wrote in ignorance of the real facts of the case, had ho not done so, T can hardly think he would have been so ungenerous as to draw a most gloomy picture of fearful evils said to have resulted from the establishment and operation of some “ debat ing club ” with which the writer appears to have been connected, and then immediately to follow up his strictures on the “club" with the statement —“We have a Society of this kind in this city ! ”

Vour correspondent professes to have been actuated by “the best possible intentions.” If those “intentions” have not all evaporated, T would venture to suggest a more practical means of turning them to good account than at present seems to have occurred to him. Let your correspondent if bo be really sincere, avail hims' lf of some of the “means” the Society provides for guarding the members against the evils he seems so much to stand iu awe of, aud I ato sure the

metnbers of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society will listen to his instructions with all respect; provided they bo conveyed in language approaching just a trifle nearer than docs his letter -to wiiat is ordinarily understood as “good English” lam quite sure the members generally would duly appreciate the very great advantage of having in their midst a real practical living excmple of modest merit of a high order, free from all traces of that “pedantic conceit,” and all those other evils sometimes accompanying the possession of “ a little learning, &c.,” of which your correspondent seems so justly 7 to fear the results. Yours, &c., The Resident of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society. Dunedin, July 11, 1870.

To the Editor of the Evening Star.

Sir, —“J. M. ” claims to he an authority on Mutual improvement Societies. Whether the letter addressed to the Star a few days since will csta lish his right to this distinction may be fairly questioned. I will do “J.M.” the justice to say that his letter teems with all that is picturesque ; that his similes are beautiful, and his style absolutely refreshing ; but he is deplorably deficient in tho power of rendering himself intelligible. This is a common enough defect in e von greater minds than “J.M.’s,” and it evidently would not bo fair to hold him responsible for any such shortcoming.-. As to ‘'J.M.’s" style the following quotation will suffice : —‘For, like a tender plant, if not carefully tended and nurtured mil most assuredly ran wild and consequently lose all its strength and decay, so with a mind, &c.” This, though perhaps not strictly grammatical, will, I presume be admitted on all aides to be exquisitely beautiful. So much for stylo. But “J.M.’s” arguments are I do not hesitate to say perfectly deplorable. Because the members merely for the purpose of debate, argued against settled truths ; because for the purpose of ascertaining how far error may he carried in argument, therefore, according to ““J. M.,” the minds of men are drawn irresistibly to adopt wrong as right, and in course of time “ what was once pretence becomes a settled conviction,” and the ranks of infidels, freethinkers, &c., become heneo largely recruited. This is the gist of “J.M.’s” arguments. If I argued as though two and two made six, and by a logical sequence that six and six made eighecn, 1 confess I do not see how this would alter my conviction of the truth of tho matter, even if the pretence wore long sustained. But I contend great advantages accrue from this practice of arguing against conviction ; for by keeping a clear and distinct view of both sides of a question, the mind acquires a wider grasp, the judgment becomes strengthened and what may have been a hazy conviction may thus acquire tho force of a settled truth. “J. M’s ” metaphysics is here evidently at fault. “J.M. ” has rarely met “one member of a debating club that could he fairly called a well-read man.” Hence, he assures us a common failing amongst its members is “ a pedantic conceit.” This is perhaps the greatest inconsistency, amid so much that is inconsistent, into which “J.M.” has been led, A well-read man may be, and frequently is pedantic; but a man without reading or learning cannot be called pedantic though ho may be called ignorant. This is a distinction which “ J.M. ’’ will do well at his leisure to consider. If we were all clever or well-read men, we should not require to take advantage of these Mutual Improvement Societies, and perhaps this may explain why “JM.” has never met with them at debating clubs. Why does not “J.M.’’--evidently a well read man—set the example by enrolling himself a member of some Society, and thus give it the benefit of his vast learning and experience ? So valuable an acquisition would, I have little doubt, be most cordially welcomed by any A ssociation, lam, &c., Balch. THE PELICHET BAY BATHS. To the Editor of the Evening Star, Sir,—l would like to ask the Corporation through the medium of your paper, whether the above named baths still belong to, and if so, why the Corporation should allow them to go to ruin, as is unmistakcably tho case. I hear that Mr Wilson who had charge of them last season, has been ill for some timo past, and during his absence mischief working ruffians have had full play, for I notice that not a vestigo of the wheel or the upper spring board is to bo seen, the locks on the doors are all forced, and the gate at tho entrance has been bodily carrier! away. Surely, Sir, it is the duty of the Corporation, to see that its property is looked after and protected ; and if Mr Wilson is not well enough to take charge at present, someone else ought to bo appointed in the meantime I wonder on what terms Wilson had tho baths; fur I often heard him complain bitterly of seveial gentlemen (merchants) who attended regularly last summer, and refused now to give him any remuneration, knowing well that he cannot recover at law. I advised him to summons a few of these gentlemen (?), if only for revenge, and to show them up to tho public.— Yours &c,, Q. YESTERDAY’S MEETING. To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir,—A good many of the public seem to think that when I proposed the amendment that was carried at the public meeting last night, that I was in ignorance regarding Mr Reynolds’s resolutions coming on after the Government resolutions ; but, sir, those that think so are wrongly informed, as I can tell those that I know a great deal more than some would like to give me credit for; and I think a good many of the public will agreo with mo, that it was bettor having my amendment carried than tin? original rnufi, n as it will show our representatives in the Assembly that we are quite agreeable to tha Government resolutions, provided we get financial separation of the Islands, and it will l>o an easy matter for the southern members to combine and have tho Government resolutions postponed, and refuse to move one peg till they get financial separation. I am, iNc.. John Graham. Caversham, July 15.