PORT CHALMERS MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Evening Star, Issue 3211, 5 June 1873, Page 2 (Supplement)

PORT CHALMERS MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

At the annual meeting of the members of the Port Cbalmers Mechanics’ Institute, held on Saturday night, the following report was read by the secretary : “ This meeting has been convened to lay before you the report of your committee for the past twelve months, being the tenth annual report of this Institution. In the annual reports for some years past the various committees have regretted the inade-r quate support afforded by the inhabitants to the Institute, and your committee is unfortunately placed in the same position to : night. Our expenses have been L 95 4s IQd, while our receipts from local sources only amopnt to Lsl I'Js lid, showing a deficiency of L 43 4s lid. We applied to tjie Education Board for payment of the subsidy to which we considered we were entitled from that body, but were informed that the Board had recently passed a resolution to the effect ‘That up Athenaeum or Public Library be subsidised beyond Ll6O, and that subsidy will only be granted on expenditure for bound books.’ As our expenditure had not been so incurred we had no claim here. We held, however, a communication from Mr George Duncan, when Secretary for Land and Works, promising aid to the amount of pound for pound for all moneys expended in building or repairs. As we had expended a considerable sum in necessary repairs, we deputed the vice - president and a member of committe, the Kev. Jas. Maxwell, to wait on the Government and explain our position. Those gentlemen, at a considerable sacrifice of time, did so, preferred our account, aud the promise, on the faith of which we had acted. Mr Macandrew promised to submit our request to the favorable consideration of the Executive. Thanks to the exertions of Messrs Macandrew and M ‘Dermid, we at last received the amount of our claim, L 35. This still leaves.

balance to the debit of the Institute of 1.8 4s lid, and as all accounts have been paid, the treasurer is this sum out of pocket. Th§re are several sums due to the Institute, however, which we have no doubt will be paid to our successors. The committee take this op* portunity of impressing on the public in the strongest manner, that but for the subsidy of L 35, which must be regarded as an extraordinary aid, they would be absolutely compolled to close the Institute; and that unless the support afforded by the public during the ensuing year be very much in excess of that given during the past, this Institution must come to an ignominious and premature end. Last year the number of annual subscribers was 53; half-yearly, 31 ; quarterly, 22; monthly, 5. For the present year ; Annual, 33; half-yearly, 26; quarterly, 36; monthly, 3, showing a falling off in subscriptions of between Ll4 aqd Lls. The librarian reports works issued during the year 2 508, as against, for the previous year, 1,733. With the exception of procuring the Daily Tims, which was obtained on easy terms from the Daily Times and Witness Co., your committee has not been in a position to add any reading matter whatever. The annual sale of magazines and papers realised L 7 5». Although well aware from the experiences of previous committees, that lectures, considered in a pecuniary sense, do not pay, yet your committee, desirous of extending the benefits of the Institute ai; much as possible, made provisions for a series of lectures during the winter months. We were fortunate in obtaining gentlemen of known ability as lecturers, to whom we are deeply indebted. In all, seven lectures were delivered, highly interesting and instructive, It now remains with you to elect new officers and committee for the ensuing year, ac the term of office of your committee expires on the 31st of this month,”—The Chairman explained the necessity for electing new officebearers, but as all of the old members refused office again, and there was not a sufficient number of members present, it was proposed and carried unanimously that the Institution be locked up and the key given to the Trustees.