THE DUNEDIN ATHENÆUM AND MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

Evening Star, Issue 3415, 31 January 1874, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN ATHENÆUM AND MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of members of this institution was held last night, a large number being present. Mr Stout, vice-president, was in tho chair.

The Chairman said he would, as was usual with retiring vice-presidents, touch upon the salient facts concerning the progress of the institution during the past year. This year’s balance-sheet compared favorably with that of I m y6a /’ th f having increased by T i ßnn a ß d g ren i tß Government grant of LSOO had also been received, which had been applied to the reduction of the debt on the bmldmg. The members were greatly indebted to Messrs Haggxtt, Davie, Oliver, and other members of the Council for their efforts to obtain that grant. The increase in the number of volumes was 100 more than last year, the additions numbering 564 against 446. Old members would remember the time when the Institute had difficulties to contend with, when they had no credit aud the committee became personally liable, and these would be glad to know that next year there would be an additional sum of L4O to expend in books. It had been said that the past committee had abused their office by introducing infidel and Spiritualistic works, but he had prepared a list ot the theological works lecommended by that committee, which he would read, and it would then be seen that not a single Spiritualistic work had been ordered. There were only about a dozen such works in the institution, and those had mostly been presented. The list was as follows :-Jewish Literature and Modern Edu cation ; Memoir of Dean Alford; Memorials of r ; The Old and the New Faith; Lite of Bishop Patteson ; Essays on Historical haith; Princeton Review; Dean Stanley’s Lectures on the Church of Scotland and Professor Rainy’s Reply; Thoughts for the Times by Rev. W. Haweiss, M.A. ; Life of Rev. W Anderson, L.L D., by Rev. W. GilfiUan; On the Unity, Quality, and Trinity of the Godhead: Reconciliation of Science and Religion, by Rev M,A * 5 Life a nd Times of Whiteri® 5.» l ve Getters on a Conversion to Roman Catholicism, by Robert Rodolph Snffield That list would dispose of the accusation of the committee having any religious bias, and it must be remembered that that bodv must get what books are most run upon by the members. One book in that list. Dr. Strauss’s “ The Old and the New riaith,” was greatly run upon. As the icligious question had been raised, he might say that hitherto the members had refused to be biassed by the religious creeds of those proposed to serve on their committees. He could name one man who had done a great deal in tunes past to foster the institution, and that was Mr Logan, theonly manof means in Dunedin who nad responded to the urgent appeals of the committee. The members always thought that taking cognizance of the religious opinions or the committee would be simply an introduction of a system of tests, which would be a sad going-back in a new country. He did not wish to say much of himself, but if the members did not require his services further he should not press them. Regarding the two resolutions to be put to the meeting he would ex, lain how came about. At the last meeting Mr M Gregor proposed that the subscription foi youths should be reduced to 10s 6d, but it could not bo put, as the bye-laws required that seven days notice should be given or a motion, so it was allowed to stand ovr r until this meeting. Ihe second resolution, with regard to opening the reading-room on Sundavs, was also brought up in committee, and though they had the power to open the room, they thought that as it was a new idea it should be submitted to the members to decide upon. There was no intention to lengthen the working hours of Mr Black, the librarian, for the committee had under consideration the shortening of his present hours, if possible. It had been suggested the members of committee should take charge of the institution on Sundays alternately. The Rev. Dr Roseby : I desire to know if it is competent for the Chairman to become the advocate of any motion before the meeting’ It appears to me not a fair thing. The .Chairman : I am merely giving a sketch of what is before tbe meeting. The Rev. Dr Roseby stiff attempted to speak amid meat confusion, until , Th ® Rev* Ur Stuart said Dr Roseby would have full time bye-and-bye to state his views.— (Hear, hear.) , The Chairman said he thought the members had sufficient reason not to be swayed by anv remarks from the chair. The report for the past year would now be read. Mr D. R. Hat, the secretary, then read the report as follows :

“The Committee have to report the continued success of the Institute. The number of subscribers is steadily increasing, as will be seen from a comparison of the years 1872-73 :

The- number of subscribers on the books on the 31st December, 1873 :

agoiust 763 on the same date of the previous year, being an increase of 30. The number of volumes added to the library is considerably larger than last year. The number added last year was 44b ; this year 564 volumes have been added: showing an increase of 118. The circulation of books and magazines for the past year was 35,157; this year it was 37,160: showing an increase of 2,003. Total number of bound volumes in the Athemeum for circulation is now 9,379. The Committee have received donations of books, &c., from the following gentlemen--Messrs Logan, Millar, Bracken, and Hr Richardson, as well as a photograph of the moon from Mr Ellery of the Melbourne Observatory. The Committee may also add tnat nearly all the newspaper proprietors in iNew Zealand have forwarded copies of their publications to the institute. The Committee have much pleasure in being able to state that the debt of LSOO, due on the building, has been paid off. This has been accomplished by the Committee receiving the grant of Ljoo voted at last Session of tbe riu 0V A ncia .^ ou “ aid of the Athenaeum. Ihe Committee believe that the subscribers will unite with them in tendering thanks to the Provincial Council for this further token of the interest manifested by the Council in such educational institutions as the Athenaeum, and for tlieir aid to the Dunedin Athenaeum in particular, .Considerable alterations were made to improve the lighting i f the reading-room, and the committee confidently hope that the increased comfort to the readers will fully justify the expenditure, I wo vacancies have occurred during the year through Mr Fellows (secretary) and Mr Gardner (trawwr) having left for Britain, Mr Hsy aftd Mr Winter were annotated to act

in their stead during the remainder of the year. The Committee have great satisfaction in being able to state that the salaried officers of the institute, Mr Black and Mr Parsons, have faithfully discharged their duties. As the balance-sheet and statement of assets and liabilities have already been circulated, it is unnecessary for the Committee to recapitulate the items. The statement will clearly show that the Athenamm was never in a more flourishing state than at present,*’ The Rev. Dr Stuart moved the adoption of the report. He had very great pleasure in finding that their Institute was out of debt, —(Hear, hear.) With some older members he remembered when it was otherwise with the Institute —when tlie difficulty was to make it creep. Now it was very pleasant to find that by the aid of mends who had never failed in educational matters in Otago—he meant the Provincial Council-the Institute was out of debt. He liked to connect this Institute with the Government of Otago and the Provincial Council. It had all along been greatly indebted to the Government ; and in consequence of the help formerly rendered, he looked upon the Institute not bo much as a club of gentlemen who voluntarily met together to provide intellectual food for themselves, as an Institute that the Government of the country had done much to launch, and a great deal to sustain. He was quite sure that the money expended on that Institution had on the whole been well and economically expended. Of course he did not agree with the action of former committees, and he supposed that if he had had a seat on q 1 . 08 ®. com mittees, all the members of the Institution would not have agreed with his action* but, on the whole, he thought the present Committee and former ones had deserved well of the subscribers. He was delighted to find that there was a new spirit abroad, and that members were taking a livelier interest in the proceedmgs. In his opening remarks, the Chairman referred to certain changes which theCommitteo or a Portion of it, were in favor of, and he was delighted to learn that there was a proposal to admit apprentices and young people under 18 at half-price. That was assuredly a step in the right direction.—(Hear) He hoped the meeting would add—‘"andstudents attending the University”— especially students co «- ing from the country. He would conclude by mo ving a vote of hearty thanks to the members of the Committee for the admirable manner with whmh they managed the affairs of the Institution during last year. Mr J. G. S, Grant seconded Dr Stuart’s motion, saying that so long as he spoke respectfully he hoped the conduct of some of the members (he could see them now) at the meeting last year would not be repeated. He could not homologate all the statements of the report there was a tendency to throw a good deal of sophistry in people’s eyes in respect to the books. Whether there was anyone on the Committee who could appreciate good books he could not say (Laughter and confusion.) Mr Worthington : Considering the wellknown character of Mr Grant, would it not be in mL er his time for speaking ? The Chairman : Mr Grant is in order in speaking to the motion. Mr Grant continued with reference to the books in the library. He had searched through it that afternoon, and what did he find to represent that Shakspeare of theology—Jeremy c ‘ ® ae httle tagrag-and-bobtail volume or his works. A good deal had been said about Strauss ; well he would give the opinion lately delivered at Liverpool by Mr G1 dstone, Premier of England. That gentlemen said the works of Strauss had a tendency to reduce mankind to a herd of cattle—without God, Wl “°ufc hope, and without mortality. i-Uiu • ®* Winter, hon. treasurer, intimated that by inserting advertisements in their catalogue the cost of it had been reduced to L 3 13s. and over 500 copies were in hand. Dr Bakewell said that, as a newcomer, he must congratulate the commitee on the excellent Institution under their control. He had seen a great deal of kindred societies in England and the Colonies, but the Dunedin Athenamm was perhaps the best he had met with. The Rev. Dr Roseby would try to make a tew remarks with what little sense he might be possessed of.—(oh !)—and they must be received as coming from a friend, not an enemy. He claimed to yield to no man in the meeting in an estimation of the value of such an Institution, tie thought he had already spoken of it in strong terms when he even presumed to compare it to the Otago University. He desired to confine his remarks to three several points: i irst, as to the religious literature of the library; second, as to its fiction ; and, third, as to a certain table to which allusion would perhaps bo made hereafter. In regard to the religious books in the Athenamm, he did not mean to make any accusation in regard to the action ot the present Committee. Thechairman of the meeting had—of course undesignedly—misrepresented some statements of his in regard to the religious works in the library. He did not saydhat those religious works of which he complained had all been introduced, or any considerable part of them, by the present Committee, but these books were there, and as a 1 engious man he regretted their presence. And even admitting, in a spirit of toleration, that those books had a right to be there, he regretted the conspicuous absence of literature of a character which, in his judtrshould fairly be placed side by sicte with those books as antidotal to them, bo far as memory served him, only a single book was mentioned by the chairman which seemed to have anything of an infidel tendency; but referring to the shelves of the Athenaeum, he would ask any man who knew anything ot religious literature whether he would not find there a great deal the tendency of which was anti-religious and anti Christian? (Hear.) He did not complain that the results of advanced thought should be found in the library ; he did not complain of Herbert bpencer—who would appear to be a rather popular writer with members of the Athenaeum : he did not complain that some books whose tendency he deeply regretted were in favor with members of the Institution; but he did say that the standard works on religious literature ought in fairness to find their place on the library shelves. Of cource it was a mere matter of authority, and hjs word might not be worth as much as that of others—but he would desire to express his emphatic opinion that those antidotal works were not suffisiently represented in the Institution,—(Hear, hear.) Where were the works of their old English divines ? Mi Grant bad justly alluded to the conspicuous absence of those; and taking the modern men of letters m the sphere of theology, the defect of their works was most conspicuous on the shelves. Passing on to the next point, he had not only to complain that the works of religious literature in the Athenamm had an anti-Christian tendency, but he would say he thought it was a shameful thing that in the library of this Institution there should be an immense disproportion between the works of fiction and religious literature. Looking over the pages of the catalogue that afternoon he found something like forty-seven pages devoted to fiction and only six pages devoted to religious works. A Voice: Quite enough too.— (Hear, and laughter) ’ The Rev. Dr. Roseby would accept the observation just made by one of the members present as an indication of what bethought had been the spirit of the action of the managers of this Institution in regard to religious literature namely—The less of it the better.—(No, no ) But looking at the character of the fiction in the institution, he would carry the feeling of the meeting with him when he said it was not i ci editable to the Institution that there were i works of fiction in its library of a distinctly demoralizing tendency.—(Cries of “Name them 1 ) He was a iked to name those works, but he did not desire to direct persons of a prurient imagination to certain books(laughter) rendered conspicuous by being named. (Dry up!) He desired, lastly, to call tho attention of his fellow-members to the existence in the reading-room of a table on which it appeared, any member of the Institution had a right to place whatever works might seem good unto him.—(Hear, hear.) The Chairman : May I mention that they must first be given to the librarian ? The Rev, Dr Roseby said he found, when he looked at the table, that there were a number of papers he thought ought not to be allowed into an institution of this kind.—(Oh, oh! hear hear.) He had seen a newspaper lying on that table which lie had no hesitation in characterising us a thing of madness and profanity.— |Pk> oh ! and “Name.”) He did not believe the Committed were justified in abdicating their frfuctidue as a committee in admitting

into the reading! room any newspaper or work whatever that might seem good to any member to introduce. He maintained it was the duty of the Committee to see that there was not anything introduced into its reading room calculated to outrage the religious feelings of any member of the Institution. He did the Committee of the Institution the credit of believing that they had not sanctioned expressly the introduction into the reading room of the Dunolly Advertiser.’ He bad nothing further to allege, having, he thought, sufficiently justified his statements elsewhere made concerning the character of the Institution. He was hopeful that the Institution would prove to be what he believed it still was—a great public good—and it was only his deep interest in it that led him to raise his voice against anything being done that was likely to hinder its usefulness—he would not say to prostitute it to any unworthy purpose.

Mr Worthington said he had been a member for eleven years, and had never read an immoral book there, because he never looked for them. Certainly he did one time go in for reading “Jeremiah Taylor,” and that sort of thing—(Here there were loud yells of laughter for some minutes by the meeting, at the apparent classification by the speaker of Jeremy laylor’s works amongs immoral ones—Mr Worthington looking on astonished and innocently], but I have changed my opinion now as to what is good to read.

Mr Lubecki said that there was a suggestion book kept in the Institution, in which members could write down the name of any book they might think desirable. On a previous occasion a book of an immoral tendency had found its way into the library, and being pointed out to the Committee it was at once removed.

Mr C, Muston said he had taken the trouble to look through the library, and he would be prepared to show that Dr Roseby’s statements were quite unfounded. It had already been pointed out that the Committee were bound to givegreat weight to the desiies of members as to the class of books to be procured, and on that account by far the largest number of books in the library were novels; although, as a novel reader, ho had himself found cause to complain that they did not get enough of them. (Hear, hear.) As rega'ds immoral books, it so happened that the present committee kid not take steps to purify the library. It was pointed out by one of the papers and by correspondence, that there were certain no l^ e Js written by the authoress who called herself Ouida,” which were of a demoralizing tendency. He believed that those books were now out of circulation. He himself believed that the most immoral books on the shelves the translations of the ancient classics. Mr Wilding said that as regarded the immoral books Dr Roseby referred to, he had never read them ; and, having no desire to read them, he never looked for them. He would also remind them that if there were no immoral books, there would be such books as moral ones.—(loud laughter.) The Rev. Archdeacon Edwards wished to know if the librarian only was responsible for the books or papers placed oh the table, which the Rev. Dr Roseby had referred to ?

Chairman said that the Committee were placed in this position: They were continually getting donations of newspapers. For example, the Otago Christian Record,’ the ‘Church News, and the ‘ Tablet,’ the ‘ Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser,’ and! a great many others. The Committee considered that they had no right to say that those papers should not be admitted to the room because they did not accord with their views. If they did so they would be making a creed for the members Ihey thought that the Institute should have no creed, and therefore they decided that all books and papers, unless they were obscene, should be allowed to remain on the table to be road by the members.

Mr Charles Smith thought the Committees, presentand past, had not been well treated by Dr Roseby, who said that no religious works should be admitted that might outrage the feelings of any member. Suppose he (Mr Smith) had a friend who was a faithful follower of Abraham, should that friend be allowed to say “Away with all your Christian literature I” —(Loud applause.)

Mi-Cooper did not think it was creditable to the theological mind that it should be so much [lightened at the disproportion of forty-seven pages devoted to works of fiction as against six pages devoted to religious literature. It should be remembered that most people read twenty works of fiction for one religious work. Mr E. Nathan said he could not allow the remarks of the Rev. Dr Roseby to pass unchallenged. He was happy to find that among the members ot the Institution there were very feu who agreed with tho remarks of the reverend gentleman. He was happy to find that their minds were more enlightened, and that they were determined to show that they were not an assemblage of boys and old women to be lectured as to the class of books they should read. Pui R . oseb y bad , dwel * very much upon the i • VJ eadi “S room containing literature which he did not approve of, and he dared say that that table contained literature that he (Mr Nathan) did not approve of j but when he saw a boos: or a pamphlet that he did not approve of he did not read it. He could not say whether there were any immoral books in the library, because he had never looked for them. He pleaded guilty to reading “Ouida’s” novels, but they were not immoral, they were foolish books, written in a light pleasant style. The plots might please some persons, but they diet not please him. One gentleman said that these novels were immoral.

Mr Muston said that he did not say that these books were immoral. He said that they were commented on by the Press and correspondents as being immoral. One or two of the Committee took the trouble to read some of the novels, and on their report it was resolved that the books should be allowed to wear them selves out. In consequence of that decision there was an immense lush for the books.— (Loud laughter.) They were soon worn out, and no new copies were ordered. Mr E. Nath.vn said that he had misunderstood Mr Muston. He now unde: stood that gentleman to say that the newspapers were of opinion that “ Ouida’s ’’ novels were immoral ; but from the position which Mr Muston held, he must be aware that the opinions of the Press were not always right.—(Loud laughter.) Ihe motion for the adoption of the report was then put and carried unanimously. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year j—Vice-president, Mr Lubecki; treasurer, Mr Winter; secretary, Mr D. K. Hay. hor the nine members of committee there were nineteen nominations, and the followin'* were elected by ballotß. Stout, 154 ; Prof M'Gregor, 130; Mr Logan, 120; Rev. Mr btanford, 9 2 ; W. N. Biair, 91; Capt. Hutton, So ; Charles Smith, 7o; E. B, Cargill, 73; W. D. Stewart, 72, Mr Stout said that the meeting would now resolve^ itself into a special one to discuss some resolutions, of which notice had been given. He would vacate the chair which should now be properly taken by the vice-president. The newly-elected vice-president, Mr Lubecki, then took the chair. On the motion of Mr Winter, a vote of thanks to the retiring vice-president, Mr Stout, was earned unanimously. Mr Lubecki then returned thanks for his election, and for the honor that had been dons him. _ He would have been content to serve them in the capacity of a member of the committee, but since they had chosen to elect him vice-president, he would do all in his power to serve the interests of the Institution. Mr E. Nathan moved that the meeting should admurn, as the hour was late, and there waa a deal of important business to be done Mr Cooper seconded the motion, which was put and lost. The Chairman said that the first business was the amendment of bye-law 10, by the additurn of the words-“ That the annual sub beXed” 1 yoUthß UUder eightCCn yeatß 0f age nZw??- S TUART ,moved, as an amend“nrnl * ‘>uths” be inserted aeconding l^ 11^9 mv ersityMr Ross Aster discussion as to an addition to amotion requiting seven days’ notice, the amendment was put and lost. i 'Y, EBB tben moved an amendment, *Y i ? r!f the following words should be added to the bye-law after it had been amended as proposed “ Youths whose parents do not re 'ru ln PP ned m>” which was lost. .WPtion, far. the amendment of VO •wub then put and caytjed.

Mr Stout then rose to move—" That the reading-room of the Institute should be kept open for four hours upon Sundays,” It was not really necessary to bring the matter before the subscribers at all, since it did not alter any ma2ar b raiT W th ® I . nst j I tution . b «t when the matter came before the Committee, he ruled that it would not be fan-not to allow the subsenbers to express their opinions on the questron. He did not intend to urge anything in favor of the resolution, but he thought the religious question need not be introduced. Each subscriber need only ask himself, '• Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day?” The hours during which the reading-room was to be kept open, m the event of the resolution beincr mssed could be fixed by the Committee to be s elected’ and none of the officers of the Institution would bo required to attend on Sunday. Mr C. R. Chapman secon led the motion. He had heard it said that this motion was brought forward principally by the so-called Spiritualists m connection with the Institution. This was not correct, as he was not a Spiritualist. Mr Chant said the proposal to open the room on Sunday was brought forward by a coterie to insult the clergy of the place. Mr Stewart had heard no reasons in support of the motion. The majority of the Committee was against it. Mr Grant: Was the Rev. Mr Stanford against it? A Voice: Yes.

Mr Grant ; Then he is a (Yells and infuriously 1 )* Qnn ® Mr Grant gesticulated A. Voice ; Is what is food on the week day poison on Sunday ? J MrG Muston said the onus of proof lav with those who proposed to open the room, but no one had proved that any great good would be done, or that if the room was opened any great number would make use of it. He was one of the most earnest advocates of opening this place on Sunday at first, and he signed «ie requisition to the tyicep-resident to chll a special meeting to consider the matter. This was not done. In the interval he employed his time by inquiring into the question, and as a layman he held. rea8 ° nt 0 chans ’ e opinion he at first

Mr Hat thought it would he quite time enough to alter the rules of the Institute in the direction indicated by the motion before them, when there was some pressure frem without.

Mr Winter said that one reason why the matter had been brought forward, was because at the present time there was a great rush on Saturday to get out books for Sunday’s reading, and a large number of those who were emP’S ° n ? aturda y. and until a late hour on Saturday night, after the Institution miSunda^ 816 unab “ te eet out books t( > read The Rev. Dr Stdart contended that what was proposed to be done was tantamount to the Committee desiring to continue their trade on uu’ Was not a Pharisee in the matter of Sabbath observance. He never sought to drive people to church, and he never went into any mans house and asked him how he spent his Sabbath. Ho would leave a man to read what he pleased. Who were to look after <w? “ ade us ® °f the reading-room on the Cmbbatb if the resolution were carried ? He did not thank the members of the Committee were, and they had the right to refuse such a duty. It seemed strange to him that young men could not get a sufficient quantity of intelligence and fV. Ur ® t j e six da ys of the week to tide them oyer Sunday. With respect to what #+u ßen as *° necessity for the opening of the reading-room on Sunday, he might remark that those young men who lived in boarding-houses or hotels had their bedroom to themselves, and that there were plenty of churches, and the noble Town Belt. At the same time, he would say that it was an unfair dung to do violence to the religious feeling of a 'cry large number in this community. Ho held that Sunday was a great boon to everyone, and if the Institution were to continue to prosper, and the union of the members to conS'.foSns."f I “' e ree ” d ,OT “ Cl ‘ Mr Cooper said if it was right for people to themTo^H 1 - 108 °“, Sund |y. It was right for them to read in another. But the privilege of tbe reading-room at the Athenieum on tT,w y ,u hoX i ld b -:,S ranted for nothing, and he would therefore like to add to the motion that the institution should be opened on Sundaj in the event of seventy members paying a subscription of five shillings per annum. Mr Stout would support the proposal of Mr SXn! W ° Uld PUt * a Uh re! Mr MARnN then stood up on some form at >nnJnf B w d th - e baR ' and persevered for a ml!ff dera^£‘ t il ne lu ,'l n attempt to address tho meeting, which would not hear him. Mr .Uus row said that the proposal for a second WUS 811 ? P ly a the members to Hnn S eir . 00 , nßc iences for what the Institution would gam by it. Q Jf. be ■^, ev ;.^ )r ftosEßv would oppose the pre°i l +! lon Up ° Q the g roun d of expedimcy. He asked tao supporters of the motion if they wbon a +i! ng °a j 5 Principle of broad £ BQ dld Tlo %me to the feelings ef a !Sen?e b6r f ° r th ® Bake of a Uttle con ’

Dr CoPLA £ D said the opening of the reading-room ,on Sunday would be an rnat'E ° n and ° tW Ability on tW? p't 1 pAKBicK said that in London, some parts of Ireland, and in Glasgow, the reading-rooms were open on the Sabbath, and there wm™ great necessity here for some such institution to be open. He did not wish to appeal to their rehgious feelings, but to their judgment, and he would call their attention to the orderly de- “^ n ° r of those who were to be seen in the reading-rooms on ordinary days. Was it UlrX there would be any alteration on Sunday’ Let ?® n pr ?P°. Bed the discussion h Tv ld r> ad lr Ur S ed * bufc tb is was negatived, • G ° W rose t0 addr <*sthe meetS°A Vote “vote® s W R at firafcdrowned by shouts lak ln/S 2.“ at len Stb allowed to speaic, and said that the Question was not a. mere matter of expediency, but l mLt matter of principle. If the motion was carried but 7f W the a mot yaßlon ° f his .^b^ ollß feelings, but if the motion was negatived no one’s religious feelings would be outraged. TT^if ß^? 6 ° f the w i ldest confusion now ensued. Half-a-dozen people were vainly essaying to speak at the same time, while the mass of *be j Sasjs rA * asr* Jner was declared carried. T.f. I >.™ KCAI ' Dr: I tru,t (Conforiim) -J to d °- ««- * Chafrman R lf C T L ? T ii v 1 ?, erel y wish to ask the w.o«l rU f* n xi l baU be able to move an amendafter the vote is taken. Ihe Ckmuman replied in the affirmative. Mr broui then proposed that the vote should betaken by ballot; and Mr Raima"mS “5 lead “ enfc ' thllt lfc .be by show of hands. } V -. D - Stewart pointed out that the original motion to be earned must have two-thirds "KV? present voting in its favor.—(Cries of The Rev. Dr Stuart : I ask the ruUng of the chairman on that point. 8 OI ,no S il n : 1 don ’f tbMt « . now W.i Sd thSi’SK^”°^ b * *£***■ I ffIES ComLSr : " b “ m ‘ r “ i“truc«on to tho toCra^iS” 1 " 1 * “ P " W ~h sftss m “j» ri S °‘ rriei * ilift liev* Dr Rqrruv • t mb i this meeting do disS from the chair.-(Confusion.) WKvn the % of the KmaA.'S.tU the

The Rev. Dr SIUARt: I would appeal to Dr Roseby if it is wise to obstruct the vote being taken.

The Rev. Dr Roseby ; Well, sir (Confusion, and crics»of “ Sit down). Mr Hay pointed out that the meeting was evidently against Dr Roseby, and suggested that the rev. gentleman should sit down. The Chairman : I agree with Mr Hay that Dr Koseby haying appealed to the meeting, and seeing that it is certainly against him, he should give way.—(Hear.) The Rev. Dr Roseby again attempted to speak, but the meeting would not hear him, and he sat down.

On the Chairman putting the vote, Mr Winter rose to propose—“ That the vote by a poll be taken one day this weekbut it was ruled that the vote must be by those present at the meeting. It having been decided that the vote should be by show of hands, the Chairman proceeded to put the original motion—“ That the reading room be kept open for four hours on Sundays.” Mr Stout : I now move that a poll be taken. —(Cries of “No.”) If that is denied, and the motion is lost, I shall simply get fourteen members to sign acquisition to call another special meeting.—(Hisses and cheers.) The vote was then taken, those in favor of the motion being ordered to the right and those against it to the left of the chairman. When it was seen that the motion was carried, its supporters j on to the seats and forms and cheered vigorously for several minutes. When their enthusiasm was spent, and one could hear his neighbor, their opponents demadded a poll of those present, which was taken with the following result For the motion, 91; against it, 83. The announcement being received with more cheering, the meeting broke up hurriedly at 12.40, but before the chairman left the room the Rev. Dr Stuart handed in the following protest “ I protest, in the name of all who ad here to me, against the declaration of the chairman that a resolution to the effect that the Athenaeum reading-room is henceforth to be opened for foui hours on Sundays on a vote of 91 to 83 is carried, on the ground that such a radical change cannot he effected without a vote of two-thirds of the members present.”

Annual members 1872. ... 520 1873. Increase. 553 33 Half-yearly ... 163 183 20 Quarterly ... 401 413 12 Extra subscribers ... 65 74 9 1.149 1,223 74

Annual 553 Half-yearly ... 110 Quarterly 130 793