GREYMOUIH LITERARY INSTITUTE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 September 1901, Page 2

GREYMOUIH LITERARY INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of the above was held at the Beading room last evening,, there being 20 subscribers present. Mr Jay (President) presided.

The Secretary read the report as follows s

"Your Committee beg to submit to you the following report for the past year :—• " Since the last annual meeting your Committee has further added to the general comfort of subscribers in the way of covering the floor of the reading room with linolium at a cost of £ls. Your Committee is pleased to find that the improvement [ thereby effected* is much appreciated. A further supply of books, some 130 volumes, have been added to the library during the year at an outlay of £29. The selection of works was made by a sub-Committee, whose discrimination, it is to be hoped, has given satisfaction, Every care has also been taken in the selection of the latest Home papers and magazines; and, furthermore, new. shelving has been provided to meet the requirements of the room. Your Committee, however, hive again to express regret that, notwithstanding the efforts made to render the reading as attractive as possible, the reading people of the town do not respond as it was hoped they would do, the number ot subscribers being about the same as last year, 70. A subsidy of £l9 19s 5d was received from Government during the past year in aid of the library funds. This sum' was expended, in the purchase of the new books already referred to. The thanks of the subscribers are due to the Borough Council for the assistance rendered to the institution in granting the annual subsidy of £25, furnishing the gas free of charge." The balance sheet showed receipts since last annual meeting to have; been JEIIO lis (3d made up as follows:—balance, £5 16s lid; members subscriptions £59 15s; Borough Council subsidy £25, and Government grant £l9 19s 7d. Of the expenditure only £4,7 10s was was spent in new books and periodocals. The credit balance was £lll9s, and the liabilities £l7.

The report and balance sheet was adopted.

The following officers were elected : President—J. Jay; Hon. Treasurer— W. R. Kettle; Hon. Secretary-^J. Stewart

For the Committee the following were nominated: Messrs Cargill, Broad, Young, Harper, Thompson, Connor, Skoglund, Smith, Richmond, Vickerman, and JFoot. On a poll "being taken Messrs Cargill, Young, Harper, Smith, and Broad, were elected as a committee. Mr Smith moved that it be a recommendation to the new committee to r i duce the subscriptions to 5/- quarterly, 10/- half-yearly and £1 yearly instead of 6/- and 11/- as at present. Mr Berry seconded. Mr Stewart moved as an amendment that the charge be £1 per annum with at special youths ticket of 6/- per quarter. No seconder.

Mr Jay stated that a £1 ticket would sake in a man's family. The amendment was withdrawn and ;he resolution carried.

Mr. Kettle thought the library was a disgrace to the town. He said that there should be a larger membership than 60. The Librarian was not doing his duty. Mr. Cargill stated that he had found the Librarian courteous. He thought the books were not up-to-date. He suggested that instead of getting a new lot of books every nine or twelve months, it would be better to import a few every week, thus keeping the Library up-to-date.

Mr. Jay moved that it be instructions to the incoming committee to consider the best means of collecting fees.— Carried.

Mr. Forsyth thought it desirable for the committee to canvass the town for subscriptions. Mr. Jay said the" best thing would be to get a lady librarian with ■ the office of secretary combined. He had touched upon the question with members, for a weeic previous, but. found that there would be no chance of getting such a resolution passed at the meeting,

Mr. Skoglund proposed and Mr. Berry seconded that a hearty vote of thanks he passed for the valuable services rendered By Mr. Biemenschneider during his six years' term of secretaryship.—-Carried with acclamation.

Mr, Biemenschneider suitably res ponded.