TURANGANUI LIBRARY

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1649, 16 January 1906, Page 3

TURANGANUI LIBRARY

The annual meeting of the Turanganui Library was held last evening, when there were present :—Messrs JF. Morgan (PrasideDt), G. Mattbewson, L. T. Byrnes, W. A. O’Meara, G. Grant, A. Cuthbert, G. Stock, B. TJ. Burke, StantoD, and W. J. Hawley. The Secretary (Mr Hawley) read the report and balanee-sbe:-t, whioh were adopted on the motion of the President. " Tour committee has much pleasure in plaoing the report of the Library for the past twelve months before the subscribers. The membership has increased from 324 to 428, while the books now number 4920, Since our last meeting the Library has been removed from the old buildings in Lowe street to the upstairs portion of a block of buildings at the comer of Peel street and Gladstone road. .As will be seen by the balance-sheet, a large amount of the subscriptions, together with the balance brought forward from la-t year’s report, bas been spent in new shelving and furnishing the Library. The total amount placed in the voluntary subscription box for the year amounts to 4s 4d, and we consider that persons who nse the reading-room daily might at least occasionally put a contribution in the box. Two well-known inhabitants of the district during the past year have given donations to the Library fund, viz., Messrs A. Hutchinson and E. Murphy, for the special purpom of purchasing books for the reference library. These books are due to arrive this month.”

The balance-sheet showed the balance in baDk on December 31st, 1904, to bave been *6114 15s 2d. Receipts during 1905 included subscriptions £l9O 3s 6d, rent from Borough and County Counoils, J. A. HardiDg, and tennis court £124 2s 2d, Government subsidy £l7 4s 9d, donations £lO5, minor reoeipts £l4 Is 10d, total with balance from last year £sf}s 7s ; sd. The, expenditure totalled £593 §3 6d, leaving an overdraft at Bank of Hew Zealand of' £27 19s Id. The chief items of expendis ture were furnishings and fittipgs for the new premises £lB4 6s §d, new books and papers £97 17 3 Bd, rent £39 6s, offioe expenses (including librarian’s salary and oommiesion £9§ §9, catalogues £2O, insurance £l4 17s Id, cleaning library £lo ss. Ere and light £9 19s 7d, etc) £172 Is lid, deposit in savings bank £IOO, total £593 63 6d. The only liability was the overdraft of £27' 19j Id, against which there were assets totalling £B7O, including deposit in savings bank £IOO, 4920 books in library £590, furniture, fittings, and pictures £IBO. Mr L. L. Symes pointed out that the museum was not included es an asset in the balance-sheet. He did not place any value on it, but there were many in town who did, and he considered that as oustodians they should bave the museum reinstated in the assets of the Library.

Mr Stock said they had practically pattrd with the museum to the High Sohool Board, and they did not want to burden their books with an asEet that did not exist.

After further dfsousaion, it was decided to reinstate the museum in the balance-, sheet as an asset without placing aby value on it. The election of offioers was then proceeded . with, as follows President, Mr L. T. Symes; vice-president, Mr F. T. Morgan ; committee, Messrs Grant, Hawley, Mat hewson, Stcck, R. J. Reynolds, Cuthbert, and Burke. Messrs W. A. O'Meara and H. M, Porter were re-appointed auditors. Mr Stanton said he was surprised to see such a poor attendance of subscribers. He thought that the publishing of the balanceI sheet prior to the meeting kept many away. They knew what condition the Libi ary was in, and did not trouble themselves further.

It was resolved in future not to publish the balance-sheet prior to the meeting. Mr Stanton suggested raising the librarian’s wages.so that the Library could be opened at 10 in the morniDg instead of noon. Mr Hawley pointed out that those who made use of the library [had only contributed 4s 4d during the last year, and 2s 6d the year previous. The committee thought it best under these conditions to open the libiary as little as possible. Mr Stanton oomplimented the committee on their librarian, who was the most | attentive he had met throughout Australasia. On the motion of Mr Stock a vote of thanks wai accorded to the librarian. At a subsequent meeting of the committee Mr W. J. Hawley was ro-oieoted secretary and treasurer, end Messrs Grant, Stock, Guthbert, the secretary and President a book comnrttee.