RANGIORA LITERARY INSTITUTE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 12, 13 June 1874, Page 3

RANGIORA LITERARY INSTITUTE.

The annual general meeting of the members of this institute to receive the yearly report of the committee, for the election of officers, and other business, was held on Tuesday. There was not a very large attendance, nor was much interest manifested in the proceedings, as had been anticipated. Mr C. Morton, chairman of the managing committee, presided. The secretary having read the minutes of the last general meetings of members, which were confirmed, the chairman congratulated the meeting upon the exceedingly flourishing state of the institute. Ho contrasted its present condition with that at the last annual meeting, when they were about £SO in debt. Since that time this amount had been paid off, they had purchased a piano, effected a number of improvements, and had a balance to their credit of £7O. They had been materially assisted by the grant received from the Government, but they had also been very successful in collecting money amongst themselves. The singing class had given a scries of entertainments in aid of the piano fund, which had realised more than had been expected, so that they were enabled to purchase a better instrument than could otherwise have been done. Having referred to the establishment of a discussion class in connection with the institute, and several other minor matters, he called upon the secretary to read the annual report of the proceedings of the past year. The secretary (Mr R. Aherne) then read the report. It commenced by alluding to the satisfactory position of the institute, especially as regards the state of the finances; the accounts, which had been carefully kept and audited, showing a considerable balance to the credit of the institute. Through the liberality of the Government, the committee has been enabled to pay off all liabilities, and have ordered £SO worth of books from the Government, the remaining balance to their credit being intended for the purchase of periodicals. The letting of the hall had been frequent during the year, and the proceeds have been more than sufficient to pay the working expenses of the institute. During the year several energetic members of the committee have been obliged, in consequence of their removal from the place, to resign their respective, positions, and as a smaller number than were on the committee has been found to do the work satisfactorily, a motion would be brought before that meeting to reduce the number from seventeen to twelve. Two lectures have been given during the yeav by Dr Haast and Rev C. Fraser, those gentlemen kindly giving their services to aid the library fund. The president of the institute, Mr Merton, has also succeeded in establishing a musical society in connection with the institution, and the proceeds of the scries of concerts given by the society will almost pay for a capital piano, which will then become the property of the committee. One of the entertainments of the series was given by Mr Scagcr, and several ladies and gentlemen have given their assistance at the various concerts, to all of whom the thanks of the committee arc due. In cunsequence of the increased number of books in the library, a number of new shelves have been added, which will be sufficient to hold the books for some time to come. An out-building has also been erected as a place to keep firing, &c, and a flag-pole has been placed on the hall. The reading room has been gfairly patronised, and the number of periodicals considerably increased, papers from the different provinces and Australia, as well as several London ones, being regularly laid on the table. The services of Captain Wycherley have been secured as librarian, and since his term of office commenced there has been a great improvement in the appearance of the rooms. The thanks of the members have been recorded to Mr W.Johnston, who acted as librarian for a greater part of the year. The treasurer acknowledged with thanks the receipt of a donation of £2 2s from Mr R. Chapman, of Springbank, and o>-e of £5 from Mr T. W. Maude, the member for the > Rangiora distrct in the Provincial Council. The number of members of the institute last year was 82, and there are about 610 volumes of books in the library. A donation of some standard works has been received from Mrs Ell ice, which have been bound and placed in circulation. In concluding their report, the committee expressed a hope that their successors would have a year of as much prosperity as they have had. The treasurer, Mr E. R. Good, then read the statement of receipts and expenditure for the year:—Building fund—receipts to admission fees at lectures, £5 2s 6d ; rent of hall to Ist January, £l4 ; donation, £2 2s Gd ; part of Government grant, £IOO ; total, £l2l ss. The expenditure on this account was—By balance due last year, £39 13s 8d ; expenses of lectures, £1 Is Gd ; printing and advertising, £5 8s Gd ; lamps and chairs, £7 16s; gravel round hall, £2 10s ; balance due on building, £SO. 10s ; total, £lO6 19s 2d ; leaving a balance of £l4 5s lOd.of which £lO 15s lOd was placed to the credit of the ordinary fund, and £3 10s to the piano fund. For the ordiniry fund the receipts were—To balance last year, £36 5s 3d ; part of Gove nraent grant, £100; balance from building fund, £lO 15s 10.1 ; donation. £5 ; subscriptions to Ist June, 1874, £37 16s 3d : rent of hall since the Ist of January, £ 13 1 Is Gd : total, £203 8s lOd. Expenditure chargeable to this fund has been —By b< oks and papers, £2l 3s; furniture, outbuildings, &e, £47 Ss ; oflio? expenses, £1 12s 3d ; incidental expenses, £ls 5s 9d ; cleaning and lighting, £ls I'Js 8d ; insurance, £5 5s ; printing, £3 2s 3d ; balance in hand, £93 12s lid. Piano fund—Receipts to

season: Subscriptions to entertainment, £IG 8s Gd ; donations, 13s ; proceeds of entertainment, £4l 10s ; use of piano, £G IGs : total, £GB 7s- Gd. Expenditure—By expenses at concerts, £9 lis 5d ; tuning piano, £2 Gs ; carriage from Christchurcb, 15s ; price of piano, £73 10s ; total, ££G 2s 5d ; thus leaving a deitcit of £l7 14s lid, which, deducted from the credit balance of the ordinary fund, leaves a net balance in hand of £75 18a.

The treasurer having explained the several items in the account, it was moved by Mr W. A. Burt, and carried, that the report as read be adopted. Mr C. G. Chapman proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring committee and officerb, which was carried with acclamation.

Mr 15. R. Good then proposed a resolution to reduce the number of the committee to twelve. He stated that when the institute was establised the number of committee was fixed at twelve, but that for two years seventeen members had been elected, and he thought that considering the amount of business to be done, that the number he proposed would be found quite sufficient. A numbsr of the members did not attend the meetings regularly and he thought it better to have a smaller number of working members. Mr H. Boyd seconded the motion. Mr A. H. Cunningham was in favor of seventeen members forming the committee, and moved an amendment to that effect. He thought it would be well to have some new blood on the committee and to make the interest in it as general as possible. Mr Buckham proposed a further amendment that the number of members on the committee be niDe.

Mr Johnston seconded this amendment

Several members having expressed their views upon the matter, the chairman said that as Mr Cunningham's amendment had not been seconded it would fall to the ground, and he then put Mr Buckham'e amendment and the original motion to the meeting, when the latter was declared carried by a large majority. Mr J, Slater proposed that a discussion class be formed in connection with the institute, which after some discussion was carried unanimously. It was also decided that the class should have the use of the library room for their meetings free of of charge. Mr IT. Boyd moved, that only those members who have taken annual tickets should be allowed to vote, or have any voice' in the management of the affairs of the Institute. Mr R. Aherue seconded the motion, which was carried.

The meeting then proceeded to elect a managing committee for the ensuing year, when the following were duly proposed and seconded, viz :—Messrs .0. Morton, Geo. Buckham, A. H. Cunningham. R. Aherne, C. E. Tribe, B. R. Good, L. Hunnibell, B. Ellis, H. Boyd, Thomas Keh, T. Boyd, W. A. Burt and J. Stalker.

Thirteen being nominated, Mr W. A. Burt withdrew his name, and the chairman declared the foregoing duly elected for the current year. A number of members here signified their intention to join the discussion class, andtle newly elected committee adjourned to appoint their officers. Mr C. Merton was elected chaiiman of committee for the year ; Mr, E. R. Good was elected treasurer, and Mr R. Aherne secretary. Those having thanked the meeting for the honor conferred upon them, the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.