KAIAPOI INSTITUTE.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 31, 6 July 1874, Page 3

KAIAPOI INSTITUTE.

A special general meeting of members was held in the hall of the institute, on Friday evening, to consider the question of opening the reading room on Sundays. About 75 persons were present. Mr Beswick, president, in the chair. The chairman thanked the members for having re-elected him president. After reading the notice calling the meeting, he said he was glad to see such a large attendance, and as it would facilitate the business of the meeting, he would rule that each one should only be allowed to speak once. Mr W. H. B. Pinching said he had to move: " That in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that the reading room of the institute shall be opened every Sunday afternoon, from 2 till 5 o'clock, for the perusal of papers, periodicals, and books of reference." In moving the resolution, he said there was only one object in view, the benefit of the institute and its members. He disclaimed any hostility to religion, or that it was intended to be opened as a counter attraction to the churches. How could it interfere with the churches from 2 till 5 p.m. ; the generality of people passed their time pretty well as they like; some sleeping, others read-

ing; and in passing this resolution, they would be filling up a void, as there were many of them (he did not mean to mince matters, but would call a spade a spade) who would be very glad of amusement on Sunday afternoons, and where could they find a more harmless one than iu comiug to the institute to read or exchange ideas in a quiet way 1 It had been said that Sunday was a day of rest; granted, but rest did not consist only in lying down and going to sleep. A change of employment or recreation meant rest. In opening tho reading room on Sunday afternoon's they offered a means of innocent recreation to any member who might take advantage of it. It had been said that if it was opened it would be the resort of a lot of idle boys, but, without fear of contradiction, he would say that Hie boys of Kaiapoi would bear favorable comparison with those of other towns in the colony, and he for one should be very sorry to see too many old heads on young shoulders. It was an insult to brand all the lads as reprobates. Boys, as a rule, were amenable to reason ; he had a great deal to do with them and had never had to complain of insults, and there would always be some one in the room having sullicieut iuilucnce to keep them in order if it was necessary. He did not think this would be required, however. He hoped the subject would be discussed temperately. Let them argue the case fully, and give each other credit for being conscientious. So far as he was personally concerned, the issue of the affair would make no difference, and if beaten he would take his beating like a man, and hoped others would do the same. Mr R. W. Smith seconded the motion. Letters were read from the Rev R. Ravin and Mr R. Fergusson against the motion, and from the Primitive Methodist Society, stating that as the opening of the institute would interfere with a members' meeting held on Sunday afternoon that they would probably have to give up their tenancy. Mr J. Lowthian Wilson, who opposed the motion, read a lengthy speech, during which there were two or three expressions of uneasiness at its length, and calls of " question." He said he regretted the discussion had come up because hitherto it had been by common consent agreed that the institute should be closed on Sunday. During the past nine years the idea had not been mooted. It had evidently been suggested by the. movement made to open tho Canterbury Museum and run the trains on Sundays. It was deplorable that persons could be fouud, and under the patronage of the Government, to take up a movement which he thought would ultimately lead to destroy the peace and quiet of Sunday. It had been said that if the running of trains would pay the Government would run them. It had also been urged that as it would pay to open the institute on Sunday. This, he protested, was not the light in which to look at the question, but for argument's sake it could safely be asserted that the persons using such arguments would be ashamed to open their private business places on Sunday, no matter if they received a handsome return. They shrank from the stigma of being called Sabbath-breakers, bnt did not appear to see that any harm would come of doing in a body what they would hold back from doing as individuals. If the iustitute was open, it would result in the Primitive Methodist Society, who now rented the hall at £2O a year.leaviug it. As to more members joining, he thought they ought to keep the members they already had, and those who had brought the place to its enviable position. It seemed a small pretext for new members to join because they could use the rooms on Sunday ; their argument amounted to this, that they would prefer to use it three hours on thirteen Sundays in the quarter, to having access to it from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all the week days. He objected to £he motion on moral and religious grounds ; it appeared to him to be a long step towards teaching infidelity. Anything that would cause persons to think less of the sanctity of the Sabbath should be discouraged by an intelligent body of men. The example of opening it he pointed out was a a dangerous one. Sir Matthew Hale's testimony was also brought as an example against Sabbath desecration. He went on to assert that the body and mind required rest of a kind which would not be found in discussions at the institute, as proposed ; that persons undertaking secular studies usually gave them up on Sunday, and in the public school weekday lessons were put away. He thought persons with families would find Sunday afternoon the best time to be at home enjoying a merry chat. He hoped they would all oppose the motion, and, if it was really found that persons could not avail themselves of the advantages of the iustitute during the evenings of the week, let them try to establish a half-holiday to accomplish their object, and in this they would have a strong argument to accomplish their purpose. Mr A. Balch approved of the proposal to open the reading-room for reading papers and books of reference, chess and draughts to be put away. Its opening would be a benefit to the young men of the town, and tend to keep them from the puolichouses. Mr G. P. Hewlings said he intended to vote for the motion. One reason why he should do so was, that as Britain was a laud of civil and religious liberty, they should not attempt to cram opinions down other persons' throats ; but if it was thought desirable by a majority to open the reading-room, it ought to be done. He thought they ought to hold liberal views on these questions. The numbers who took advantage of the Museum showed that it was a desirable thing to have that institution opened. Mr McKenna, who opposed the motion, thought the remarkabout thrusting opinions down other people's throats applied to the other side. They each held their own opinions. His opinion was that the only reason for opening the reading-room was to get reading matter. Now what was there to hinder members taking home as much reading as they wanted on the Saturday night. Mr S. Johnston opposed the motion. Those in favor of it had said they wanted to spend a quiet afternoon, but he submitted this could not be so if they carried out the resolutions which referred to an " exchange of ideas," which meant discussion, aud would certainly not lead to a quiet afternoon. If it was to be a kind of discussion class, then it was quite reasonable to suppose that it would not stop there. He asked the the young men if they were not ashamed of their friends, who stated that they wanted the rooms open to save them from their drinking propensities. It was intimated that the opening of the institute would reclaim the young men ; then all he could say was that he hoped the young men would not accept such an insult. He asked them not to go to the place to be pointed at, and have said of them that they were going to a reformatory. He pointed out the fact that it would amount

to forcing the Primitive Methodist Society to give up their tenancy, <iutl that there was no telling where the movement might Ft op if they commenced to make Sunday like every other day. It would be soon found that they were getting rid of their moral and intellectual faculties", Mr Smith said the Primitive Methodist Society could not be interfered with, as a room intervened between the hall and the reading room, added to which they would soon be erecting a place of worship, as they had purchased the land. The books intended to be used on Sundays would be works of reference.

Mr J. C. Porter opposed the motion. No harm might come of it, but it would be productive of no good. If they sanctioned the opening of one room from two till five p.m., it would establish the principle that it would enable it to be opened from morning till night, and then that all the rooms be opened, lie did not see that persons who were in favor of the Education Ordinance should be so anxious to carry the motion, seeing that they only had Sunday left to impart religious instruction to their children. He was opposed to the tendency to treat the Sunday in a way they bad never before been used to. Mr Pinching replied.

The Chairman said he was pleased the discussion had been of such a temperate character, although the religious question had been imported into it. He explained the advantage of religious tolerance, as shown in respect to the working of the Education Ordinance, and considered it should be shown in the question before the meeting. His view was, that if a persou spent his Sunday in a way in which he considered right he was perfectly justified in doing so. There were different ways of taking rest. Mr Gladstone's way was by chopping trees down. If the majority were in favor of making the institute like a club, where they could meet, smoke, and have a quief chat, as they would at each other's firesides, why should not it be carried. Mr Porter's view, that persons should spend Sunday afternoon with their families, would not suit every case, as some find their houses getting too small, aid were glad to get out of the way of a crying baby. From his experience at Scarborough, the reading-rooms were open on Sunday. They sometimes adhered strongly to the prejudices taught in youth, He would rather see the young men in the reading room than smoking their pipes on the bridge in the cold. If it came to his giving his casting vote he should vote in favor of opening the room. He would put the motion. A question was here raised as to who were members, whether any in arrear with subscriptions could vote. Ultimately it was ruled that all who had been considered members should vote.

The meeting divided to each side of the room ; Messrs Malthcrs and Pinching acted as scrutineers. The votes were a tie, viz, thirty-seven for and the same against the motion.

The chairman gave his casting vote with the ayes, and the motion was carried with cheering. Mr .Wilson said he had felt so strongly on the matter that he had decided to resign the office of secretary to the institute. One member stated his intention of moving that a supply of Bibles and other books for Sunday reading be placed in the reading room.

The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.