LYTTELTON COLONISTS’ SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1453, 12 October 1878, Page 3

LYTTELTON COLONISTS’ SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the society took place at the Colonists’ Hall on Thursday evening; the president, Mr Joyce, in the chair. The chairman read the following report : In presenting the annual report your committee is pleased to be able to announce an improvement in the financial position of this society. This improvement is really greater than will be shown by the treasurer’s statement, in consequence of the .£25 grant from the Lyttelton Harbor Board not bavin? been received in time to be included in the accounts for the past year. The subscriptions this year show an increase of =£ls ss. or a total of .£lO9 ss, being the largest amount yet received from that source ju any one year. The amount received fpr hire of hall also shows an increase oi' about £ 4, while there is a decrease of about <£B in the amount paid for gas. Your committee desire to return their beat thanks to those ladies and gentlemen both of Christchurch and Lyttelton, who have so kindly come forward to assist the institution in connection with the Winter Evening Readings. Were it not for the kind assistance of these ladies and gentlemen the society would be quite unable to maintain its present position. Messrs J. S. Willcox aud R. Bunker have greatly aided the society by their kindness in taking money and tickets at the door at the Winter Evening Readings. Your committee has seen with great satisfaction the presence of a large number of the officers and seamen of the various vessels in harbor af the reading room. In consequence of the increased attendance it was found necessary to provide, three additional tables. Matting has been laid on the floor to lesson noise, and your committee believes it may congratulate the members of the society on having a convenient, comfortable, and well supplied reading room. The librarian has taken great pains to keep the newspapers, &c., properly arranged upon the table. The system of filing the newspapers and keeping them at a separate desk has been found to work well, and has greatly helped to keep the room in order. It has been found advisable to alter the ho r rs during which the library and reading room were open. The reading room is now open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.ra., and the library from 4.30 p in. to 9 p.m. This change has been found to work very satisfactory, more especially with respect to the reading room, as it obviates the necessity for clearing the room at 4 p.m. In accordance with a resolution passed at a general meeting of the members of the society, your committee have effected the registration of the society under the Public Libraries Powers Act, 1875. With a view to protection against fire, the water has been laid on into the building, and, it is believed that there will shortly bo abundant provision for extinguishing any fun that may break out during the finm the hall is open. . Special attention has been paid to the danger of fire occurring on the stage. There is also provision on the lower floor for affixing hose, of which it is intended to procure sixty feet. There are now about 3500 volumes in the circulating and reference libraries, about 350 new volumes having been added during the past year. The books in the circulating library arc in ■ood 1 condition, a careful supervision paying boeii exercised by the librarian, volumes’ repaired, when required. Thirty new .subscribers have joined during the as! year. The treasurer’s balance sheet has been duly audited, and will be laid before you. The Hon. Treasurer, Mr W. 11. then read the balance-sheet, which Jhndj been’ duly audited by Messrs J, SL Vfi’iloox and 11. J. Y. Rogers, from wmch it appeared that there wa u a balance of £9 4s 2d. The Harbor Board grant of £25 was however duo which would place the balance on the crecH

side. The income for the year had been £352 17s 4d, and the expenditure £362 Is 6d. The meeting then elected the following officers and committee for the ensuing year : President, Mr H. C. Jacobson ; vice-presi-dent, Mr J, C. Boddington ; treasurer, Mr W, H. Lance; committee, Messrs 11. R. Webb, J. T. Rouse, 11. N. Nalder, A. Joyce, C. A. Rich, S. C. Phillips, A. Bunker, J. G. Fyfe, R. Kingsford, G. Tayler, W. H. Eyes, W. Hannay. Votes of (hanks to those helping at Winter Evening Readings, to Messrs J. S. Willcox and R. Bunker in connection with same, and to retiring officers and committee, terminated the proceedings.