PAEROA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4427, 14 June 1922, Page 2

PAEROA PUBLIC LIBRARY

• ANNUAL MEETING OF SUBSCRIBERS. At the annual meeting of the abpve, held on Tuesday night, the chairman, Mr. S J. Bishop, presided. The attendance was not as representative as it was hoped it would be, and regret was expressed that so little interest was taken in the affairs of? the institution by the public. REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. The following report and balance-i sheet was read by .the hon. secretary, Mrs. Thorp, and adopted: Your Committee begs to present the 38th annual report and balancesheet for the consideration of subscribers. During the year our funds have been drawn upon for a good many extia expenses, which, owing fortunately to beginning 1921 with a good credit balance, have been met, without incurring any debt. This year we are not likely to be so fortunate, the Government having stopped all library subsidies. In view of this subscribers should make an effort to adjust this loss by get Bi ng more mem L bers to join the library, so that its efficiency may be maintained. The extra expenses have been incurred by the painting and renovating of the building and installing electric light. The approaches to the building have been improved by the Beautitying Society. One hundred and forty-seven new books have been added to the library throughout the year, including, besides fiction, 27 children’s section, 3 travels, 6 history, and 11 science and sociology. The sum of £5 Is 6d was collected as donation? towards the fund for painting andrenovating the building. In addition Mr. Towers donated half! his profits on the painting account (£1 9s), Mr. IJipsham half a day’s wages (10s), and Mr. Hayward the repairing and supplying of a new window cord to the window of the subscribers’ room. The thanks of the committee are due to those who gave extra donations and to those members of the committee and others who presented newspapers and periodicals tp the reading room; also to Mr. Blakeway as auditor. The subscribers at the end of 1921 numbered 100. We hope to increase this number by the end of the present year. The balance-sheet is as follows : , Receipts: Cash, balance from 1920, £5l Ils 9d; Borough grant, £10; County grant, £5; members’ subscriptions, £5l 18s 9d ; Government sub sidy, £l3 6s 8d ; donations, £5 Is 6d:; sale of 1 old papers, 19s ; total, £l4O 15s 2d. Expenditure: Installing electric light, £l5 15s sd; librarian’s salary, five quarters, £37 10s; renovating building, £l7 7s; gas and electric lighting, £5 Ils 7d; new books, £25 10s lid; newspapers, periodicals, etc.. £8 7s 8d ; stationery, stamps, etc, 9s 2d ; insurance, £3 ,9s 4d ; cleaning, £1 3s; printing, 9s 6d; balance in bank, £25; cash in hand, Is 7d. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. A letter was read stating that the Government subsidy .would not in future be granted to public WAYS AND MEtANSi The chairman said that in view of the fact that the subsidy was lost it would be necessary for the committee to raise funds by some other; means if the .library was to be kept up to its present form and the same number of new books purchased for the coming year. : After some discussion it was resolved to commence a campaign to secure new subscribers and endeavour to get the public interested in the institution. At the presept time there are about 2400 books in the library. The matter of endeavouring to get subscribers from the Plains to join was briefly discussed and referred to a subsequent meeting. It was felt that now there was a twice daily service suitable arrangements might be made whereby the Plains settlers could take advantage of the lending department of the library. MAGAZINE CLUB. The chairman said he would like to see a magazine club established in connection with the library. He thought that a sufficient number of subscribers to the library cpuld be induced to pay a few shillings extra and have the privilege of taking a magazine. It was decided to get the names of those who would join, and also find out the cost of- procuring some of the best magazines. OFFICERS. ' The following officers were elected : Chairman, Mr. S. J, Bishop; secretary, Mrs. Thorp; auditor, Mr. W„ H. Blakeway ; committee, Miss Shaw and Messrs W„ D. Nicholas, D. Leach, F. A. B. Cameron, W. Redfern, and R. Whitten. VOTES OF THANKS. A hfearty vote of thanks and appreciation was accorded to Mrs. Thorp for her services as 'hop. secretary. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.