LITERARY INSTITUTE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2009, 6 February 1883, Page 2

LITERARY INSTITUTE.

A meeting of the Committee of the Kumaivt Literary Institute was held on Saturday evening, in their room, Main street; present—Messrs Smart (in the chair), Dennett, Stockman, Montague, Evans, and Wylde (Hon. Sec). The inward correspondence was read and received, and the outward read and approved of. The Secretary’s report was read and received. It was as follows : To the Chairman Kumara Literary Institute. Sir—ln accordance with a desire expressed at the last meeting of the committee, I have the honour to report that as far as I can make out the following is a list of the Institute’s liabilities at the present time : £ s. d. Rent (Mrs Phelan) ... ... 3 8 0 Manson (Colonial papers) ... 13 0 0 King (Horae papers) ... 13 13 11 S. S. Pollock (kerosene) ... G 11 G Kumara Times (advertising) 1 G G Drummond (lamps) ... ... 1 7 0 Heinz (stove) ... 160 West Coast Times ... ... 0 12 G Grey River Argus ... ... 012 G Total £4l 17 11 To meet this the cash in hand is £2 IGs, and to the best of my belief the County Council has voted us the sum of £lO as a subsidy, though I have received no official notification of the fact. I have to acknowledge the receipt of £3 from Messrs Brewer and Harre, being the amount collected by them in December

last. I have also received other subscriptions amounting to £2 ss. Since last meeting I have paid Mrs Phelan £6 10s on account. This, as will be seen by the above list, leaves the Institute still indebted to the amount of £3 Bs. I would like to draw the Committee's attention to the fact that by far the greater proportion of subscribers are in arrears. I am sorry that owing to press of private business I cannot give more time than I do to the Reading Room; but even if I could, the managing committee do their work so well that they leave me almost nothing to do. I remain, sir, Yours obediently, R. E. Wyide, Hon. Sec. K. L. S. Kumara, February 3, 1883. P.S.—I have omitted to state that I forwarded the application for a subsidy to the Government on the 27th December last, and stated that our income last year was—from subscriptions £56, and from voluntary contributions £2O. I also stated that the number of subscribers at at present was 70, that the Reading Room contained the principal colonial and Home papers, and that the library consisted of about 400 books. Besides this I gave the required information as to the constitution of the Society, etc. In conclusion, I have not the slightest doubt that the Institute will receive a subsidy, but of what amount it is impossible to say. —R. E. Wyldb. On the motion of Mr Stockman, seconded by Mr Dennett, the Report was received, and the thanks of the Committee accorded to the Secretary for the trouble he had been to in drawing it up. The Secretary drew the attention of the Committee to the fact that a great number of the subscriptions were still unpaid, and stated his opinion that in most cases the subscribers only wanted reminding. Several accounts were passed for payment, which concluded the business of the meeting.