ROXBURGH ATHENÆUM.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume I, Issue 50, 13 April 1881, Page 5

ROXBURGH ATHENÆUM.

An adjourned public meeting was held in the 'Atheoseura on Monday evening. Present—Messrs Beighton, Burton, Coop, Cormack, Davit, Higgs, Ryan, and W. Smitb.

Mr Beighton was called to the chair, and explained that the meeting had been adjourned in order that it might be seen whether the gentlemen proposed as members of Committee would accept office if'elected. Mr Coop said£he had seen a number of members of the community, and now handed in a list of gentlemen who had expressed their willingness to act if elected and do their best to extricate the institution from its temporary embarrassment.

The Chairman then read the list as follows :—Messrs Chisholm, Coop, Davis, Mercer, Mervyn, Reea, J. J. Smith, VV. Smith, and J. Weatherall. Mr Coop said that for the first time in the history of the Athenaum a Committee of like -minded men had been nominated. He moved that the gentlemen just named be the Committee for the ensuing term. 4 l£tft,7an-seco?itred' the motion, which < was put and carried nem con ■ In the course of a general conversation which ensued, it was remarked by Mr Burton that it would be well to get the payments to the Building Society extended to three years, and make the charge for using the building very reasonable so as to encourage the people to | engage it, a difference bt ing made how- | aver between local parties and casual j travelling companies. He also suggested that the rules or by-laws should be made public, so that the people may know what those rules are.

Mr Coop said a code of rides was drawn up some years ago for the working of the library. Those rules would be found in the minute book. The Chairman said it was considered by some to be beneficial to reduce the eca'e of charges, but be could not say he concurred in that. The charges should be on the same scale as in other places. Mr Coop said the working committee, who lived close and bandy, were Mr Mackay (who had now returned to the Colony), Mr Morgan, and himself, and they were always ready to tell the charges to all inquirers. Tbe Chairman reminded the meeting that they now have the advantages of the Press amongst them. It would be better that the charges should be published, aud permanently put up on the building. He also referred to the question of having the institution incorporated. Mr [.eland, M.H.R, had undertaken to get tbe necessary Act passed, but informed them it was too late in the session to have it done, and his death, which occurred shortly afterwards, prevented the necessary steps being taken. Tbe absence of an incorporated body prevented a grant of land being issued to them. They had been told that through non-incorporation no application for a grant could be entertained

It Was then arranged that the Committee should hold a meeting next evening and arrange a programme for an entertainment to be held on Easter Monday for the benefit of the institution. A vote of thanks to the Chair, closed the proceedings.