CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 32, 7 February 1881, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of tub "Evening Mail." Sir— On Saturday, by the merest accident, I learnt that a printed paper referring to the Institute was in circulation, to which my namo amongst others had been appended; tbis without my knowledge or consent. This circular was not sent to me, but baying procured a copy, I Leg you will reprint it, bo that the public may be made aware of the tactics that aro being resorted to to influence the election of the Institute Committee, which take, place to-night, Jt rnns a 9 follows:— " Nelson Institute Election. — The reelection of the Nelson Institute Committee of Management will take place on Monday, the 7th instant. Your attention is respectfully called to the important results achieved by the new Committee-men elected last year. The Government subsidies having been withdrawn, you will see that unless some stimulus had been given to it, the Nelson Institute and Library wonld have ceased to exist as, a public institution, having practically been at a standstill for some years. It will be fresh in the memory of all, that an interest entirely unprecedented in, the annals of the institution took place last year, and that considerable pressure was brought to bear by the ancient members, to prevent the return of any new Committee-men. . The Subscribers, however, were fortunate enough to return three new ones, and the subjoined facts will show what has been .accomplished mainly through the exertions of that small minority irt the. face of determined and unfair opposition from the other members •-— lst. The' year 1880 is byj far the largest financial one ever recorded.' 2nd. The largest number of new books have been purchased. 3rd. About eighty new sub . cribers bave t>c_u ftddefl, ith, New and

— i iii . . . -1,1 '■ -,1 n • .. - '■- ■ ■ ■ improved book of rules provided. sth. Al- 1 terations and improvements made in Museum. ' 6th. Many new papers procured for reading* rdotn including Wellington daily papers. If elected, the' endeavors of the candidates named below will be— lst. To introduce a better classification of books, and have a complete Cfl, talogtie printed for the hse of subscribers. 2nd. To judiciously order the best wol-ks on all subjects, including ttie latest novels. 3rd. To use the whole of the Institute buildiiig, letting no portion. 4th. To establish Science Classes and Lecttirefc; sth. To furnish a roomcomfortably, in which games, such as Chess, Draughts, &C, can be indulged in, Gth. To largely increase the numbers oi the subscribers, and make the concern a flourishing one. 7th: To have the free rcadihg-rßom open oft S.iindtty afternoorig. At tlie General Meetitig, the bal-ance-sheet will show the already altered condition of affairs ; and if you think that the Institute can be improved as suggested, we ask you to place the following oli the Committee* ri.ssui.ng yoii thitt tliey will do their best to bfing about the reforms natiiecl i — " D. Burns, John Graham,!). Grant, W. Clarkson, C. W. Pownall, Chris. Schofieldj Chas. E. Bunny, Ale*. Robei'tson, Di'. Mohckton, Jessie Hounsell, W. Stevenson, Dr. lrviue." This bitter manifesto, which you will observe is anonymous, though at the first glance it looks as if. twelve signatures had been . affixed to it) js ji tlsstie of misrepresentations. The assertion that the three tiew hietnhers added last year [encountered determined and unfair opposition from the other nine (over whom they yet strangely triumphed) is, to put it plainly; a* calumny and a falsehood. Having presided at the meeting, of the C ottittiittee, I can confidently state that the utmost good feeling and cordial co-operation prevailed throughout. The new members cheerfully took their share of the work, and did it well, but I am iufe that thfey have no idea of claiming any exceptithal cr sigual meHt in the dis** charge of their cluty. For they are aware, in the tii&ttei- of Hfotms, that the systematic selection of the best authors, the procuring of bound books in London instead of unbound ones in Nelson— at once a great imjiroveiftent and a saving of money, — lhe compilation of a correct catalogue, the re- classification of (the library, and (he inauguration of a simple and correct mode of recording the issue and return of hooks were all injprovemehts carried out prior to last year's election. The desire so plainly manifested in the circular to sow strife between the new blood and the old, will, I hope, be repudiated alike by both ; but be that as it may, I do not choose by keeping silence, to give apparent consent to the contents of a production in which my name is made u_e of,. but which I wholly disapprove, tlor can I concur . in the proposal that I should be retained on the Committee by the adoption of a list from which the names of well-tried men who bave worked for the institution as much, or more, tbanl have done, have been expunged. A critic in finance, befofe he Ventures on praise or blame, should make quite sure of his facts and figures, a precaution which has been sadly neglected by the writer of the circular. He is jubilant over the (supposed) fact that during the past year the withdrawal of Parliamentary aid has not destroyed tbe society '* as a public institution," because an increase of numbers, under a stimulus that he knows of, bas averted tbat misfortune. But the fact is that we have been enjoying the grant up to tbe present time; and it is only during the current year that we Bhall commence to feel the want of it. The subscriptions of the 80 naw members whom he mentions will, at the most, only bring in half the amount that we are about to lose; The Circular most unwarrantably pledges the gentlemen whose names it has Appropriated to use their endea vors for certain specified objects, without having ascertained whether or not they approve of the whole of these objects. For my own part I cannot adopt them all; while others have long been obviously desirable, and have been made matters of consideration in the Committee. Yet the writer has managed to be original in one respect, and this, again, ia in finance. As the objects he espouses v/ill require a liberal outjay of money, be proposes to operate on the income by relinquishing the rents which the Institute receives! Were this dona the first result would bo the necessary closing of the free reading room, the annual cost of which is just covered by the rents received. I hope there will be a full attendance of the members to-night, and that they will put in the best men, irrespective of their being new or old. — I am, &c, F. W. Irvine. Nelson, Feb. 7, 1881. P.S. — I have ascertained that nine out of the twelve gentlemen whose names aro given in the circular disclaim all connection with it.