NELSON INSTITUTE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 302, 20 December 1881, Page 3

NELSON INSTITUTE.

To the Editor of the " Evening Hail " Sic, — As the time if* fast approaching* when 1 presume the alterations in the laws of the Institute made by the committee and their friends will ho put iv force, I wish to direct attention to the unsatisfactory character of the alterations alluded to, and at the same time suggest that a general meeting of members be held to re-consider them, be fore they are put into actual operation. The amendments (?) are, first that the public rea ling room should be closed to the public, and open only to subscribers; second, that subscriptions should be i-Os per annum, or 3s per quarter. With reference to the first, it appears a straDge thing that a town of the size and importance of Nelson, cannot keep such a small and insignificant reading room open to the public ; I am quite aware that the main reasons given for closing it, are the expense, and the fact, that tbere are some persons, who make use of it, who could well afford to ray. As to the expense, if lhe room is to be kept open for subscribers, I fail to see how giving the public the privilege of using it, will materially affect the fnuds of the Institute ; and I believe that there are very few, if any, who are mean enough, if in a position to pay, who would in order to avoid the expense, habitually make use of ifc. If there is any possibility of keeping the room open for the free use of the people, it should be dove. I have many times seen it well filled with young men and youths (apprentices probably) all engaged in reading the papers and such literature as was provided for them, and as there is really no other such place in Nelson, where young men can pass an hour in the evening, ii is an ill-advised step to close it. With regard to the second alteration in the laws, I can see no reason or necessity for it, unless it is an attempt to make the Institute a little more select, partaking more cf the character of a club than a public institution. It amounts to this, that the •working man, wishing to be a member, but who c-rn only spare from bis earnings a quarter*, subscription at a time, must pay twelve shillings per annum, while the man who can best afford it, because he has money jingling in his rocket, is to enjoy the same prrvi.ege for two shillings a year les3. If the committee required all th_ir funds in a lamp sum at the beginning of the year to enable tbem to pay the librarian a year's salary in advance, and ali the other expenses beforehand, or if the alteration was likely to increase tbeir revennes, there might be a show of reason in it; but as, I presume, tbey neither pay their deb.B beforehand cor intend doing so, it is fair to assume that an attempt ia beicg mado to keep a large number of our population from enjoying the benefits which a library and public reading room are likely to confer. I apprehend that very few of the present m.mbe.sand subscribers knew that such important alterations in the laws of the Ins.i ute were going to be proposed, when the meetin;r waa held at wbich tbey were effected, bnt were under the impression that merely some Irivi.l alterations w-bre required for \h« b-tter internal management, otherwise I believe the mer-ting wouid have been better attended and the proposed amendments wonld never have been carried ; aa it i-i. I think the members acd subscribers shou*d have ano*ier opportunity of discussing the matter b.-fora the end of tha year, lam, &-.. C. S. S. Nelson, Dacember I9*->, 1881.