Opening of The Wellington Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute. [Abridged from the "Independent," April 13.]

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 431, 1 June 1850, Page 3

Opening of The Wellington Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute. [Abridged from the " Independent," April 13.]

The opening of the above Institution took place on Thursday evening. The Hall, which is built after a design furnished by Mr. Roberts, in the early Grecian style, is 50 feet from front to back by 21 feet in width. As the fundi permit wings will be added, and then the building will prove an ornament to the town and a credit to the inhabitants. The Chair was taken at six o'clock by his Honour Mr. Justice Chapman, President of the Society. About 250 ladies and gentlemen were present ; no false pride kept the elite of the place from attending. After au overture from the Band of H. M 65th Regt.,— The Chairman after some preliminery remarks said, he would now remind them that the Wellington Institution had gone through the first stage and some time since the committee suggested an addition to the name — The Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute. No doubt the plan might have been enlarged without any addition to the name, but when an Imtitution is called a Mechanics' Institution it suggests the idea of exclusivenesi, and many are deterred from joining it, believing themselvei ineligible. He therefore approved of and supported the change of name, and he hoped the plan would be extended as widely and as largely as the means at their disposal would permit. He then dwelt at some length on the advantages of associating together in considerable numbers, showing very conclusively that every one might gain something from every one and each be a contributor to the common stock of knowledge. He then alluded to the library, now consisting ot between 700 and 800 volumes, and made several suggestions for the pnrpose of rendering it useful. He particularly pressed on the committee and members the importance of making it the known repository for every publication relating to the early history of the colony. The colony was now in its eleventh year; it w«s not too late to recover and deposit in the library every book, every pamphlet, every Parliamentary paper, every public document relating to the colony, and preserve them for the vie of our sons and grandsons. There was a very complete list at the end of the Hand Book for New Zealand which would serve ai a guide to the library com. mittee. The Chairman then briefly alluded to other subjects, and advocated a fair proportion of the best fictions as being calculated to generate a tuste for, and habit of, reading generally. In alluding to the formation of classas, he said the members would have the opportunity of obeying their own impulses* The committee would, no doubt, promote some classes but any small number of members might erect themselves into a class for the pursuit of any branch of study. On the subject of politics some difficulties had arisen in England to which he would now allude. Ought politics to be admitted at all. The first answer given was natu rally, No! but then it was 6aid, " You admit political newspapers, can you stop talking in a readingroom ?" hence it early becomes obvious that politics could not wholly be excluded. Hence we must draw a line lomewhere, and it seemed to him that the difficulty of doing this clearly and satisfactorily was not very difficult. First, as a body, the Society should take no part whatever in any political measure. It should in fact, have no politics. As to individuals it | was right that every man should have clear political j views. No Englishman could perform his constitutional function without it; but if a body like this on the vote of the majority took a particular line— the result would be that the minority would probably withdraw and the Society should lose many of its valuable members— for it is to be hoped that men of all shades of political opinion will associate here. But there is a science in politics the study of which should be encouraged. The science of Government is one of the noblest studies in which an Englishman could engage. To a colonist that bianch of general political science was well worth study — and especially that important portion of political economy— colonization— for the welfare and progress of colonies must depend in a great measure on the correctness of the principles on which colonization is conducted. The Chairman then went into the subject of amusements— recommending especially the culture of music — both instrumental and vocal— and he concluded by expressing a wish that the future progress of the Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institution might be commensurate with this very satisfactory opening. Mr. Fox then addressed the assembly, dwelling eloquently upon the benefits accruing from such Societies, especially to females, and upon the advantages which all communities derive from the intelligence of the fairer portion of ci cation ; instancing the good resulting by the intermingling of the sexes in such classes and meetings as Mechanics' Institutss afford. Messrs. Fitzherbert, Lyon, Woodward, G. Moore, R. Hart, and the Rev. Mr. Kirkton, addressed the meeting in succession on various topics connected with the advancement of knowledge and science, and the interests of the Institute. Sketch of the history of the Wellingon Athenajum and Mechanics' Institute. In the latter part of the month of April, 1842, a meeting of the settlers of Port Nicholson was convened in the large room of the South Sea Hotel, for the purpose of forming a Mechanics' Institute. A consider able number at once gave their names as n embers, and the house and some of the property of the Port Nicholson Exchange and Museum being offered on favourable terms, another meeting was called in the Readingroom, and a society was duly formed called the Port Nicholson Mechanics' Institute Public School and Library. This took place on Monday, May 2nd ; the business of the Institute was formally commenced by a lecture on Education by Mr. Woodward, delivered on the evening of Tuesday, tho 10th of that month ; the school was commenced übout a fortnight after ; and the library also was opened for the use of the member 1 ?. About the month of November in that year Mr. Shortland, the Officer Administeiing the Government, visited Wellington, and in answer to a request from the Committee, promised as a site for a permanent building a part of the Government Reserve on Lamb ton Quay, which promise was confirmed by Capt. fc'i'zroy, and has also been sanctioned by his Excellency the present Governor»in-Clnef. In January, 1844, the Raupo House Ordinance deprived the Institute of its rooms ; and an effort was commented to erect a propel building, the use ot a

place known as Tod's store being allowed to the Instl" tute for its ichool. Neaily four yean elapsed, when ah intimation w&b made to Mr. Lyon that the boohs of the Institute were being destroyed by damp and rats. That gentleman immediately invited the members of the former committee to meet at bis itore for the purpose of making some arrangement to save the books from being destroyed or rendered useless ; and Mr. Stafford very kindly offering a imall house belonging to him at the low rate of o's. a week, it was determined to accept the offer and endeavour to revive the Institute. A number of names wero speedily enrolled, and on the 17th of August, 1848, a committee and officers were elected, and the Institute wai recommenced un« der the name of the Port Nicholson Mechanics' Institute. On December 4th, the first half yearly meeting was held, when the committee stated in their report that 135 members had joined, that £'20 had been sent to London for the purchase of bqoks, that 117 volumes bad been added to the library by donations from various parties, and that the " erection of a permanent building had been remitted to a sub-committee." At this meeting a design was exhibited, prepared by Mr. Cridland, for the new hull, which was much admired, but nothing more was done until June, 1849, when a deputation was formed to wait on the Lieutenant* Governor and other influential parties, and request their assistance towards the building Most fortunately for the Instisutc, its Treasurer, Mr. R. J. Duncan, was one of this deputation, to whose unremitting exertions the success of the appeal that wus made to the public must be mainly ascribed. Mr. Cridland having left this settlement for Port Cooper, Mr. Roberts kindly undertook to prepare a design and estimates for the new hall, and in July a sub- committee was appointed to receive tenders from parties willing to erect the building, provided it could be done for the estimated amount, £3QQ. Tenders were received from three parties for the carpenter's work, and the committee decided on accepting the tender of Mr. James Reed, by whom the works were commenced forthwith, an addition having been previously made at a general meeting to the nama of the Institution, so that its designation became the Wellington Athenaum and Mechanics' Institute. The following paaticulars respecting the building will conclude the present sketch ; — The design includes two wings in addition to the hull, the one to be appropriated as a museum and the other as a library. The cost of the building of the centre, or hall, the only part estimated for, will be about £300, besides £7 25.. which has been laid out for excavations, and a further sum of £7 ior the erection of a gallery or orchestra? The estimated cost of the two wings is £130, and o. plastering the walls and ceiling of ths hall jfc J 34 more The sum actually received to the present time as sub* scriptions towards the building is only £240 ; and for the balance to make up the deficiency the Treasurer has been empowed to ruiie the sum of £60 in loans of five or ten pound?, to be repaid in three years with interest at 10 per cent., of which £iQ has been sub•ribed.