MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 31, 15 November 1842, Page 2

MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

The half-yearly meeting of the Mechanics’ Institute took place on Monday evening last, the 7tli inst., for the purpose of receiving the report for the past, and the election of officers for the ensuing half year. His Worship the Mayor being called to the chair, said, they had assembled to receive the first report of a most valuable institution ; he had no doubt it would be of a cheering character ; it was wending its way prosperously; it formed a noble exception to the generality of public associations in this

Colony, which too often turned out failure?; lie would call upon the Secretary to read the report. Ihc report then read is too lengthy to insert here, and as it would suffer from abridgment, we shall give it entire in our next. The Rev..J. M'Farlane rose to move —Tliat the report now read be received and adopted. Similar institutions to the one in which they were assembled had done much to raise the character of the Mechanic ; in his own fair country, Scotland, they had not been the least beneficial; mind was the most important element of prosperity, and it was on this account that lie rejoiced that lectures, such as those mentioned in the report, had been delivered to its members; it was gratifying to him to hear so good a report of the jSchool; lie could speak from his own knowledge, for lie had visited it frequently, and he was both surprised and delighted at the manner in . which it was conducted ; every thing in it bore the signs of life and energy; but while this was flourishing in an unprecedented degree, the general funds of the Institution were not so large as could be wished; - something must be done, and the sooner we gave a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, the better. Mr. J. Woodward, in seconding the resolution, observed —That although he had come there wholly unacquainted with the report that was to be submitted, yet that its nature was such that he could most heartily recommend its adoption; lie thought it required to be examined in detail; the esteemed and reverend gentleman who moved its adoption, alluded to two subjects—the School, and the deficiency of funds; lie (Mr. W.) regretted that these two subjects should thus be placed in juxtaposition ; yet he felt compelled to associate them still more clcsely ; he had observed, that ff’om want of means, the Committee had not been able to supply the School with necessary maps and apparatus; and therefore it would not have been a matter of surprise if the report had not been half so satisfactory; he knew that the progress the children had made, in spite of all these disadvantages, was such that they ought to have been there; that the meeting, by its own examination, might have been as satisfied as he was with the advantages they had already derived from their instructor ; if he (Mr. W.) were disposed to complain of any thing, it would be, that the Committee, unlike some who put into report almost more than they have done, had actually left out one branch of their operations—their Sabbath School —in which from sixty to seventy children, many of whom had no other opportunities of obtaining knowledge, were assembled every Sabbath day lo receive instruction ; and he hoped the day would come, when, adding an infant school to their establishment, they would be able to consider their system of means as complete; on the whole, notwithstanding the deficiency of funds, as the report showed that the present debt was not so great as that with which the Institution commenced, there was still room for encouragement; and he therefore called upon the meeting to testify its gratitude to the Committee and Officers for the manner in which they had discharged their important duties, by cordially adopting the report that had been submitted to them. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. Woodward moved, and Dr. Featherstone seconded, —That the word “ two” in general rule, No. 3, limiting the number of VicePresidents, be omitted. Carried unanimously. David Scott, Esq. moved, and the Rev. J. Macfarlanc seconded.—That the following gentlemen constitute the officers and committee for the ensuing half-year. President. Col. W. Wakefield. Vice Presidents. Mr. Alderman Lyon, W. Swainson, Esq. F.R.S., &c. The Worshipful the Mayor. Treasurer. Mr. J. H. Wallace. Secretary. Mr. John Knowles. Committee. J. Featherstone, Esq. M. D. F. J. Knox, Esq. M. D. W. B. D. Mantell, Esq. Mr. Alderman Scott, Mr. J. Woodward, Mr. J. Reading, Mr. W. Vincent, Mr. S. Woodward, Mr. S. Levy, Mr. T. Dodd, Mr. W. Annear, Mr. E. Stafford, Mr. J. Hair, Mr. Rumsey Forster, Mr. G. Fellingham, Carried unanimously. Mr. Lyon moved, and Mr. J. Knowles seconded, —'That the thanks of this meeting be given to his worship the Mayor, for his kindness in presiding this evening. G. Hunter, Esq. briefly returned thanks. It was announced that Mr. Hanson had promised to deliver a course of three lectures to the members on the “ Wakefield theory of colonisation,” and the meeting separated.

Progress of Discovery. —We are gratified to have it in our power to announce that a discovery, likely to be of considerable importance, has been made on the coast between. Portland Bay and South Australia. Some of our enterprising Austral-Fclician settlers have fallen in with a splendid tract of arable country in the immediate vicinity of a harbour; which is described as perfectly safe at all seasons, and easy of navigation. To test the truth of this important intelligence, the Messrs. Ilcnty and White, and a number of other settlers, have joined in forming an expedition to the spot, and the next mail from Portland will put us in a position to declare the result. The newly-dis-covered territory, we believe, lies within the boundary of Australia Felix.— Geelong Advertiser.