WELLINGTON WORKING MEN’S CLUB.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5434, 27 August 1878, Page 2

WELLINGTON WORKING MEN’S CLUB.

The first annual meeting of the Wellington Working Men’s Club was held last night in the clubroom, Manneis-street. The President, Mr. Galvin, occupied the chair. The meeting was well attended. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. REPORT. The Secretary then read the following report : In laying before you their first yearly report, your committee have once again to congratulate you on the steady progress which has been made by the club. Up to the end of our financial year, ending June 30th, there wore on the books of the institution 314 ordinary members, of which 100 new members were admitted during the Dst six months, thus showi g the steadyprogress which has been going on. Your committee regret, however, to state that out of the total number no less than ,72 members were in arrear ' eyond the time prescribed by the rules, very few of whom have paid up to the present time. This is a very serious matter, as printed circulars were sent by the secretary to every member in arrear; and your committee trust that this matter will receive the careful attention of every member of the club, and especially of the members of the new committee. Th- re were also two life members, and 101 honorary members, which fact must be taken as an indication of good-will from the employers of labor and well-to-do citizens of the city towards the club.

From the end of the financial year to the present time, your committee have to state that the number of ordinary members has increased by 67, the life members by one, in the person of George Hunter, Esq., M.H.R., Wellington ; and the honorary members by four. Your committee have also decided upon tendering to Miss M. J. Park, of Dunedin, a life membership in the club, in consideration of her very handsome present to the club of an oil painting of Sir Julius Vogel, and for which gift the committee beg to tender to Miss Park their warmest thanks, and also desire to express their best wishes for her success. The committee would also desire to thank all those who have contributed to the library. By the aid of a donation from Mr. W. T. L. Travers, they have been enabled to add Dickens* works to those already in hand : and there has just recently been sent a very valuable collection by Mr. J. W. A. Marchant, By the aid of some popular amusements, in the shape of concerts, lectures, &c., the committee hope that during the next twelve months the library will receive a large addition. Donations of pictures have also been received from Mr. A. Jack and Mr. Boscawen ; for all of which the committee desire to express their grateful acknowledgments. As most of • ou are no doubt aware, tho committee made efforts to get tho Market Hall Reserve from the Corporation, but were not successful. Negotiations were then commenced with Messrs. Eddie and Jack, which resulted in tho taking of the present premises for a period of seven years, at a rental of £5 per week, with the right of renewal at the end of that time, subject to the rise or fall in the value of property. With regard to the furnishing, tho president and treasurer waited on the club's banker to secure an.overdraft; but that gentleman declined to treat with the club as a body, but stated that he was quite willing to treat with the trustees. These gentlemen at once consented to give tho necessary guarantee, and so enabled your committee to go into the open market, which otherwise they would be unable to do. Your committee would here beg to tender their sincere thanks to Messrs. Hutchison and Brown for their cordial and generous assistance, as well as advice, whenever they deemed it their du*y to consult with them; and also to tho solicitor of the club Mr. Quick, who has been untiring in his efforts to get the club properly registered as a friendly society, but is at the same time endeavoring to secure that end without putting the club to the same t rouble as friendly benefit societies, as the precautions deemed necessary for the proper government of those societies are not necessary for an institution like ours, which Is more of a social and educational than a benefit one. Your committee trust that the Hon. the Attorney-General will introduce a short clause or two into the Friendly Societies’ Act of last session, which would enable working njen’s clubs to bo registered without having to go through the same formula? as benefit societies. You are all owaro th jt an Art Union and Fine Arts and Industrial Exhibition were projected during the past half-year. The secretary to the Art Union, Mr. F. A. Harper, will give tho meeting a statement as to the progress which has been made, and your commit* tee trust that tho members will aid in bringing it to a successful issue. The Exhibition,, although a great success in many respects, ha? not turned out so well financially as was anticipated, as the expenditure has been very heavy. But tho committee have fully accomplished the objects they had In view l when they , made up their minds as to the desirability of holding the Exhibition. They looked mor<» to the indirect good that tho undertaking would do the club than to the amount of money which would be likely to accrue to tho club’s funds, and in this respect their expectations have been fully realised. The committee also looked to the act of the great amount of good which native art and native manufacture would receive from the holding of such an exhibition, an ■ in this respect they were not disappointed. They now trust that the ■ work which they have begun will bo taken up by the Government, or by persons who have more leisure , than themselves ; and they trust before long to see on exhibition in Wellington which will be net alone a credit to the city, but to tho whole of New Zealand. During the past half year, Mr. Jennings resigned his scat on the committee, as private affairs would not pnaljlo him to give tho necessary time on it. The committee elected Mr Harper to fill the vacancy, hit. Isherwood left' towards' tho close of the financial year for Christchurch, but your committee did nfit'think It necessary to appoint any person in his place, as thoir term of office was so nearly expired. Your committee regret to state that they deemed It necessary, in the discharge of their duty, to suspend one member of the club. They trust that it may be a longtime before any other committee will feel itself called upon to discharge such a disagreeable duty. Your committee, recognising the large amount of work which would devolve upon the steward and

stewardess in connection with tho new and enlarged premises, decided upon raising their salary to £3 per week and rations. In adopting this course, they feel that .thov-will have ths entire sympathy, of every member of the club, as there can ho no two opinions as to the efficient and courteous manner in which Mr. Barber and Mrs. Barber discharge the d.itiesd valving upon them. The committee decided also to grant ft bonus of £4 10s. to the secretary; not tint they considered such a small amount would compensate Mr. Laughton for the hard w.-rk and loss of time which fell to his lot since he became secretary, but rather as a recognition by the committee of tho manner in which that gentleman discharged his duty to the club.

Since tho appointment of your committee, ho less than thirty-three meetings havo been he'd up to August 21st. Tho attendance was as follows:—Mr. Galvin. 33; Mr. Holden, 32; Mr. Warcup. 27; Mr. Lister, 25; Mr. Broadrlbb. 22 ; Mr. Lyre. 22; Mr, Harper, 21 ; Mr. Capper, 19; Mr. Ishcrwood, 15 : Mr. Jennings, C. In order to aid the committee in carrying out their plans for tho furnishing of the present premises, the members of the club decided upon taking up shares, and giving tiie amount unconditionally to tho committee till such time as the club would be in a position to repay the respective amounts. Your'committee feel that they would bo wanting in their duty if they did not tender their warmest thanks to tho members for thus generously coming forward and assisting them in their offer's. Ninety-live shares in all were taken up, out of which will havo to be deducted six shares which are unlikely to bo paid up; thus leaving olghty-nino shares at the present time which are likely to be paid up. Tho shareholders appolnte I Mr. Barber collector, and as showing how zealously ho Ims performed his duties, the committee might state that there is at present lodged in tho bank to the share account tho sum of £l3. If there are any members desirous of taking up one or two shares, tho committee would like to see £IOO placed to tho credit of that account.

In conclusion, your committee trust th it tho club will continue to prosper; that their successors will receive the hearty support of over member of tho club; and thus enable the institution to do that amount of useful work which a working men's club, properly regulated and conducted, ought to be able to perform in any city or town in which it may be established. They also trust to see a reciprocity of feeling established between the various working men’s clubs in New Zealand, for which object they havo labored during their term of office. Before retiring, they also beg to thank the editor* of the four Wellington papers for the assistance which they U’ve always given to the club, and also tho p-oprietors of the various newspapers throughout the colony who have so kindly supplied their journals to the club. List of assets and liabilities of the club for tho halfyear ending June 30, 1378 Assets— Stock in bar, Juno 20, £3O 10s 2d ; furniture, £4O ; bagatelle table. £2O; members’ subscriptions du a , £l2 2s : cash in bank. June 29. 1878. £47 0s Od. Total. £155 12s Sd. Liabilities— 'Mitchell and Thompson, £5: Eddie ami Jack, £4 12s; T. J, Mountain, £1 5* 9d; George Dixon, £4 17s: John Watt, £3 8s 3d ; Stevenson and Stuart, £ll ICs 6d ; Blundell Bros., £l3 4s 6d ; W. H. Bannatyne ami Co., £3O 12s Cd; Pnsc f, e and Co., £2l: T. Stephenson, £0; Strike Saunders. £4 Cs; Taylor and Krskine, £lB 4s lid; New Zealand Times. £1 10s ; C. Cooper, £3 0s Od : Lyon and Blair, £U ; accounts not rendered, £2O. Total, £155 l?s Bd.

The following is an account of the receipts ami expenditure for the half-year, ending June 30.1373: Jtecripts ; Cy life members subscriptions. £2l; honorary members' subscriptions, £96 11s : ordinary members' subscriptions, £73 12s: ordinary entrance fees, £GS ; advertising on card and rules, £7 10s : donations, 15s Cd : lilr. Falconer’s deposit on contract, £lO : beer, gingerbeer, and cordials, £203 (is 111; wines and spirits, £143 4s Od; tea and coffee, £3O 17s 4Jd; bagatelle, £l4 Os 9d: tobacco and cigars, £4 15s Od : sandwiches, £2 2s ; discount, £2 12s; concert and ball, £ls Ss; sale of waste paper, 2s Cd ; sale of table, 14s. Total, £702 Os SJ JJxpsudtturc: To preliminary expenses, £3 3s Od : stationery, printing, advertising, and postage, 42 14s Id : rent. £69 9s; insurance, £1 10s Sd ; furniture, £53 4s 5d ; gas fittings, £9 18i: gas, £3l: bagatelle table and repairs to same. £IS lls; concert and ball, £lO 17s Od ; spirits, £7l ss; beer, gingerbeer, cordials, &c„ £146 7s 7d : tobacco and cigars, £6 14 7d; sundries, £24 14s Id ; secretary's salary, £6 ; stewards salary, £B6: steward’s petty cash, £39 IQs OJd; treasurer's petty cash, £23 0s 3d ; balance in bank. Jane 29,1878, £47 0s 6cL Total, £702 0s SM.—Audited and found correct,—K. W. Watson, auditor.

The Chairman said, in regard to Jifo members, that Mr. Kebbell had become one, and had sent a cheque for ton 'guineas. A letter had been received from the Napier Working Men’s Club enclosing a cheque for £2O, the proceeds of the sale of two hooks of tickets for the art union. They had also received a letter from the Dunedin Working Men’s Club enclosing a cheque for the price of three books of art union tickets. The Chairman said that the (act of receiving these cheques from kindred clubs fully testified to the fact that there was a good and kindly feeling existing between the Wellington Working Men’s Club and similar clubs in other parts of the colony. The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

Mr. Haeper read a short report relative to the art union. He stated that the credit account in the hank was £177, and the amount of moneys received up to date was £206. The report stated that there was little doubt as to the art union being a success, as nearly all the tickets were bespoken. RESIGNATION OF COMMITTEE.

Mr. Galvin said that the club’s committee had now to tender their resignation. He might state on their behalf that they went out of office with a certain feeling of regret. He would now vacate the chair while the election of president was proceeded with. Mr. Brown then took the chair, and stated that he was of opinion that it was going ou a wrong principle to elect the same person to the office of president two years running. At the same time, however, he believed that the members could not select a better president than Mr. Galvin, and he (Mr. Brown) had much pleasure iu stating that that gentleman was the only candidate nominated. Mr. Galvin was then declared unanimously re-elected, and thanked the members in suit.able terms for the honor conferred upon him. Mr. Warctip was re-elected treasurer. A vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring committee for their zeal and energy during their term of office. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE. The following were elected a committee for the ensuing six months :—Messrs. H. Austin, J. T. Griffiths, 11. J, Graham, C. Harman, IT. A. Harper, O. Heiden, and F Jennings. Messrs. J. Banks and E. W. Watson were elected auditors. A sum of £lO was granted to Mr. Warcup in recognition of the amount of time hejspent in performing the business of the club. An amusement committee was formed for the purpose of getting up concerts, lectures, &c., the proceeds to go towards the library fund. The remainder of the business transacted was of a routine nature, and was chiefly con fined to the alteration of some of the club’s rules. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.