OPENING OF THE ATHENÆUM ON SUNDAYS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5583, 19 February 1879, Page 2

OPENING OF THE ATHENÆUM ON SUNDAYS.

A meeting of subscribers of the Athemeum was held at eight o’clock last evening, for the purpose of discussing the question as to whether the Athenaeum should be opened on Sundays. There were about 100 present. The chair was occupied by Mr. Jonas Woodward. The Chairman said, on behalf of the committee, that it was decided by them to leave the matter entirely in the hands of the meeting. The committee, therefore, had no suggestion to make on the subject. He would merely point out that the funds of the institute would not bear any further strain at present. He mentioned this in order that it might be borne in mind during the discussion which was likely to ensue. He would ask for a calm aud patient hearing for the gentlemen who would address the meeting, and he would ask those present to suspend their judgment until they had heard the matter argued from all sides. When they had all the matters before them connected with the subject, they could then arrive at a dispassionate and intelligent conclusion. He hoped they would endeavor to keep out of the discussion all bitterness of feeling, or provoked bitterness. He would now leave the question to be discussed by those who desired to speak on the subject. Dr. Xewman had intimated that he would move the resolution on the question, and he would now call upon that gentleman to address the meeting. Dr. Newman said he felt very strongly on this question. The Museum had been opened on Sunday, and it was surprising to see how many people derived benefit from the opening of that institution. His resolution went only the length-of proposing to open the newspaper and magazine rooms on Sundays. There was no more harm in coming to the Athenamn on Sundays to read the newspapers and magazines than there was in reading them at their homes. (Hear, hear, aud applause.) As to the question of cost, he did not believe that it would amount to more than £ls or £2O. He thought the Athenaeum should be made as attractive as possible, and he believed that if the Athena: mn were opened on

Sundays they would gain a great many more subscribers than they would lose. He begged to move that the paper and magazine rooms be opened on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p m. The Hon. Mr. Mantell seconded the resolution, reserving his remarks until a later stage.

The Yen. Archdeacon Stock said he did not intend to make a long speech, as his speech on the subject bad appeared on Saturday morning last. He hoped that those who held strong views in an opposite direction would permit him to hold strong views also on the subject. As a member of the society, he was not prepared to say that the funds of the institution should he expended in the direction indicated in the resolution which had been proposed by Dr. Newman. He held that no one in any community had any right to deprive a man of his day of rest. In England, 10,000 persons were compelled to lose every day of rest throughout the year. He hoped they would not, in Wellington, do anything that would tend to deprive any individual of his day of rest. If they opened the Athenaeum on Sunday, a positive injury would be done to tho community. If they opened the Athenaeum, they might as well open every place of amusement in the city. This was not a private question; the Athenroum was a public institution, aud therefore on public grounds he opposed the opening of the Athen«eum on Sundays. Mr. Edwarhs was a little surprised at the weakness of the arguments used by Dr. Newman. There were stronger reasons for the opening of the Athenaeum ou Sundays than those which had been advanced. A great deal of stress had been laid on the question of the extra amount of work that tho opening of the Athenieum would entail upon certain people. There was nothing to be apprehended in this matter, because all the necessary work could be done by a email boy between the hriuvs of *2 and (! every Sunday afternoon. There surely could be no very great amount of evil in this. He thought that some consideration ought to be given to those who were not so fortunate ns to have comfortable homes or lodgings. They had nothing to read, and he thought it would be very selfish ou the part of others to deprive them of the privilege of coming to the Athen:eum ou Sunday afternoon. As to the extra cost it would’ entail, it was a mere bagatelle. He believed it would not amount to more than five shillings per week. He would subscribe Lis quota, and he had no doubt that half a dozen gentlemen would be found to guarantee the extra cost.

Mr. Lyon said the arguments in favor of opening the Athemeum on Sunday afternoon were stronger than those which had been adduced against it. As to the matter of anybody being deprived of his day of rest, that could easily be avoided. There were others than Christians in the community. There were the Jews, who worshipped in their synagogue on Saturdays. There were plenty of Jewish lads in the city, and he did not believe there would be the slightest difficulty in getting one of them to attend in the Athemeum every Sunday afternoon. (Laughter.) Mr. Toomath strongly opposed the resolution. It had been said that the opening of the Athemeum on Sunday would tend to keep men from public-houses. If keeping the Athenaeum open from twelve o’clock on Saturday night until twelve o’clock on Sunday night would have any such tendency, he would give up all his Sunday feelings in the matter, and say by all means open the Athemeum, but he did not for one moment believe that the opening of the Athenaeum on Sunday afternoons would keep a single man out of public-houses. Mr. Logan said he thought that it was necessary that provision should be made for the Bohemian class, so to speak. There were a great many people in Wellington who did not know what to do with themselves on Sundays, and the result was that they frequented public-houses. He thought that a great deal of good would be effected by opening the Athenaeum on Sunday afternoon, and he trusted the opposition to it would be withdrawn, and that they would come to a unanimous decision on the matter. As to the expense, it would amount to no more than five or ten shillings a week, and there would be no difficulty whatever in getting a person to attend every Sunday afternoon, without inflicting extra work on the present permanent hands of the institution.

The Bev. Mr. Pateeson was opposed to the opening of the Athemeum on Sunday afternoon. Keligiou was an essential element in the happiness of communities as well as individuals, and it would be a bad thing for a community if anything were done which would have a tendency to break down the grand bulwark of religions feeling which he knew to exist in Wellington. Por the moral and religious habits of its people, Wellington compared very favorably with any other community with which he was acquainted, and he hoped that nothing would be done which would tend to , disturb the religious feeling which now prevailed. He believed in the strict observance of the Lord’s Day, and the evils would bo great indeed if the Lord's Day were not strictly observed. He thought it was simply nonsense to suppose that the opening of the Athemeum on Sunday would keep men out of the public-houses. He opposed the opening of the Athemeum on principle. He considered that the proper observance of the Lord’s Day was essential to the well-being and happiness of the community, and to secularise it would, iu his opinion, be attended with great evil. Mr. Barnett said the question was, wou’d the opening of the Athenaeum on Sundays be ef benefit to the majority of its members ?—and therefore he thought the matter should be decided at once.

After some further discussion, the Venerable Archdeacon Stock moved an adjournment until next Tuesday, at 8 o'clock. He felt sure a great many persons would have attended the meeting if” they had known that the resolution would be put to the vote that evening. They were under the impression that a ballot would be taken. The amendment was lost ou a show of hands. It was decided to divide Hr. Newman’s resolution into two parts. The question was then put:—“That the reading rooms be opened on Sundays.” A show of hands was taken, and the resolution was carried by a large majority, amid loud cheers. The question of leaving the hours to be fixed upon by the committee was carried in the affirmative. A vote of thanks to the chairman was moved by the Venerable Archdeacon STOCK, and carried by acclamation.