OAMARU ATHENÆUM.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10065, 5 February 1909, Page 4

OAMARU ATHENÆUM.

AXXUAL MEETING OF SUBSCRIBERS. The annual meeting of subscribers to the above was held in the Athengeum building last evening, there being an attendance of about 18. The President (Mr T. Begg) occupied the. chair). The~minutes of the last annual meetim: were confirmed. The Chairman moved the adoption of the annual report (already published) and balance-sheet. The latter showed a credit balance of £l7 6s sd. Referring to the vear's work, the Chairman said that one satisfying feature was that the subscriptions "had come in much better than previously-. But there was one thing they eould'not feel satisfied about, and that was that the subscribers were gradually falling off. The fact that they had only 2CO subscribers in a town like Oamaru showed that there was something wrong. The books obtained during the year totalled 246. and there was now a much larger choice, even of the latest scientific works. The Committee had done everything in their power to induce the public to become members. During the year several necessary improvements had been Wfected to the building. The lighting was much better and the whole place had been thoroughly renovated.. Mr A. Headland seconded the motion for the adoption of the report. The Rev. J. G. S. Bartlett asked if there was no method of bringing the Atheuanim before the public. He suggested the preparation of a circular to advise new comers to Oamaru as to the existence of the Athenaeum. He thought that if some such means were adopted they would !;et new members. It was a serious matter that the membership was falling off, and it was necessary that something should be done.

The Chairman agreed with Mr Bartlett that some effort at improving the position should be made. Mr J. B. Fergusson drew attention to the fact that some insets which had been decided On were not appearing in all the books.

Mr E. P. Lee said it did not appear to be generally known that visitors could have afree ticket available for one month. Whether these tickets had ever been used he did not know, but he had Bent- out a good many himself. The motion for the adoption of the Teport was carried. Officers for the ensuinc vear were elected as follows:—President, Mr W. W. Keswick -. Vice-President, Mr A. G. Ciea.'h: Treasurer. Mr W. M. Hindmarsh: Secretarv. Mr H. Tliomas; Comniitieee—Messrs' K. P. Lee. A. Headland, .1. S«on. J. M. Forrester, G. H. Uttley, ]). Patterson, and J. B. Fenrusson, P.evs. i. X. Griffin and J. G. S. Bartlelt. Drs M'Adam and W-hitton: Auditors. Messrs lilyth and Scoon.

On the motion of Mr Hindmarsh. it was agreed that me usual £2O lie sot aside for the sinking fund. A vote of thanks was accorded Messrs I'.iyth and Kino- (retiring Auditors) for their services during the vear. The Rev. T. X. Griffin moved a hearty vote of thanks to the retiring President for the manner in which he had controlled the- work of the Institute during the year. Mr V-css had. he said, been a valuable ati<i efficient chairman.

Mr J. if. Forrester seconded the motion, which was carried entlmiastically. In acknowledgment. Mr Bcgg said that his only regret was that during the year he had not been able to devote the time to the Institute that he should have done. But he had L'ood substitutes in the VicePresident and Mr S'-oon. and he thanked those gentlemen for their assistance. He re_retted that owing to his not now living in Oair.aru he was not able to offer himself lor election on the Committee. Mr K. P. I-ee drew attention to the state of the book fund, which, he said, was becoming exhausted. TheCommittec ought to spend more than £57 on new books every year if the Institute was to maintain its usefulness. He regarded it as reasonable that the public should he asked for assistance towards establishing a better book fund. He moved : "That it be a recommendation to the Committee to take into consideration some scheme for establishing another book fund. The Rev. J. G. S. Bartlett seconded the motion.

The Chairman remarked that several scientific works were on order which would probably absorb the balance l£l2 6s 4d) of the book fund. He entirely agreed with the motion. The motion was carried.

The Rev. T. X. Griffin suggested that as an incentive to induce the public to support the institute more liberally the free reading room should be made more attractive. Reading desks should be placed round the walls and a writing table placed in the centre of the room. They had very few people coming into the free reading room. Mr Griffin embodied his suggestion into a motion for reference to the Committee.

Totes of thanks were accorded the Secretary. Treasurer, and Librarian. Referring to the clause in the annual report dealing with the issue of books, the Rev. J. G. S. Bartlett 6aid it would be seen that in the matter of public taste works of fiction easily took first place._ He was not one to cry down novel reading—he sometimes read novels himself —but it did seem rather bad that books of a more educative nature were so 6adly neglected, especially when we were living in an age of science. It would be better if the public could be induced to read something outside the novel or ordinaryperiodical. He thought it might do good if the Committee took into consideration some means of educating the public. It was a deplorable state, due to the public not having sufficient guidance. He thought some effort should be made by the Committee to obtain not only for Oamaru. but for other towns in the Dominion, a series of university extended lectures on some scientific subject. He thought the University would well consider such a proposition. As a county they had no benefit from an institution that was really national. He proposed : "That the Committee apply to the University of 2sew Zealand for a scries of lectures for Oamaru with a hope that they might be extended to other towns of "the Dominion. If granted, the Committee to make arrangements for the disposal of tickets.'' Mr Uttley said he hardly thought they wonld get lecturers. The 6ystem had been tried in Dunedin at a loss. The scheme might be tried in a modest way by getting local gentlemen to deliver lectures. Mr Bartlett replied, that it might be different in Dunedin, where the opportunities were much greater, but in Oamaru they did not have the opportunity. Mr Headland mentioned that some years ago a scheme along the lines suggested by Mr Bartlett was introduced, but it was not a success.

Mr Uttiey suggested as a method of making the educative works more popular the reviewing of them in the newspapers.

Mr Bartlett's motion, which, was seconded by Dr Whitton, was put and carried. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to tie chairman.