PATEA LIBRARY AND INSTITUTE.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 498, 7 February 1880, Page 2

PATEA LIBRARY AND INSTITUTE.

The following report of the committee to the members was read at the annual meeting on;Satnrday last: Gentlemen, —The committee now lay before you the statement of receipts and expenditure and balance sheet for the past year. The addition of members to the library, on the whole, during the past year, has not been so satisfactory as could have been desired, owing probably in a great measure to the depression which has exised for soma time back, and also latterly to the non-arrival, of the new books, which only arrived about a fortnight ago (owing to the extra long passage made by the vessel by which they came).

The number of subscribers at the end of the year was 80, and about half-a-dozen have joined since the arrival of the books.

The Reading Room has been more fully supplied with reading matter during the past year, having the addition ol various magazines and periodicals—such as the Contemporary, Graphic, Gentleman s Magazine, London Weekly Times, &c., together with the use of several others kindly supplied by private individuals. Considerable addition has also been made to tho Reading Room accommodation, the whole of the furniture, reading desk, lamps, malting, &c., having been supplied during the past year.

The new lot of books, comprising about 1.7G volumes, are of a better class Voth in respect of reading and binding, and seem to be highly appreciated—the total cost of which, delivered here, is £Ct‘. This would appear high in comparison to the number of volumes,■ but there are several standard works which arc very expensive, such as the “ English Encyclopoedia” (£10), the selling price in England being £l6 IGk; and also a Dictionary at £-1.

About 100 volumes have been laid aside by the committee for sale by auction, which being standard works, will likely excite considerable competition. The Library and Institute has made a steady and favorable advance within the last throe years, when we consider its inauguration about that time back with about 100 volumes, and no accommodation either for Library or Reading; whereas there is now a very well supplied Reading Loom and Library, and judging by the balance-sheet, a clear amount of £230 13s IGd of assets, after considering all liabilities.