MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE, TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 343, 22 January 1881, Page 2

MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE, TEMUKA.

REPORT. The following is the report of the Committee of the above Institute, as read at the annual meeting, on Tuesday evening lastr

“ Gentlemen, —Your Committee at the close of their year of office have the pleasure of submitting to you their annaul report and balance-sheet, which they trust \yill be found satisfactory.'

[The balance aheot appealed in our last issue. ]

The number on the book of the Institute at close of year (1880) was : —’Yearly members, 35 ; half-yearly, 10 j quarterly 36; total, 81 ; against 79 at the close of previous year (1879). Although lust

year’s roll only shows two more members than the preceding year, I am happy to say that there is a considerable difference in the amount of money received by subscriptions from members. The receipts of 1880 are larger by £22 2s Od than those of 1879.

The income from members’ subscriptions reached a considerably higher figure last year than it has ever jet done. This is a healthy sign, and may be taken as an indication that the public tion of the Institute is increasing, and augurs well foi its future prosperity. Many complaints have been made about the paucity of new works in the library. Subscribers will n° doubt be glad, to hear that there is a consignment of books to the value of nearly £4O, on its way from Home and is daily expected, besides another order from Mr Hutton of Timaru, about which there has been unfortunately some unavoidable delay. When these orders are to hand, we hope they lyill give satisfaction to subscribers,

The outgoing Committee would recommend to their successors the immediate return of the volumes temporarily exchanged with the Geraldine Literary Institute, its they have been absent over eighteen months, and would come iu now as comparatively new reading matter to many subscribers.

Previous to this year we obtained all our papers and magazines from Horae. A new arrangement with Mr Hutton has, however, been entered into this year, Mr Hutton undertaking - to supply all periodicals at Home prices. Sour Committee sincerely hope that they will not have cause to regret this attempt to ncourage local enterprise.

An attempt has been made to dispose of newspapers and periodicals to subscribers or others for half price after they have lain sufficiently long on the reading-room table. This effort to increase our funds has not as yet met with much success. Your Committee would suggest to their successors the desirability of disposing of as many papers as possible in the manner specified.

A new system of checking members tickets with numbers and blocks has super seded the old system, and has been found to work satisfactorily. In order to offer a further inducement to the Librarian to interest himself in collecting the Institute funds, your Committee has allowed him 10 per cent on all money collected. A glance at the amount received from members’ subscriptions last year will show that this stimulus has not been without effect.

A new fireplace and chimney has been built in the readiug-room at a cost of £l4 ss. Tliis has entailed a slight extra expense for firing and cleaning, but the increased comfort during the winter months will no doubt more ibun counterbalance this trifling annual outlay.

To meet the requirements of a number of members, it was resolved at a public meeting to relax the rule prohibiting smoking, in so far as to allow of it after 6 p.m. in one room only. The Institute has been painted at a cost of £lO 16s fid, and it was certainly not done before there was need of it.

A project has long bean before the Committee to improve the external appearance of the Institute by laying out the grounds in an ornamental manner, and planting some trees. This project we were unable to carry out last year owing to the then dilapidated state of the Post office and boundry fences, which were not cattle proof. After some correspondence with the Government we succeeded in having the fences referred to repaired, we bearing part of the cost. It is to be hoped that the incoming Committee will see their way to some improvement in this respect as at present the grounds are bare and totally devoid of any ornamentstion.

The Temuka Chess Club recently made application to be allowed to play practice and matches in the Institute, and whether we could see our way to admit members of their Club at a reduced rate. Your Committee are of opinion that the rate of subscriptions is already low enough, and ought to prove no bar to members of the Chess Club joining. We consider, however, that it would be mutually advantageous to afford Chess players evere reason able facility for carrying out the objects of their Club.

During the past year a lecture in aid of our funds was delivered in the Volunteer Hall by Mr Armstrong, of Dunedin. By the lecture we realised £7 16s, and the thanks of the members are due to the “Irish Pilgrim” for his gratuitous services. An unexpected but welcome grant of £34 8s lid was received last year from he Government through the South Canterbury Board of Education. Owing to the present straitened condition of New Zealand’s finances, we can hardly expec. to be so fortunate next year. It bet hcves us therefore one and all to use our best endeavours to render the Institute independent of external or Government aid.

J. S. Hayes, President and Acting Secretary,