TEMUKA MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 909, 26 January 1882, Page 3

TEMUKA MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of the members of Ihe above Institute was held last Tuesday i evening in the reading room. Dr Hayes, President, occupied the chair, and about •(welve members were present. I minutes The minutes of the last general meeting * Were read and confirmed. ANNUAL REPORTThe President then read report of the Committee Eor, ended 31st December, 1881 Gentlemen, —Your Committee, at the close of their year of office have the pleasure of submitting to yon their annual report and balance sheet, which they trust will be found satisfactory. Receipts, To balance in hand at close of ■preceding year 44 3 8 Subscriptions ... ... ... 44 2 6 Catalogues sold ... ... 0 2 3 Wastepaper ... ... ... 1 19 2 Books ... ... ... ... 1 11 11 Hire of Flags ~. ..! ... 15 0 Amount invested in Building ' Society, and interest ... 54 11 6, Balance due by Institute ... 17 0 11 £164 16 ll‘ Expenditure, The expediture may be summarised as follows— Librarian’s salary, fire, light-, ing, anti extra fuel... ... 28 0 0 Librarian’s 10 per ceiit commission 4 17 11 Books (new), ~ 39 14 9 Newspapers ..." ... ... 27 3 6 Insurance ... 5 10 0, Burnishing ... 3 11' 3, Nightman, carting 1 , and chimney sweep ... ... ... 119 0 Advertising ... ... .., 112, 0 Eire of Hall, ... 10 0 Repairs, and sundries . .. 18 6 Amount withdrawn for irjvestmeht... ... ... 50. 0 0 fiieiTe'xi The number, on the books of the Institute at close of the year 1881 was Yearly members, 30; half-yearly do, 111; quarterly do, 21; total, 62; against 81 at close of, the previous year (1,880). The above report shows that there were 19 more members on the books of the Institute ip the year, 1880 than 1881, It also shows a corresponding deficiency in the receipts from, subscriptions of £24 18s. It was difficult to, explain what the falling off was due.,to, for tney had done their best to make the Institute attractive. They had added £4O worth of books to the Library, but there was no corresponding increase of.funds. He saw that the Waiinate County Council' had given a subsidy of £1 for £lto the Waimate Library, and be thought it would be well to represent matters to the Geraldine County Council ■with a view qf getting a subsidy from them. He hoped the County Conn' jl would see its way clear to give.a subsidy to the Institute, and he believed it would be a wise appropriation of funds. Last year they got their papers and periodicals from Timaru but arrangements were made so that they could, get them direct from Home, and he hoped this would prove more satisfactory. Last year they had exchanged 100 books with the Geraldine Library,but this did not work satisfactorily and now they bad got them books returned. They had to pay. £l ; for the Volunteer Hall on an occasion, that a lecture was delivered in it, in. aid of the. Institute. The payment of this £1 had been the cause of-a good, deal of discussion, as the Hall being public property, members thought the Institute should not be charged for the use qf it. They hud £SO vested in the Building Society, but they would have to withdraw it this year to meet the liabilities of the Institute. They had made arrangements with Mr Wheelband to plant trees around the. Institute, to the volue of £6, and as they had done everything in their , power to make the Institute attractive to the public, he sincerely trusted membeig would exert themselves In adding to the list of subscribers. On-the motion of Mr O’Halloran, seconded by Mr Harrop the report and balance sheet as read were adapted. ELECTION OF. OFFICERS. On the motion of Mr Mackay, seconded by Mr Harrop Dr Hayes was re-elected President, Dr Hayes thanked them for having again re-elected him. He had done his best in the past for the good of the Institute, and would continue to do so< He

was sorry to see so little public spirit in Temuka. The fact that they had a difficulty in getting a quorum together at their annual meeting showed what little interest was taken in the Institute- This was to be regretted. If people, thought a little more of publlclmatters, and a little less of themselves, the community would be much better off On the motion of Mr Mackay, seconded by Rlr Harrop, Mr O’Halloran was elected Vice-President. On the motion of Mr Mendelson, seconded by Mr Harrop, Mr Mackay was elected Treasurer., On the motion of Mr Twomey, seconded by Mr Mendqlsqn, Mr Ashwell was elected Secretary. The following committee was then elected . Messrs A. Bell, Jj. BJyth, K, F. Gray, G. McS Gentlemun, Jj. Mendelson, R M. Twomey, J. Lawson, E. Lee, E. Mossipan, and W, Pitt. VOTE OF THANKS. On the motion of Mr O’Halloran, sa- , conded by Mr. Twomey, a vote of thanks to the retiring officers was carried unaniously. SUNDAY CLOSINGMr Harrop moved—“ That the Institute be net open o® Sundays.” He might appear a little inconsistent in doing this buthe had found from experience that having the Institute open on Sundays did dt a lot of harm. Many men of influence held aloof from it on account of this and it was on this account he. proposed that it should be closed,Mr Gray seconded; the motion on the ground'that the Sunday opening did it a great deal qf harm financially. Mr Ashwell moved as an amendment — “-That the Institute be open on Sundays” Mr O’Halloran, seconded the. amendment. In other communities that he had been in, Institutes were open on and it was found- a great benefit to the people to be able to go into it and read the papers. He did not see how it could 4q any injury to, the Institute. The President salcl tfie Institute had’, sustained no, loss through the opening of the reading i;opm. on. Sundays, The books would show that it was a, gain instead of J a loss. If it weije. a Iqss. he, would; vote for closing it, Mr Harrop asked why were, the fund s so low then, he believed it would be hard to prove-that it was not a loss. Mr Gray said the apparent gain, tp the . Institute through.the Sunday opening, was . eaused by a good many bpipg got on the list of membership, immediately previous to the Sunday opening, Lqpking. at the matter from a financial point of view the opening of the Institute on Sundays was. a great mistake, as a great many- men of influence would, join, it, some of whom would give. lectures only, for the same thing., in.a small; place like this it was desirable, thaf no enemies should be made ; as.they had-to look to one and all for support. There were many coming to the Institute now. who never paid their sabscription, The, increase in membership waa.before and not after the Sunday closing. Mr Mendelso n called attention to rule 14, under, which no rule could be rescinded unless, four, days, notice had been given of it. After some discussion Mr Harrop withdrew his motion, and gave notice that a special meeting be held on Tuesday the 7th February, to consider the desirability of altering rule 14 as affecting the open ing of the reading-room on Sundays. CANVASS FOR SUPPORT. Mr Mackay said they ought to. take some steps to get move support for the Institute. He believed if a personal can. vass was. made it would do a great deal of good, Jn Timaru this system was adopted and it resulted in 30 subscribers being got in one day. If they could get half that number it would be very good, and he saw no occasion who they should not. He thought, however, it would be no use making this canvass until the Sunday closing question was decided. He thought, also they would ba ; justified in going to the County Opuncil for support. Dr Hayes said-those, in favor of, and againpt Sunday closing-ought to make a personal canvas, and get as many to support their views.as possible. Mr Mendelson said that with regard to going for assistance to the bounty Council he did not think it would do much good The Geraldine County Council did not stand in th* same relation to. the Temuka Mechanic’s Institute as the Waimate County Council stood to the Waimate In stitute. The Waipiate County Council bad abolished all roods and exercised the functions of a County Council, the County Councils was in. a measure a dormant body, all its functions being exercised by the Road Boards. In fact the County Council was in debt,to Charitable aid to the extent of £4OO, so that he thought it was useless to look to the, Council for support. Mr Gray said the explanation of Mr Mendelson showed that it was out of the province of the Council to render any assistance. It would uot be advisable to convass for support until the Sunday closing question had been, settled. He believed.if the Institute were closed on Sundays a.great many more subscribers could be got, and the expenses could be reduced by about £3. Mr Harrop suggested to get up concerts and entertainments in aid of th<? funds of the Institute.

The President said the only thing they ever got up was a lecture given by Mr Armstrong, out of which they got about £5. A vote of tracks to the Chairman terminated the meeting. Committee Meeting. A meeting of the newly elected Committee was then held, qt which all members were present. On the motion of Mr Tworaey, seconded by Mr Ashwell-, che days of meeting were fixed to, be held on the first Thursday in each month. Mr Gray moved, and Mr Gentlemun seconded —“ That all papers be sold for waste paper except The Temuka Leader, The Timaru Herald, and The New Zealand Gazette. Messrs Gray and Gentlemun were appointed to take stock of the hooks. The meeting then adjourned.