TEMUKA MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1294, 24 January 1885, Page 3

TEMUKA MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE.

The annual meeting of the above was held last Thursday evening in the Reading room, the President, Ur Hayes, in the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The President said there was no report, and submitted the annual balance-sheet showing £27 9s fid to credit. On the motion of Mr Blyth, seconded by Mr Lawson, the balance-sheet as read was adopted. The election of officers was then proceeded with. President, Dr Hayes ; Vicepresident, Mr W, H, Hargreaves ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr L, E. Haines. Committee: Messrs G. MoS. Gentlemun, J. Lawson, J. Beri, J. Blyth, E. Lee, J. Cooper, W. Ashwell, senr,, K. F. Gray, F. Archer and the Rev. Mr Hamilton. Mr Ashwell, senior, said he noticed an article in the local paper in reference to the amalgamation of the Institute with the Young Men’s Club. He understood from it that there would be no great difficulty in the way and thought it a very desirable thing. The President said the matter had been talked over, but no definite steps had been taken. He did not think it was the business of the Institute to go after the Young Men’s Club. It was the business of the younger institution to approach the older one if they desired amalgamation. Mr Ashwell said he thought it would be better to amalgamate than to have two institutions aiming at the same thing. The President said it would be to the advantage of the Young Men’s Club. They now paid £25 a year, and it all went away in paying rent for the place they occupied. A room might be added to the Institute, and the only cost would be the cost of building it. Once it was built it would be free of rent, and anything they paid would go towards providing books, etc., for the Mechanics’ Institute, in which they would have an interest, and from which they would derive benefit. They would be members of the Institute, as well as of the Club, and would enjoy all privileges. Mr John Cooper thought there was another matter to be considered in connection with the amalgamation. fie understood from the article referred to, that one of the conditions on which the Young Men’s Club would amalgamate was that the Institute should be closed on Sunday. The President: Do you think we would gain two members by closing on Sunday 1 Mr Cooper: lam sure of it, and a great many more. Mr Tworaey was assured they would get a dozen. He had no sympathy with those who cried out for closing it on Sunday, but be would respect the conscientious scruples of any person. They no doubt believed they were right; he would respect their prejudices and close the Institute on Sundays. The President said the question always cropped upattheiranuual meetings. It was a fact that the membership had increased since it was open on Sundays, and it was larger now than before it was open. If the people would like to have it closed, they ought to join and vote for it. Mr Twomey said they had tried that before and failed, and they could not be expected to be doing the same thing every day. Ho believed the only chance of amalgamating with the Young Men’s Club was by closing on Sunday. Perhaps some of the Club did not care whether it was closed or not, but their President did; and he felt satisfied the Club would not agree to the amalgamation unless they could bring their President with them. Mr Ashwell : Then the Club would bo led not by their own convictions so much as by what Mr Hamilton would advise them 1 Mr Twomey said he did not believe they would come unless they could bring their President with them. It was said that Mr McS. Gentlemen would resign if the Institute were closed on Sunday. He would ask whether that was true 1 Mr McS. Gentlemun said if it were for the good of the Institute to have it closed on Sunday, be would be quite agreeable. He would not resign. Mr Twomey: Spoken like a man. Would it not be better to take the usual course and call a special meeting 1 The President: There is one thing must be remembered, the persons calling the meeting must pay the cost of it. Mr Twomey : I will pay the cost of the meeting. The first night the Young Men’s Club was opened I proposed the amalgamation, and I have been trying ever since to bring it about. I believe that it will be a struggle for existence with them if they keep separate ; if they were to amalgamate they would both be prosperous. The President said the great objection the Young Men’s Club had was that they would lose their name. He did not think they need do that. Their name could bo | put up on the new building. Mr Lee said it would be most desirable that both should unite. Mr Ashwell said what was wanted was to make the Institute attractive by giving 1 lectures, entertainments, etc., and then people would come to it. Mr Twomey said that one of the arguments in favor of closing the Institute on Sundays was that the Ministers of religious would contribute lectures. Frequent suggestions had been made with regard to lectures and entertainments, but cold water was always thrown on them. The question of giving entertainments was discussed at length, and the Sunday closing question came up again, in the course of which Mr Lee proposed—" That if ten new members promised to join, the Institute would bo closed on Sundays.” This course was objected to, and nothing was done, excepting that the general feeling was that if a sufficient number were found to be willing to join on condition that it would be closed on Sundays, those present would not stand in the way of closing it. A vote of thanks to the President terminated the meeting. The new Committee arranged to meet on the second Friday in each month.