A WRINKLE FOR MECHANICS' INSTITUTES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2167, 14 December 1875, Page 4

A WRINKLE FOR MECHANICS' INSTITUTES.

A successful expedient on the part of the committee of the Ararat Mechanics' , Institute to increase the funds is thus noticed by the Pleasant Creek News : — " Some of the heterodox —of whom, strange to say, a majority of literary institute supporters, may always be found to be composed—conceived the idea of moving in the matter of obtainiog the permission to visit the library on Sunday afternoons. When the matter was first discussed, ifc was noticed .that several enthusiastic supporters of the obligations of the Puritan; Sabbath paid their pounds .to be allowed to vote. Seizing on this ■ idea, the matter was promptly postponed for a time,: and in anticipation of the next struggle, a vast number of churchgoers, who had previously been unacquainted with the interior of the building, subscribed and received power to vote. A similar effort was made on the other side and the debate was resumed. This was on Friday, the 9th instant. The matter might have been settled then if pushed to a division, but this would have been killing the golden-egged ■ goose. Consequent on the suggestion of one; of the debaters; the matter was postponed for one week, and it was discreetly intimated through the Press that the innovators had a lar £c majority. Pjtring the ensuing seven days the clerical drum beat to arms. Churchmen and Dissenters, Calvanists and Arminians, Baptists and P&do-baptists, rallied their forces and brought an overwhelming number of adr jherents to the vote, and a corresponding amount of cash to the Institute's exchequer. Last Friday the subscribers met again, and then one would have though all was over. But he who did this would hare little conception of the shrewdness of our Ararat neighbours. After a stormy evening the debate was a third time adjourned for a week, and will once ; more be resumed next Friday. This time, however, the Press statement is that the orthodox have the best of it. During the present week, therefore, the heterodox will make a special effort. All shades oi free-thought, from half-fledged Unitarian to the awaiters of the magnetic •wave, will be egged on to hand in their names —and pounds. Similar work goes on on the other side, and if the good fight be continued only a few more weeks, all Ararat will subscribe 3 and the year's receipts be sufficient to cover . all the required expenditure. Meanwhile the energetic secretary, with a knowing look, enrols the sectaries and banks their cash, while the committee men, like a coterie of . literary Tommy Dodds, smile blandly at winning in the end, no matter which side of the coin comes lrnnp.rniosf,." ;