THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1877.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2567, 29 March 1877, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1877.

At the meeting' of the County Council yesterday two motions involving grants of money, due notice of which had been given, were Brought forwerd by Cr Mitchell. The first pf^these, : that a grant of £250 should be made to the Thames Hospital, would probably have been carried had it not been pointed out that under the Pin&ncial Arrangements Act the Government would nodoubtvote that sum, the same, be; it remembered, as that with which the Provincial Government used quarterly tor supplement the voluntary subscriptions raised in the district. The other motion was that a grant of £100 should be made to the Mechanics' Institute. On the advisability of this . there were differences oi n opinion expressed in the Council; -no doubtithere will also be differences of opinion .ejsewhere.; \ putting the question of the amount given, which, if the principle of giving anything were confirmed' tvould be merely a matter of what the Council could afford to give, we have this first to consider, whether Jt ; was right - ; or> not ta Vmakeif any "grant '■ at all. The -1 objections raised were that the Institute ought to be self> supporting, agdl|hat4unless:;ithe^ County was j likely, to, be »by^the, gift it ought not to be made... No dioVbt it is a most desirable thing that institutions of a similar: kind should sbe sel£srippor|ing; and even more than this, the subscriptions ought to realise such a sum as would not only meet the expenditure of the year, but enable the committee to add to its stock of books, both those kept for reference and works of light reading, periodically so as to kee{othe old subscribers together and induce fresh members to join. But though this is desirable, yet it -fa often fouud not ta be the case, and 10 it is that institutions of the kind languish for want of aid, getting just enough to enablethem to pay their way, and not always that, wheref s a little aid judiciously-givett^ by those who are entrusted with the management of public funds might make them attractive and useful. This will, we suppose, be granted, but then it may be said that such aid ought not to come out of the County fund, for! such fund is raised from' rates all over the County, whereas—in our case at any rate —the Institution benefits'only those who live near enough to visit it frequently, while the' money, or a portion of it, ef people who may never set foot inside the building is taken for the' advantage 'of those who' use it. We are not saying that there are those who ■ are so narrow-minded as to look at it from this point of view, but still there may be, and it was suggested yesterday that there probably would be. If the objection were admitted, consider what it would amount to. Why this. That the proposed grant ought not to be made because, it benefited some more than others. That: is, that nomqney ought to befSpent which did not equally i at leastiin some degree benefit all who helped to make up the! sum expended,. which means that-!no; money should tie spent at'all. For in-; stance, what advantage—rthat;^ is ; wb;at; direct advantage-wis it to some ratepayers' that a road giioulckbo' foriaefl in 1 a; certain!

place, or a footpath' improved, &c. ? They, if they argued on the same grounds' as those who insist on Mechanics' Institutes .being 3elf-supporting, would saythat some ratepayers neverused the paths or roads, they didn't want them, the district as a whole could get on well enough without having a good footpath 1 in such a street,,therefore it ought-not to be made, or if it was to be made let those who wanted 'it pay for it themselves. New roads are necessary for a district, and they tnust'be made, and as they would not be made by each person who lived along, the line of road paying what he was able, rates are levied to have such roads formed as are most necessary, and to help in the formation of other works. So with the Mechanics' Institute. All will agree that it is desirable on many grounds to have an institution of the kind, and if there are not enough people able or willing td keep it going in a state of efficiency, such, sums as they subscribe ought to be supplemented. It seems to us to be in reality a publio work and a public necessity. At the same time it must be remembered that it is not true that the money of the out-districts is taken away and spent for the benefit of the Thames proper, for the latter have to pay subscriptions from which residents in the out-districts are exempt. Also the sum voted by the County Council (£SO) is not to be expended on light literature, but on works which may impart much useful knowledge to those who read them, which may be used for the benefit of the district. We hope the Borough Council will see their way to 'follow the example of the County. . - .