Thames Mechanics' Institute.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3308, 29 July 1879, Page 2

Thames Mechanics' Institute.

The, annual meeting of subscribers to this Institution was held at the Institute Hall last evening, Col. Eraser, iRM., President, in th^chairr There was a fair attendance of subscribers. : ■■<;,. The Chairman,; having read the adver- • tisement; convening the meeting, and the; secretary (Mr F. E« G. Woodward), *ead> the minutes of the last annual meeting, which were confirmed.. ■ s ; ;; v u!v } i The Secretary then read the annual report of the Committee as follows :—• Your Committee have the honor, to present for you? approval their-tenth annual report, ; together with 'the balance-sheeti and the stsitemenfc of liabilities and as£elß..tO;the 30th of ■ Junelasfy and to express their rtgret that the \ hopeful anticipation pronounced in the concluding paragraph of their last annual report; hare nob been fully realised. The finanres j during the past' year have suffered from the : very general and great, depression existing in all trades and industries in the district, and it is not, therefore, surprising that subscriptions have fallen considerably, and the attendance in the reading .room has been correspondingly affeceed. Notwithstanding the untoward condition of pftairs, the library has n jeived valuable additions of standard works. and will be shortly supplemented ' by £123 worth of carefully selected literature ordered by authority of the Board of Education in Auckland. Some unavoidable delay has arisen in the receipt of this important consignment, in consequence of the very careful attention displayed by the Board in selecting from the listsubmitted by r your committee, j The Institute building has also undergone extensive alterations 'and repairs. The per. petual leakage was destroying large numbers of the books on the library shelves, and on frequent occasions the reading room and hall were"floodedl'With water. Your committee/under the circurbßtauces, obtained a loan to defray- the; cost;' The Institute building ha§ received externally a thorough repuir and considerable alteration, while the interior improvements have'greatly conduced, to the comfort afcd convenience bf'the Subscnbißrs. The legislationaffectingPublic Libraries and Mechanics' Institutes is conclusive of the disinclination of the Government: tot subsidise j any Institution! maintaining an independent position, as that held byl this Institute, and your Committee therefore deem it advisable to recommend to subscribers the desirability of constituting it a freo library, under the provisions of the Free Libraries Act, and thus secure the right to a yearly participation in the Government grants in aid. It is suggested, therefore, the Corporation of the I Thames Borough should assume the control of the Institute, and take the necessary measures ta relieve your Committee of their responsibility. In resigning their stewardship, your Committee trust you will approve their administration of the small income placed at their disposal, and the efforts to obtain for subscribers the best works of modern authors. *..■•• BaMANCE Sheet.—-Assets : To bank overdraft, £1 6s 3d j deposits account, £1 10s ; library, £42 j papers and periodicals, £26 17s 6d ; fuel, £5 3s ; lighting, £10 63 6d ; attendance, £50 2s; miscellaneous expenses, £3 4a 6d; printing and advertising, 18s; stationery, £1 16s 6d; insurance, £2 ; interest, £2 2a 6d; lectures, £6 3s 6d; rates, £2 12s; cash account (balance in band), £2 13s 2d ; total, £158 15b sd. Liabilities sßy cash balance in hand, £4 3s 8d {donations, £60 143 6d ; subscriptions, £62 12s; deposits, 17s 6d j rates, (refund Borough Counoil), £2 12s ; Bank of New Zealand overdraft, £23 15s 9d; total, £158 15s sd.—Dr. Liabilities—June 30,1879. —Bank of New Zealand overdraft, £23 15s 9d 5 printing, advt., books, periodicals, attendance, &c, £37 2s lid ; J. Read (alterations and repairs), £112 8s 8d; J. Bead, redemptions (3), £7 ; balance, £847 5s lOdj total, £1027 13a 2d. Cr. Assets—June 30, 1879. —The Institute building and iveehold,.£sso furniture and fittings, £35; books and ■ periodicals, £300; museum cases, &c, £25 ; librarian's cottage and freehold, £85; subscriptions in arrear, £30 j cash in hand, £2 13s 2^; total, £1027 135,2 d. The balance sheet was also read. The Chairman then invited discussion on the report. ;.■■ ■ 1 I : Mr E. McDonald Scott moved, and Mr McDonnell seconded- that ;the report be received, and that the balance-sheet be adopted. Mr McGowan moved the adoption of

the report. He explained the procedure under the Act for making the transfer of the library to the Borough Council. He spoke of the small additional cost that the bringing of the " Public Libraries Act" would entail on the Borough ratepayers, and referred to the many benefits of the change. He reminded them that even though they agreed to hand over the Institute it entirely rested with the ratepayers, who would be called on to vote for or against the Act being brought into force. Another thing was that if the Council desired to construct a public hall in connection with the Institute they could borrow money for that purpose, on the rates, which the Institute as at present constituted could not do. ; Mr Carrick (schoolmaster) said, if the change was made, the Council should obtain literature suitable to all classes of the community. The Chairman pointed out that the , management would bo entirely in the hands of the Council. M The motion was then carried unanimously. Major Murray said that, as the new' state of things would soon be inaugurated* he would more that the present officers be re-elected. Carried. : 'The following gentlemen were elected to fill the vacancies in the old committee caused by several members leaving the Thames:—Messrs W. Carrick, E. N. Smith, Potterton, E. McDonnell and 5. W. Walker. Mr A. Hume was elected auditor, and the meeting concluded with the usual compliment to the Chairman.: