TE AWAMUTU PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Waikato Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 561, 1 February 1900, Page 4

TE AWAMUTU PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The annual general meeting of subscribers to the Te Awamutu Public Library was held on Tuesday. The attendance was only fair, which goes to manifest that the supporters have been satisfied with the past management and desire no change. Mr J. P. Vause presided, and read the outgo : ng committee’s report as follows The year just closed has been a successful one, and your committee arc pleased to be able again to submit a satisfactory report. The number of subscribers during the year was 76, the number remaining at the end of the year being 55. The number of books taken out during the year was 3153, and of this number 273 were changed during such hours as the library was c'oscd to meet the convenience of subscribers living at a distance. The new books under order at the date of last annual meeting and further additions made during the year have increased the number of works in the library from 1244 to 1470. The amount shown as expended during the year on new books is £l6 5s lOd. This includes a sum put aside for new books now under order from Melbourne. Two successful lectures were arranged during the winter months, and a flower show held in November last, under the auspices of your committee, was very successful, resulting in a substantial addition to the funds. The sum of £l3 6s was received in March last as our share of the Government subsidy. A larger amount has been set aside by ■ the Government this year for subsidies and application has been made for our share, which should at any rate equal, if not exceed, that of last year. The reading-room continues popular; new chairs have been provided and other improvements made and the number of periodicals increased. The balance-sheet show's the year started with a credit balance of 18s 6d, and has closed with a credit balance on hand of £l9 11s. The remaining assets and liabilities at the end of the year ' being in our favour. Your Committee desire to record their thanks to the patron, vice-patrons and subscribers for their support, and to all those ladies and gentlemen who assisted dining the year in so many ways to make our library and reading-room what we may fairly claim it now is a credit to the district. Balance-sheet for year en ’cd 31st December, 1899. Receipts: By credit balance in hand, 18s 6d ; ordinary subscriptions, £25 5s ; magazine subscriptions, £2 16s ; donation, £2 la ; Government subsidy, £l3 ss; rent of allotments, IDs; rent of meeting room, 2a ; proceeds lecture, £2 10s 6d ; flower show, £22 13s 3d ; sale of magazines and old books, £2 18s ; waste paper, 14s 9d ; sale of 19s; cyclostyle, 5s 3d ; interest on deposit in Savings Bank, 2s 3d ; total, £75 5s 9d. Expenditure: Salaries and labour, £l3 3s; new books, £IG 5s lOd ; newspapers andfmagazines, £l3 17s 8d ; lighting and fuel, £2 Ila ; insurance, 14s ; freights and cartages, £1 7s (id ; furniture and repairs, £2 10s; printing, stationery, stamps and sundries, £4 5s 8d ; credit balance, 21st January, 1900, £l9 Ila ; total, £75 5s 9d. Examined and found correct.— C. Bowden, auditor. The report and balance-sheet were considered most satisfactory, and on the motion of Mr Burton, secouded by Mr Mandeno, the same were unanimously adopted and read. The following officers were unanimously elected for the ensuing year Patron, Mr P. W. Lang M.H.R, ; vicePatrons, Messrs James Cottrell, Wm. Taylor and P. O’Connor. It w’as decided that the committe consist of five members when the following gentlemen were elected Messrs J. P. Vause, J. F. Andrew, J. L. Mandeno, H. H. Burton all re-elected and Mr C. Bowden new member, auditor, Mr I). Bockett. On the motion of Mr Mandeno seconded by Mr Burton,”a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr J. P. Vause for his assiduous conduct during the past year. A meeting of the newly elected committee was held immediately after the annual meeting. Mr Vause was unanimously re-elected Chairman, and Miss Ida M. Vause, Secretary. It was decided to meet once a quarter and as much oftener as business required. It was resolved to obtain another set of cushions for the scats at the second table, and also to obtain a number of new books to be selected by the committee.