Waimate Library.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 141, 25 April 1901, Page 3

Waimate Library.

GENERAL MEETING.

A meeting of subscribers was held on Tuesday evening, Mr W. M Hamilton presiding over a meeting of eighteen members. The minutea of last annual general meeting vvere read and confirmed. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £l7O. The aunual report was read as follows : ANNUAL RHPORT. The year just past had been of great importance to the institution and had demanded a largo amount of labourlu the beginning of their term of office a bazaar was held, resulting in a profit of £BS. Thereat application of this was under discussion when tho tire destroyed building and books. The oommittee had great difficulty in keeping open the institution in consequence of tho want of any suitable accommodation but without delay they secured the only temporary accommodation available in the Fire Brigade station. Not beingby any means suitable or sufficient the committee bal not secured a large supply of books. They regretted that the insti tution had to bo carried on so long under thsse conditions, a 3 tha inconveniences and loss resulting therefrom was considerable though unavoidable. The committee also immediately took into consideration the question of erecting a new building and had decided to take immediate steps to build on tho least valuable portion of tha land on which the building which had baen destroyed had stood, and of disposing of the rest of tho land to provide the necessary funds. It might also be mentioned that iraraa diacely prior to the fire the coinmitts-' had bean considering the advisability of erecting a new buildiug and di-posing of the old one and in pursuance of this echomo had submitted the building and port ; ons of the land to auction but withdrew on account of receiving no satisfactory offer and the idea therefore of erecting the new building after the lire on the least valuable part of the land wis in accordance with the original scheme, and had thy committee adhered to

that scheme a new building would no doubt have been erected ere this and occupied by the institution. At this tim«, however, circumstances arose in consequence of which tha committee deemed it necessary to stay their hands It was no doubt fresh in rh« rscollee .ion 'of the subscribers that the committee was asked to meet with the Borough Council to confer as to way? and means of providing fresh accomodation, aud as an outcome of thai. co lfsrouce two alternative proposals were submitted to a meeting of subscribers. Tr.fcse had been dealt wi.lb and would not be dotailedr committee had now carried wishes of the subscribers in having accepted a sice from the Borough on condition of providing accomodation for a free reading room in the building to be erected on that site. This was done in accordance with the resolution passed at the special general meeting convened for that purpose. A plan of the building was submitted ond approved of. The resolution also authorised immediate building on obtaining tho site. The transfer of the site had now been duly made by the Council and but for tho time of this uieeting being so close tenders would have been called for the building and for the old site. It was thought desirable to leave the matter til after this meeting. Another matter tending to delay was the delay experienced in getting a settlement of the balance of the .insurance monies. Both policies were in the name of the Borough Cauncil The Borough Council, after deducting indebtedness paid over the balance on the 28th March last. The Committee had in accordance with the resolution adopted by the subscribers entered into arrangements with Messrs Whitcombe aud Tombs for an order for books involving an expenditure of £2OO. The books are to be supplied as soon as the committee could find accommodation. A list had been prepared and waß open for inspection aud any further suggestions would be considered.

Mr Hamilton .in moving tbts adoption and balanco sheet said although the committee were author ised to proceed with tVi9 erection of a building tne question of acquiring the freehold site from the Borough Council had been somewhat deliiyad, aud therefore as the time available was so short ithad been hft over for the new cummittje, The position o the institution was uot 50.g.0l as before the fire, but there hid not been a great falling off, and p.-oper accomodation would be sure to attract new subscribers, an argument in favour of procoeding without delay. Mr Cl«inent seconded the motion, which was carried.

Mr Clement urgad that in purchasing the books those generally interesting should be selected in preference to those on. sciences and sport, which would interest but few. Mr Milsom thought the books should be ordered at once. The chairman said tha erection of a building was most important, there was no use getting books and having no place to put them. In regard to the books be would say that every care had been taken in getting tenders from booksellers. The list had lain on the library table for the purpose of inspection. Mr Grahm proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to the retiring committee. This was seconded by Mr Milsom and carried. Mr H. Saunders moved that as they had so few books" they should purchase 4310 worth at once, ;; It was stated that .almost £2O GovemmenJi snhaidy was in band, and hud]' to .■■ bt ■ fp*Jrt Itfbook*, ftga, • Mv■:

Saunders altered bis motion to "£2O be spent." This was put and earned without dissent.'. BIiBOTIOM. The next business wa3 was the election of officers. Messrs C, Akhurst and C. A. Wilson were appointed scrutineers for the election. Mr W. IVL. Hamilton was unanimosly re-elected president. For the committee, sixteen were nominated. The following was the result of the voting: W. L.Scott ... 18 P. Grant 13 J. B. Milsom 12 W. Wills 12 R. Nicol 12 J. Memsies 11 G: H. Graham 9 M. Smith 9 O. Dash 7 H. Mann 7 lie v. Morrison , 7 R. Clement ... ... ... 6 T. Twom'iy ... 6 Eov. McKenzie Gibson 6 K. vV. Hint 5 Foweraker 4 Tno first eight were declared elected. Mr G. V. Cochrane aud C. Akhurst were appointed auditors. The question of electing srust3es was held over, as was that of altering the date of the annual meeting. In reply to Mr Dash, the Chairman 3aid the partitions of tho various rooms in the building were of wood. Mr Dash thought they should be of bricks so that people in one room j .mould not disturb those in another. The Chairman said that, could yet be altered were it resolved ou. Mr Scott wished to know if v. mortgage oould be taken over Unbuilding to provid bookt. This lu thought, would bo l'hey must cater for the public- and ■■■ library was more important than the mure ] building. Some discission took place on the subject, the general impres-ion being that it was premature to talk of raising money on the building. A vote of thank-* was passed to the Borough Council for the use of the room, to the scrutineers and the chairman. A meeting of committee was then h'jld, when Mr P. Grant was elected secretary, and Mr M. Smith reelected treasurer. It was decided to hold a special pueeting on Friday 2oih to consider ;ale of sites, erectiou of building and -.he purchase of £2O worth of books Messrs Scott, Graham and Menzios bfiing appointed a sub-committee to draw up the list of books.