MASTERTON TOWN LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1781, 6 September 1884, Page 2

MASTERTON TOWN LANDS TRUST.

THE'vbrdinary monthly meeting: ,of the 'above was .held'^ lasfcu.evening.'' Gapper, Bisii, Perry, and Muir. Mr'Gapper was voted, to the chair. ■'■■ ■' The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, The Treasurer reported a .credit balance of £6B 6g sdj also that £350 had been deposited at interest. In answer to the Chairman the Treasurer stated that the arrears of' rent were very slight, A letter was read from Mr R. Hare apologising for non-attendance, and regretting his inability to move a motion ofwhich ho had given notice re advertising. .' Mr Bish thought the matter was not pressing and might siand over till Mr Hare's return, Mr Perry supported the view taken by Mr Bish. Mr Muir thought it might be decided at once. He had no sympathy with the motion. He instanced an advertisement of the lease of town acre 111, which .-in his opmion : ;-hfldj been in ■ sufficiently advertised '* faiseenre the interests of the Trust. The Chairman thought the question should be decided by a full meeting. The Clerk said that in the absence of Mr Hare tho motion lapsed. On the motion of Mr Bish the discussion was postponed, ■"' ? DEPUTATION.. . Jtessrs Lowes and Beard waited upon the Trusfcto ask a giant in aid of the Institute,-.' ' -' , .;.. _ Mr Lowes in introducing the subject said that their main argument waß the impecuniosity of the Institute, It was absolutely necessary to obtain funds for the purchase of new books, If the .Trust desired, Mr Beard would be prepared to give detailed information as to the financial position of the Institute, The greater part of their income was expended on the reading room;- and they had not a sufficient m'arginfor the' purchase of new books, He suggested a grant of £SO for this object.

Mr Board briefly pointed put that the' object they advocated was one which should receive special consideration from a Trust of an educational character, The institute provided, education for the adults in the community. At present tli9 library was not sufficiently attractive owing to the paucity of new books, Ho asked the Trust to supplement their funds for this purpose, It had been said the expenditure had been extravagant, and referred to the balance sheet to contradict this. The Trustees had not given the Institutte direct help though they had provided for interest on the-build-in? debt, He considered they had a claim on the Trust beyond this, He asserted that the main items of expenditure for salary, lighting, and firing were very moderate, Last year they only had a balance of £34 available for.now books. To place the library on a proper footing they required at least £IOO per : annum, If the Trustees helped them then they would assist them in making the Institute self-supporting.. He also stated that they would get no Government subsidy for the current year.

The Chairman said that the outside public feared that the mouey if granted would be frittered away. He therefore asked would they pledge themselves that tho sum should be expended on new'books solely. The deputation gave a pledge to do this,

'The- Chairman thought that in coming before them they should have produced a balance sheet. He could see that the Committee were endeavoring to put the library on a better footing, and this would make them entertain their application in the most favorablo manner.

Mr Beard said they had been unfortunate in having lost a series of secretaries latterly, hence they were not so well prepared with thoir . financial statements as they otherwise would have been.

Mr Muir: Is it a certainty that the Government will not make a grant this yoar \ Mr Lowes said they could not look

forward to one. Mr Muir said the Government had given no notice of withdrawing the grant. He asked if the Trust granted £SO whether the Institute Committee would supplement it by £3O. Mr Beard said that if the money were available he would h delighted' to expend £3O on books out of their own funds. Mr Lowes pointed out that the wonder was how past Committees had been able to do as much as they had done with their very limited incomes. The place was a big one to keep up, Mr Beard suggested that the outside of the building required painting which would be a strain on their present resources,

The Chairman thought there was room tor economy in the management of,the Institute, He considered that ■the salary paid to the custodian whs excessive and intimated that the duties of the office had frequently been delegated to a child, He thought it his duty on public grounds to mention these things. • Mr Lowes said the suggestions made by the Chairman would no doubt be carefully considered by the Committee though he did not himself see that there was much margin for the economy which was suggested, The deputation then thanked the meeting and withdrew. The Chairman invited a fall discussion on the subject. .Mr Perry thought the Institute had already a very, good income. ■ • Mr Bish thought that if, the Trust were in a position to help the institution it was their duty to do so. He thought the present application the most genuine that bad yet been mado. It had a stronger claim on them than the Park, which they had subsidised last year. He admitted, however, that the Park money had been well spent, He considered that the Public School •and Institute had the first claim on their funds. He understood that the Trust -had already given the Institute an acre of land, and was paying £SO a

year, for; reducing the debt on the building. He thought it would be wise to clear .this debt off altogether.

■The Chairman said that '.however desirous 'they might be of. making a grant, they had not tho money, to spare. They might give them £25 now and £25 in three months' time,

Mr Muir said ho was placed in an invidious position, being a member of the Institute committee as well as of the Trust. As yet the Committee were uot aware what income they could rely upon during- the coming year. He thought the income, o£ the Institute an excellent one, and he knew Institutes with smaller, incomes which had produced'(better results; ■ Former .committees had allowed matters to drift, and-.ih'sd made- noeffort to obtain subscribers.. He considered, too, that the. custodian was highly paid for the work done,with £6O a year and free firing and lighting, The Institute was badly off for books, but why they had ,not been able to Obtain them he could not say, As the Trust already paid ..£SO a year to the Institute, it was, in his opinion, treated liberally.

The Chairman pointed out that the present Committee were not responsible for the old debt, which had been a millstone round their necks.

The Clerk said the previous Library Committee got £60.:.a .year from the Trust and never reduced the debt.

The Chairman thought it was their' duty to assist the Institute. To test the feeling of the meeting he moved— That £2s:l)e granted.at once and £25 four months hence, '■.'.:,-■

Mr BisbA Make it £25 now. only I The Chairman' 1 : Very well!

Mr Muir asked whether he could vote, being a member of the Institute Committee."'

The Chairman said ho could. The Clerk said that their Chairman: was an ex-officio member of the Institute Committee, Mr Bish did not see that a member of the Trust wouldbe false to one body or the other because he was connected; •with the School or Institute. The Institute had had the'assistance of very able men, but it had been laden down with debt,, : '

The Chairman thought they should do their duty honestly and fearlessly and not be squeamish as to whether they should vote or riot vote. . Mr Muir said lie was not afraid to vote, but he' thought bis position an invidious one,

The question was then put and carried by the casting vote of the Chairmaiij who said he was extremely sorry that they could not vote a-'larger sum. ' Mr Bish intimated his intention of resigning as a member of the Library Committee. .

The terms on which Mr Caselberg's properties could be brought under the new improvement regulations were then discussed and the meeting adjourned,