MECHANICS INSTITUTE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3975, 21 March 1900, Page 2

MECHANICS INSTITUTE.

The adjourned annual meeting of the members of the above was held in the Library at 7.30 p.m. on Friday. Present : — His Worship the Mayor, J. W. Gray, Esq., President, in the Chair ; Messrs G. Maxwell, Commons, E. 0. Stewart, Asher, Murphy, Northcroft, Vercoe, Ward and C. La Boche, Hon. Secretary. Mr La Eoche asked the Chairman what meeting this was. The Chairman said he had called a meeting for last Tuesday and it had been adjourned until that ingMr La Eoche said it was entirely irregular and that according to the rules the annual meeting had to be held in July. Mr Ward said the , old rules required the annual meeting to be held in January and he doubted the validity of the new rules. Mr Stewart moved that the Secretary be asked to read a statement of accounts. Mir Murphy seconded. Mr La Eoche objected that the meeting was not a properly constituted one as there was not a quorum of members ; the Chairman had no right t3 his position as he was not a financial member. The Chairman put the motion which was carried. The Secretary said he could not be expected to produce a statement of accounts at a moment's notice like that but he could tell them that at last annual, meeting there was a balance of £3 Is 7d and since then about £4 had been collected in subscriptions. A report was read from Messrs Gray and Stewart stating that Mr La Eoche declined to hand over any books, papers, etc. There was a good deal of desultory discussion and some questions were asked as to books sold, etc. . Mr Ash'er moved that Mr La Eoche be asked to lay a statement of accounts before a Committee meeting to be held at 7.30 p.m. on Monday the 26th inst., at the Institute. Mr La Eoche said he would second this as it would give him time to have the books audited in the specified time before t the meeting. — Carried. Mr Northcroft asked if it was true that the Librarian's salary was in arrears. The Secretary said, it was and explained the terms on which the Librarian held her appointment. Mr E. 0, Stewart brought up the matter of the Government grant for books and wished that a special Committee be appointed to write to the Minister of Education explaining how it was that no money had been applied for. Some discussion took place on this and eventually Mr La Eoche said he would write, to the Minister about it at once. Mr Northcroft proposed and Mr Murphy seconded, that £5 be paid to the Librarian at ODce.-~Carried unanimously. This concluded the business.