CROMWELL ATHENÆUM.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IX, Issue 471, 19 November 1878, Page 5

CROMWELL ATHENÆUM.

Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of subscribers to the above institution was held in the Town Hall on Tuesday evening last. There was a fair number of members present, and Mr J. A. Preshaw was voted to the chair. The first business was the reading of the annual report and balance-sheet by the hon. secretary, Mr Urie. The report was of considerable length, and our available space will only allow of the publication of the more interesting portions thereof. TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. Gentlemen, —Before resigning the trust imposed on them by you, 12 months ago, the duty of laying before you the tenth annual report of their proceedings devolves upon your committee, and they would beg to congratulate you upon the very flourishing position the Institution has gained, as compared by last report and balancesheet. The total revenue for the past year amounts to £221 12s lid, leaving a balance of £5 10s 7d due to Bank of New South Wales, but showing an increase of revenue over last year’s amounting to £99 lls lid, due principally to donation from County Council, and the results of concerts. Item rent of hall, £B7 7s, shows a deficit from last balance of £6 14s. This, however, is due to the fact of moneys due for rent, from Volunteers and Quadrille Assembly, not having been paid in time to show in the present balance sheet. Your committee rejoice at being able to point to an increase of item, subscriptions, being L3l 9s in excess of that paid by subscribers last year, thus showing an increasing interest in the affairs of your valued institution. We beg to thank the members of the County Council for their liberal donation of L 25 towards the purchasing of new books, and trust that a similar display of liberality will be shown by their successors to an institution having for its object the circulation of knowledge by means of books by the best authors. You will admit that it is with just pleasure your committee point to item, balance from concert funds, amounting to LSO 19s 6d—a result far exceeding the expectations of even the most sanguine member of our body. As a whole, the receipts for 1877-8 show an increasing prosperity for your finances, which reflects great credit on your fellow-citizens, and shows that, as of yore, residents are ever ready to forward the interests of any institution whose standard motto shows mutual improvement of members. Your committee would draw attention to the sum of L 43 18s 6d paid for cleaning and lighting hall—more than half the amount paid for rent—and which, when taken with amount of Ll 6 3s for kerosene and stationary, shows a very small profit indeed. We would strongly impress upon our successors to have great care in the matter of rent from occupants, and consider the propriety of reducing such expenditure. Your committee have succeeded in obtaining from the Government the Crown grants in connection with lands reserved on Lower Fiat. You are aware, from the publication of some of the correspondence, that an attempt has been made through the present Parliament to get the Athenaeum Reserves sold as land of special value, balance after deductions for holders improvements to be handed to Athenaeum committee, for the purchase of other lands, as endowment. The Government telegraphed your committee requesting their sanction to this arrangement, which of course your committee refused, in the absence of any information other than that mentioned in a report of some parliamentary committee. The Hon. Mr Stout then telegraphed that the Government would not interfere in the matter this session, and trusted to an amicable arrangement between tenants and committee without Government interference. During our term of office, two entertainments were successfully held in aid of the Athenaeum, netting the substantial sura of LSO 19s fid. Your committee desire to thank those who so kindly assisted at those entertainments for their efforts to advance so deserving a cause, and wa would specially refer to the energetic efforts made in the cause by Messrs J. Urie, W. T. Ward and Robert Brown, who were most persevering in their respective efforts to make both concert and drama a success. Eleven meetings of committee have been held during the vear, the attendance being as follows: Preshaw, 10; Wright, 11 ; Jolly, 9 ; Dalgliesh, 9 ; Bothamley, 6 ; MacKellar, 9 ; Dignan, 6 ; Marshall, 2 ; Marsh, 3 ; Colclough, 8 ; W. T. Ward (new member), 2 ; Urie, 10. In conclusion, your committee desire to tender their most earnest thanks to the hon. secretary, Mr Urie, for the very satisfactory and energetic assistance he has at all times rendered your committee. On the motion of Mr MacKellar, seconded by Mr Murrell, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. The election of a committee of management for the current year was then proceeded with, when the following gentlemen were chosen Messrs Preshaw, MacKellar, Jolly, Dignan, Ward (W. T.), Wright, Colclough, Stacpoole, Murrell, Walker, and Urie. This closed the business of the annual meeting. A Committee Meeting was held immediately afterwards, at which all the members were present, except Messrs Walker and Wright. Office-bearers were elected as under ; President, Mr J. A. Preshaw ; Vice-Presi-dent, Mr D. Mackellar; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr Urie; Auditors, Messrs Maddock and Loudon. Messrs Preshaw and Dignan were re-appointed the Letting Committee for the current year.