TAURANGA MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. PUBLIC MEETING.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3132, 31 July 1867, Page 5

TAURANGA MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. PUBLIC MEETING.

(jUtOM THE "TATTBANGA BECORD.") On Monday evening, July 22nd, apubUo meeting, convened by advertisement, was held, in the auction ropm of Messrs. W. Fraser and Co. Long before the notified time for the meeting to commence, numbers of persona were in waiting outside, and when the doom were opened an assemblage entered more numerous than has often been collected in Tauranga. All the celebrities of the place were present, and the intelligence and respectability of the community were well represented. Amongst those present were Captains Fraser, Tunks, and Slteet, the Rev. J. Hoyne, Messrs. Davison, Norris, Warbrick, Sanderson, and nuiny other influential resident*.

On the motion of Captain Fraser, seconded by Mr... Wabbriok, Captain Tunks took the chair. After reading the advertisement calling the meeting, the Chairman requested the secretary (Mr. Warbrick) to inform the meeting what had been previously done. The Secretary read the minutes o£ the first meeting held for the purpose of forming an Institute, and said that the following gentlemen were the officers then appointed -.—President, Colonel Harington, J.P. ; Vice-Presidents, H. T. Clarke, Esq., ft. M., and Captain" W. Fraser ; Treasurer, E. Purvis, - Fsq.; Seer eta> y, Mr. A. Warbrick. Committee : Captain Moir, J.P., Mr. F. McMillan, Captain Tunics, Messrs. Black, Henderson, James Foley, O. A. Douglas, Sergeant-Major Emus, Messrs. Norris, Daley, Wrigley, Warbrick, and Sergeant Serterfield. The first meeting was held in the billiard-room .of the 12th ptegiment twelve months before, and the following resolutions were adopted : ' ' That this, meet* ing, fully appreciating the advantages to be derived from the establishment of a Mechanics' Institute at Tauranga, deem it desirable that his Honor ,the Superintendent should be respectfully requested to grant a portion of the land for that purpose, previous to the tale of the allotments now marked off for sale at Te Papa, and also that apiece of country land be set apart for the endowment of the same." " That Major Heaphy,fromhis well-known sympathies with all institutions of this kind, be respectfully requested to assist in carrying out the views of thia meeting." Immediately afterwards, he (the seoret»ry) ' wrote to Major Heaphy, then Deputy Waste Lands Commissioner^ from whom he received the following reply :— " Waste Lands Office, July 21, 1866. "Sir, — Referring to your note of date 20th July inst., on the subject of reservation of * piece of ground for site of a Mechanics' Institute at Tauranga, and also for a piece of rural land as endowment for sueh 1 Institute, I have the honour to state that part of the commercial town lying to the north of St. Johnstreet is now offered for sale, and that before 'any more in thrown open for sale time will be had for ih* application to go to Wellington for the consideration of his Honor the Superintendent, who will, I am sure, give the subject every consideration. — lam, &c, t •• Charles Heaphy, Dep. W. L. Com. "The Secretary Tauranga Mechanics' lnstitute." Shortly after that he (the Secretary) went to Auckland and waited upon the Superintendent, together with Captain Fraser, who had also arrived in town ; and they were told to make a selection, and ' they accordingly chose two allotments within » paddock of Captain Fraser's. These were Nos. 164 and 165, in the town of Tauranga. An application was then written, and an official communication afterwards received from the Provincial Secretary on behalf of the Superintendent, stating that the allotments applied for had been set apart for the purposes oE a Mechanics' Institute. Having thus imparted the information he had as secretary to convey, he requested that the District Surveyor (Captain Skeet) would state what h»d come within his knowledge. Captain Skkkt said that on the Bth of December Captain Fraser received a letter addressed to him, stating that the Superintendent had been pleaßed to reserve two allotments, and he accordingly handed them over ; bo that the ground had been at the service oE the Mechanics' Institute since last December. Mr. Norris inquired if the Superintendent had sufficient authority to give the allotments. Captain Skeet : Not having been a Superintendent myself, I cannot say — (laughter) — but the Superintendent as agent for the General Government had the power. The Secretary said that the sooner trustees were appointed the sooner they would have the land conveyed over to them. He proposed Captain Fraser, Mr. Davison, and Mr. Norris as trustees. Mr. Martin seconded, and while doing so wished to remark that, before the election of trustees was proceeded with, each person present should put; his name down as a member. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Norris seconded the proposition. There was no man in the place more interested in a Mechanics' Institute than himself, and he knew that the duties devolving on trustees were onerous. Mr. Martin then moved, "That it is expedient that the election of trustees shall emanate from the subscribers to the institute." This was seconded by Mr. Norris and carried. Thirty gentlemen came forward and gave their signatures. The Secretary proposed Captain Fraser and Messrs. Davison and Norris as trustees. Mr. H. Ball seconded. Mr. J. Coohrane proposed and Mr. Norbis seconded the Rev. J. Hoyne. The Rev. Mr. Hoyne considered that every one , in the community must be satisfied with the list first proposed. He did not wi9h to add to the number. Captain Sxbet remarked that, the candidates being in eioess of the number, they would have to be elected singly* He proposed Captain Frasor. Serjeant Cann seconded. The Secretary proposed and Mr. H. BAXL seconded Mr. Davison. The Secretary proposed and Captain Skeet seconded Mr. Norris. After the voting papers were handed in and scrutinised, the Chairman declared Mr. Norris, the Rer. J. Hoyne, and Captain Fraser duly elected. The Secretary stated that, of the old list of officers, some were dead, and others had left the distriot. It would therefore be necessary to elect a fresh committee. Mr. SANDERS proposed Colonel Haringtou as President for the ensuing year. This was seconded by the Secretary and carried. Mr. Norris said he should be happy to become a subscriber to the Institute. The people of Tauranga had at present no sources of intellectual or innocent amusement, and he was astonished at the apathy displayed by a portion of the meeting. Captain Frasir replied that the people against whom Mr, Norrii declaimed took the liveliest interest in the cause of the Institute. Mr. Davison was of opinion that a reflection cast upon any portion of the meeting, such as the remarks of Mr. Norria were calculated to convey, was insulting. Mr. Norris craved pardon. He meant to say that the only, place of amusement at present to be resQrted to was the hotel. Mr. Sanders said that Colonel Harington was elected at the first meeting, and there was no reason why he should not be eleoted again. The Secretary observed that since the last meeting in July there had been no intervening meeting. Captain Eraser had taken an active part in the business of the Institute. Since Colonel Harington had been made acquainted with the fact of the allotments having been made over, and that % meeting was about to take place, he had taken a very great interest in the matter up to the time of his abrupt departure for Auckland. Captain Skket ; Is Colonel^Harington toi.be President or is b,Q not ? M.r, Martin proposed that the election of officers should be postponed. He had no objection, to Colonel Harington being President. He thought it was a matter of indifference whether the committee were chosen tben, but the election of trustees was a matter of importance, so that the allotments of ground they had secured should not afterwards be taken from them. Until the land was conveyed over to trustees, he thought there would hardly be any business for them to do. Captain Skeet fully agreed with part of what had fallen from Mr. Martin, but that they were met then simply to take possession of the piece of ground granted to them was » fallacy. He thought they could raise funds enough at once to fence in the ground. He did not think they could immediately erect a building that would answer the purposes of the Institute. Such an erection would take something like two or three months. Could they not temporarily occupy some of the Government buildings ? So soon as they had some kind of a building they could ask for donations of book* and periodicals. Why not commence at once and start in -that scanner ? He had got some books, plenty of good books, and he knew many who would be happy to contribute. He thought Mr. Martin's remarks were too extreme. They wanted to start an Institute. They wanted to start that first. At all events elect a temporary committee. (Hear, hear.) Let three or four carry on the work at present, but they must have a working committee. (Applause.) Mr. Norris observed that in the exuberance of his feelings he had expressed him»elf in rather stronger language than he h\ad intended. He trusted that the gentlemen, who felt hurt by the warmth of his remarks would accept his apology. (Applause.) Mr. Davison would at once accept the apology, but wished the Chairman to say whether the committee referred to could be elected on that occasion. Mr. Norris considered that it would be better to appoint a temporary committee. Captain Skew moved, and Mr. Norris seconded, "That it is expedient that a Working Committee be formed." This was carried. j Captain Skee^ proposed, and Mr. Davison seconded, Mr. Martin. Mr. SANDERSpropoaed, *ud Mr. B^BSfcnt Becaaded^ Mr, tf orri*

Captain Pbasee proposed, and Captain Skwet seconded, Mr. Warbrick. Mr. SAtfDßßS.proposed, andiMr.WABBRIox seconded, Sergeant Cann. Mr. Monbo proposed Mr. Tunks, junior ; and the Rev.'J. HonnE proposed Mr. Darison : both the nominations were seconded. Mr. Nobbis proposed, and Mr. CoCHRANK seconded, Captain Fraier. The votes were taken by a show of hands as follow ;-^Mr.',Norrii, 26 ; Captain Skeet, 30 ; Mr. Martin, 30 ; Mr. Warbrick, 30 j Sergeant Cann, 5 ; Mr. Tunks, jun., 30; Mr. Davison, 30; Captain Fraier, 30. Consequently the members of cotnmittee eleoted were — Messrs-. Norris, Skeet, Martin, Warbriok, Tanks, Davison* and Frastr. lAfter a vote of thanks to the Chairman, to Mr. "Warbriak for his exertions on behalf of the Institute, and to; Captain Fraser for the use of his room, which were received with acclamation, the proceedings terminated. ' ' < The committee before separating re-elected Mr. Warbrick as Secretary.