DUNEDIN PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 10705, 18 August 1898, Page 4

DUNEDIN PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY.

There was a large attendance ol members last evening at the monthly meeting of the Dunedin Photographic Society. Mr C. W. Kerr (president) occupied the chair. Mr W. Williams wrote as follows : Hease tender my apologies to the meeting to" morrow night for my absence. As you are aware I am assisting at an entertainment, or I would have been present, if only as a compliment to Mr Richardson, whose demonstration I, as an old wet plate worker myself, should much have enjoyed. I also regret my inability to be with you tie more as I had intended to bring my scheme of the arrangement of ways and means ru entertainments before the meeting with a view to testing the fe-'ling towards it. I will ask you to act for n e. Drietly put, my idea is thi3: I think that all those who have at any time taken an active part in conducting any of our lantern and musical ent ,'rtainments (1 am not alluding to those held daring the currency of the annual exhibitions) will agree with me that the "game isn't worth the cindle" under the paying system. Now, it will be a great pity if these most enjoyable evenings are allowed to fall through, and I think that in my plan a solution of the difficulty is found. It is simply to make them invitation entertainments, the expenses of which will be defrayed voluntarily by such of our members as are willing to bear them. For instance, the expenses of two such entertainments as we have given in the Choral Hall are, roughly speaking, £lO. If twenty members of the society are willing to pay each 10s annually two concerts, costing £5 each, cm be held, and each contributing member will be entitled to, say, ten tickets, on which ten friends c in come in. Members of tht society who for any reasons do not feel disposed to join in with the movement will, with one lady only, be admitted on their membership ticket, but they will, of course, not be allowed to bring anyone else in free. There will then be no advertising and no money trouble of any kind. The question of allowing outsiders in who may hear of the entertainment, and may desire to come in by paying at thi door, is open to discussion, but might for the present, until, at least, the first entertainment has held, be allowed to stand over. If the ai'heme was a success additional members would, no doubt, desire to come in to it, and then either a larger hall for each night could be engaged or a 1 irger number in the Choral Hall. I do not know if it will be necessary to a3k you to move any r.'3olution in the matter. You will have to see how the rules stand. I don't think there is any provision for this kind of thing. If you do not move in my name that it is desirable that my scheme be adopted, then invite members to join it, and put me down as one willing to contribute 10s per annum towards it. I feel confident that it is feasible, and capable of being made a great succ 'ss, and I shall look forward to seeing the possession of one of the tickets of admission esteemed a very great favor. I would suggest that a separate ommittee be set up to manage the fund, but they, of course, would not be appointed until the minimum of twenty uame3 had come in. I would urgj the consideration of this, my rough draft, to-night, so that a decision may be come to, and, if f ivorable, the scheme can be included in next Budget. After a long discussion Mr Williams's letter was referred to the Committee for immediate action. The Secretary notified that he had made arrangements for leasing the rooms of the society every Thursday evening. Seven new members were elected. A large number of prints of a recent snowstorm and others of general interest were shown. Mr Richardson exhibited specimens of wet-plate negatives taken in 1861 and 1864, and developed by tha old pyro atd iron methods; also prints showing the superiority in landscape work of the collodion process. The practical demonstration by Mr Richardson of the working of the wet-

plate process proved very interesting. In the course of his remarks he mentioned | that the thanks of the society were dne to Mr Clifford, who had taken considerable trouble to make the Bilver bath, and to Mr Ewtog and Messrß Barton Bros, for gifts of collodion. The supposed difficulties k of the wet-plate process disappeared as the practical working was shown, and members recognised tho special charms of the lantern slides produceJ. As tho bath and chemicals will bo left in the rooms, members will no doubt take advantage of the opportunity afforded of making themselves acquainted with the beautiful process which formed the subject of the evening's leoture. I DuriDg the eveniDg Beveral fioo lantern slides were exhibited by several members.