CHRISTCHURCH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 983, 12 April 1862, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times,

Sir,—May I ask the favour of sufficient space in the columns of your paper to endeavour to remove an injurious impression which I fear has gained much ground in the minds of the members and friends of this institute ?

A course of readings by Mr. EitzGerald in connection with the Mechanics Institute has recently been advertised and it is a subject for regret and perhaps to some, for a little surprise that—so far as this course has been accomplished—it has failed to attract so large audiences, especially of members of the institute, as the beauty of the subject of the readings, the object of this delivery and the known ability of the delivei'er would have led many peoplo to anticipate.

Now, I have little doubt that the unusual apathy shewn by the members on the occasion referred to is in some way to bo accounted for, and I believe that the secret of the matter is this: —They were required to pay a shilling a-pieco for admission to each of those readings.

I do not for a moment imagine that any person thought a shilling too much money to pay for the privilege of hearing Mr. FitzGerald read a fine poem; but I think the great majority of the members were dissatisfied at being askod to pay anything, and that they had some show of cause for dissatisfaction will, I think, appear from the following facts :—

"The rules of the institute provide that all members shall have the privilogo of free admission to all lectures (which word has been taken to include readings), given in connection with the Instituto: and the card which each member receives on paying his subscription, contains the following words :—' Admit to the Heading-room and Lectures.' Consequently, many of the members thought—perhaps wrongly— that they were askod to pay a shilling for what they were entitled to obtain in consideration of the previous payment of their animal or other subscription.

No man liken to be asked to pay a shilling f or „., he conceives to be rightly his own." "dt I have reason to fear that, in consequence of *i • apparent " breach of contract," a feeling } m arj "s among the members, that faith has been in thi 3 ; f " stance, and may in future cases of a similar riatur'* be broken with them ; which feeling, if a110w,.,] t , remain unchecked, may become seriously pre,jufljr.i,'i to the interests of this useful and promising institut I have been authentically informed that the; m f' naging committee of the Institute did not Harirtj,',' and were not, in fact, consulted regarding tho terr'r'a of admission to these readings; and that, on th'"' contrary, on the evening preceding that fixed f,!. the first reading, while a vote of thanks wan unarii mously accorded to Mr. KtzGerald, for his voluntary proof of interest iirthe welfare of the institute feeling was strongly and generally expressed j r , 2 * position to the terms of arrangement which had been made.

I conceive that lectures and readings gj vwi j connection with the institute are desirable, n J merely for the pecuniary advantage which'ma'' accrue from them—although to a struggling ii lst f. tute that must be an important consideration—but mainly for the intellectual and moral good whir.;, they confer on the members, and also (for a reasonable payment), on the public generally.

TERENCE Christchurch, 10th April, 1862. »

The last of the valuable contents of the Royal Charter, wrecked on the Welsh coast in October, 1859, has recently been recovered. Long after wreck of the vessel it was known that a safe r^ mained on board containing £3000 in gold. The uncertainties attending the recovery of this treasure led to the ship being offered for sale by auction, the purchaser to have a right to the safe and its contents No bid being made the wreck was bought by Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., of Liverpool, for X4ooo. After considerable labour the wreck has now to a large extent been removed, and on November 29 the safe was recovered, with the JE3OOO in it.

The Printer's Dollars.—Where are they? a dollar here and a dollar there, scattered over numerous small towns, all over the country, miles and miles apart—how shall they be gathered together? The type founder has his hundreds of dollars against the printer; the paper maker, the building owner, the journeyman compositor, and all assistants to carry on his business, have their demands, hardly ever so small as a single dollar. But the mites from here and there must be diligently gathered and patiently hoarded, for the wherewith to discharge the large bills. We imagine the printer will have to get up an address to his widely scattered dollars something like the following:—"Dollars, halves, quarters, dimes, and all manner of fractions into which you vre divided, collect yourselves and come home!. Ye are wanted! Combinations of all sorts of men, that help the printer to become proprietor, gather in such force, and demand with such good reasons your appearance at this counter that nothing short of a sight will appease them. Collect yourselves, for valuable as you are in the aggregate, singly you will never pay the cost of gathering. Come in here in silent, single file, that the printer may form you into battalions, and send you forth again to battle for him and vindicate his feeble credit." Reader, are you sure you haven't a couple ot the printer's dollars sticking about your clothes? — Boston Pilot.

A Fop and Crinoline.—A writer in the' Sporting Life.' who signs himself "Up at the finish," relates the following:—"The 'old Surrey Foxhounds' met at Worm's Heath, on Nov. 23. There was a good field, and a large display of pink: among them the veteran Sir Francis Head, author of tbe ' Horse and his Master.' We soon found a fox, but did not do much with him. The scent was had in the morning, and Reynard did not like to face the open. We had about three-quarters of an hour with him, slow hunting, and run him to earth. We then drew Westerham Big Wood, where we soon found again, and this time we got a clipper. The scent was much better ; there was less wind, and the fox went away across the bottom, over an enclosed country, like steam. He made towards Brasted, where the pace began to tell on him, for he ran up a pig-sty on to the roof of a stable, and curled himself up, as he thought, secure from observation. The hounds could not get at him, but when he saw that his "littlegame" was discovered,.he sloped over the roof, and away again as fast as ever towards Chevingham Park, the seat of Earl Stanhope. He crossed the park west, through the gardens and pleasure grounds, straight across the lawn to the house. Lady Mary Stanhope was standing on the steps. The fox ran up the steps and under, the ladys dress, where the leading hound seized him. The huntsman said ' he thought it was the first fox as was ever killed under a lady's crinoline, and her ladyship ought to have the brush,' which she graciously accepted."

The late Mr. Alfred Mynn.—-It has lately been suggested by several cricketers that a monument should be erected to the late Mr. Alfred Mynn, one of Kent's most noted champions. The proposition is, " that a mixed committee should be formed, consisting of an even number of gentlemen and players, and' that the Marylebone Club, who always chose the All England Eleven against Kent in days gone by, should be represented by two committee men ; also that Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, and Nottingham, with Kent, should each send two members." Should this suggestion be adopted, it would no doubt obtain the support of the cricket clubs of England.

A Wonderful Lock.—There is now in course of manufacture at Wolverhampton a new patent keyless lock having 244,140,625 combinations. This lock is the invention of Count Kersolon, a Frenchman, but is now the property in this country of a Mr. Loysell. It has five rollers, and each roller is marked witli 25 letters of the alphabet. If the letter at which it is set should not be discovered, the exhausting of all the variations necessary in that case to the opening of the lock would require an immense expenditure of time. It is intended to place one of these locks upon some iron safes that are being made for exhibition at the forthcoming World's Fair. In one of the safes it is proposed to place the sum of ,£SOO, which is to fall to the lot of the person who may be fortunate enough to aflect an opening of the safe.— Leeds Intelligencer.