CHRISTCHURCH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1008, 9 July 1862, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

On Wednesday, June 25, the Christchurch Mechanics' Institute held its third annual meeting, when the reports of the committee and treasurer were read and agreed to, some necessary alterations in the laws made, and the resolution of the committee approved for the issue of a share and subscription list for raising the requisite means of establishing the institution on land and in a building of.its own. The following are the : "Your committee have the honor of laying before you this the third annual report, and, in doing so, your committee entertain a hope that through the support received by & large accession to the. list of subscribers from the inhabitants of this city,'a much more favorable result will be noticed in the financial position of than was shewn in the last report. In the first* year the number' of subscribing members (including annual* three-quarterly, half-yearly and quarterly) were reported to vou as bemg 182, producing an income of £10313s 6d; in the second year the subscribers were 141, producing an income of £7o 10s; in this, the third \ ear, the subscribers have been 223, producing an income of £201. It is true that the expenses of the institute are heavier than upon previous years, in consequence of tho reading rooms being thrown open to subscribers during the day as well as in the evening; but that this has been and is a source of great accommodation and benefit to the members must be admitted on all sides., The items of revenue will be more fully particularized in the treasurer's report accompanying this, but your committee would wish here to notice that nvthe general receipts to the income during the past year arising from lectures appears a sum of only £2 2s 6d; but as nearly all the lectures that have beeii given were given for the benefit of the library flund alone, the bulk of the receipts from lectures during the year, or £23 Is 9d, have been carried to that particular account. , " Your committee have again the pleasure of reporting favorably with regard to the library. Your committee have already alluded to the receipt from lectures of £231s 9d; it has now to report the receipt of £150 voted to this purpose by the Provincial Council. Your committee hav® to report that a favorable site, consisting of half-an-acre of land adorning to that commonly known as Mr. Cridland's late residence has been purchased for the institute for the sum of £262 10s, payoblonowm about four.months; that Grosvenor Miles, Esq., W. D. wood, Esq., and Edward Beece, Esq., have jointly made thomselves liable for the payment of the amount, upon the security of the section itself. y°ur committee rely upon the Provincial Government tafulul its promise to provide the means to this institue for purchasing a site in lieu of the one the Government ntts appropriated to its own uses, arid your committee

recommend that funds ibr u building should bo roisod by narticiilars arc candidly laid Wore the public .that there Mi no great difficulty in inducing tho inhabitants 3"SSS&k. wfc. h«o.hittorto alwajj .hom «, Lli roftdiness to support every good cause, to lend thoir ® (he purchase of the land and in tho erection of a "ILient mechanic's institute, and so roleaso the gentloP c ", beforonamed from tho liability they havo incurred in ♦To purchase of the site in question. » Your committee cannot close this report without taking tlio opportunity of thus publicly expressing its thanks 10 thanks of tho Institution generally to those genTl Jn who havo contributed to the advancement of this uSul work, by their donations, and also to J• Ogvier, £1 and his assistants at rcadmgsandconcorts; J. Haast, ifi E. Dobson, Esq., J. Esq., Mr. Brad!it'ftnd the Eevs. J. Buller and 0. Eraser, for tho valuablo'assistanco rendered by the delivery of their lectures, readings, &c. (By order of t^e - committee, . ...... "Joshua Cuff,, ' /■' "Hon. Sec."

TBKASUBEB IN ACCOUNT WITH THK CnBISTCHBIBCH MEIHANICS' INSTITUTE. j • » i Cr • i L July 1,1861, to: June 11861, to June: 30,1862. ~ 30 > f 862, £ , g • Sp&tuto... o Lectures &c. 2 ,2 6 „ Rent of rooms .20 0 0 SCSi? ... *» -y 0 „ Bgocd .r M Balance due to " &w ir ? ? Treasurer 412 4 „ Timber ... 16 7 7 ITeasurer... Plastering 10 19 <0; „ Carpenter ... 11 13 0 „ BOOKS ... 2613 10 : „ Newspapers & magazines ... 14 16 11' „ Stationery 1 7 9 „ Lamps... ... 5 8 6 , " Advertising 4 19 11 • „ Re-binding books, &c.... 4 6 3 £217 1. '4 ÜBBABTTUND. July 1,1861. . ,1861-62. To balce.(in hand B«'9- : 6 By books bought I "Keadings, &c. .28ia : 2 byauction ... 24 10 0 „ Mr. Worth. ~ Remitted to i ' (donation) •19 0 London ... 120 00. „ Grant from Balance in Prov. Govnt. 160 0 0 hand .;. 1 ... 38 0 3 £182 10 3 ■ £182 10 3 i building- eund. ■ . July 1,1861. June 30,1862. To bal. in hand 300 By bal. in hand 30 0 £3 0 0 "" £S 0 0

The increased utility of the institute, as far as its library is concerned, may be fairly, inferred from the fact that the number of volumes has more than doubled during the last twelve months, and now numbers nearly one thousand.