WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8150, 22 April 1887, Page 6

WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

HALF-YEARLY MEETING, The half-yearly general meeting of the members of the Christchurch Working Men’s Club took place yesterday evening, and was largely attended. Mr H. Crooks, President, occupied the chair, and presented the following report:— “It affords me much pleasure to congratulate you upon the steady progress of the Club during the past six months. Notwithstanding tbe continued depression of trade in almost every branch, the financial position of the Club has not taken a backward tendency, as shown by the receipts at the bar for the three months ending March 31, 1887, as against the same period of 1886. For the months of January, February, and March, 1886, the bar receipts amounted to £456 2s. In 1887, for same period, the receipts were £457, showing that in face of tbe inconvenience members were put to for at least two months of the three by removal of bar and other alterations, the receipts have not decreased, but, on the contrary, show an increase of 18s. I have to congratulate the Club upon the conditions j ust completed whereby we have secured better bar accommodation, which was much wanted, and also a large room above, useful both for a Committee room and dressing room for the variety and dramatic classes. The Building Committee are entitled to the thanks of the Club for the manner in which they have carried out the duties entrusted to them, the sum allotted to them being £2OO, and which they have strictly adhered to, the contract having been completed for the sum of £199 18s 4d. Your Committee very wisely thought that a great and needed improvement might be made in having a concrete gantry instead of wood, and that extra work was done at a cost of about £6, the only extra in the building contract. The bar fittings not being in the original contract, have been an extra expense of about £l6, making the total value of the new building about £220. In addition to this, we have paid Mrs Clark another £IOO instalment, and Mr G. Gould £SO. The libraries have been increased to the extent of £l4, making a total of permanent improvements of £234, and a cash balance left to the Club of £l7l 19a 7d for the half-year. As instructed by the last quarterly general meeting, the Finance Committee have inquired into the advisability of consolidating the mortgages of Club property under one head, with the result that the cheapest money procurable is the Government Life Assurance, which would lend about £I7OO at 6* per cent. But there would be the expense of transfer, and the Finance Committee having looked well into the matter, recommend that we shall do well to go on as we have been going, paying off as much as we can of Mr Gould's mortgage. The marked success of both the dramatic class and the variety troupe is evinced by each class having a balance to its credit, and the thanks of the Club are due to those gentlemen who have so ably given their services to afford recreation to the members and friends. In conclusion, I have to tender my best thanks to the retiring members of Committee, who have each assisted to his utmost in carrying on the Club’s business, and, last but not least, to Mr T. Williams for his efforts on behalf of the circulating library.” The balance-sheet, audited by Messrs H. H. Paul and B. J. Leaky, showed that the receipts for the half year, including a balance brought forward of £376 12s sd, had been £1526 19s 2d. The principal items were:—Bar receipts, £927 ; entrance fees, subscriptions, &c., £146 8s 6d. The expenses, including £l5O paid off mortgages, had been £1354 19s 7a. The assets amounted to £4940 9s lOd, and the liabilities to £2561 10a, leaving a balance of assets of £2378 19s lOd. The auditors paid a high compliment to the secretary, Mr D. Leslie,, for • the manner in which he had kept the accounts of the Club. The President’s report and the balancesheet were adopted. A letter was read from Mr J. Smith, High street, accompanying a portrait, coloured in oils and handsomely framed, of the President, Mr H. Crooks, which he presented to the Club. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Smith for his liberal gift. The meeting then proceeded to the election of six members of Committee, and the following were chosen by ballot : —Messrs Spanger, Neate, Thompson, Stapleton, Woodrough, and Scholfield. After the election the candidates returned thanks to their supporters, and the proceedings terminated.