MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13745, 9 May 1908, Page 3

MEETINGS.

■■ . i LEYS INSTITUTE. ' TUB annual meeting* of the Leys Institute, [ Fonsonby, was held last evening, when the ; president (Mr. T. W. Leys) presided over a j fair attendance. . The -committee's third an- I niia-1 report/ stated that the library, which > was opened in 1905, with 5418 volumes,""jitfw.p contained 10,132 books. Last year's revenue! amounted to £377, and the year was closed j with a credit balance of £2-5, after expending £88 on boohs and periodicals. There were now 352 subscribers regularly changing j books. During the year -342 books were purchased for the "library, and 535 were presented. The liberal donations of books by the president had enabled the committee to open a. juvenile library. The president's gifts to the library now numbered 6525 volumes. Mr. Henry Shaw had again en- j riehed the collection with 103 volume?. The j additions to the reference library during the ! year numbered 634. To the' lending library ; there were added 640 volumes and the present ! total was 18,866. The gymnasium and other | features' of the work of the institute were I also progressing satisfactorily. The assist- I ante rendered by the Mayor and City Coun- i cil and the- efficient services of the liorarian (alias a. M. William*) wore thankfully acknowledged. 'The president referred to thesatisfactory progress of the institute. _ He announced that he intended to offer eightprizes to senior scholars attending the three J'onsonby schools, each consisting: of a year's subscription' to the juvenile library, for the best essays on the horary. Three of the prizes would be allocated to the Churchstreet school, three to the Richmond Road school, and two to the Bayfield school. (Applause.) .Mr. C. J. Parr spoke of the valuable services rendered by Mr, Cecil Leys as president during Mr. T. W. Leys' absence from Auckland. Mr, Henry Shaw stated that- he would present to the institute a very line edition of the complete works of Charles Dic.kens, which was now being published. (Applause.) lie hoped to live to see a compact- Shakesperian library established in connection with the institute. Messrs. G. Gregory, T. I'. Wells, and Maxwell Walker were re-elected as members of the committee for the ensuing year. WOMEN'S POLITICAL LEAGUE. A meeting of the Women's Political League was held on Thursday afternoon, the president- (Mrs. Rule) being in the chair. Special reference was made to the death of Mrs. G. G. Main, who had been a member of the league from its inception, and a discussion ensued as to old age pensions. It was resolved that any amendment to the existing Act should ensure that in the event of . a recipient being convicted for drunkenness, the pension be paid either to the nearestrelative or friend, the latter to be responsible for his maintenance, or to the Charitable Aid -Board. Resolutions were also passed .on the prevalence of juvenile smoking, in 'contravention of the law prohibiting it; on the evil of allowing boys of sixteen and over to drink at the bars of hotels; and on the practice of expectorating in the streets and in trains. It was also decided, as the late president (Mrs. Kirkby) is about to visit the Old Country, to send a letter of greeting to the Women's Social and Political Union, congratulating it at the same time upon the success of the recent meeting at the Albert Hall. NORTH COTE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. The first meeting of the newly-elected Nort.hcote School Committee was held in the schoolroom on Thursday night, Mr. Jus. Maginnes3 presiding. The headmaster reported that the roll number stood at 413. but the attendance had only averaged 357.2. The treasurer reported that the sum of £19 Us 6cl for the ordinary grant for the quarter, and £9 14s 6d for the yearly special capitation grant, had been received. In response to the late committee's application, the Education Board notified that a special grant of £10 would shortly be paid to the committee's funds. It was decided to again apply to have the school and teacher's house connected with the district water supply- Mrs. P. W. Holland. Messrs. A. Bonner, and 11. P.. Taylor resigned their seats as members of the committee, which were accepted with regret.