WELLINGTON ATHENÆUM.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 898, 17 May 1889, Page 30

WELLINGTON ATHENÆUM.

The following report will he presented by the Athenaeum Committee at the annual meeting of subscribers, to be held on Saturday, the 25th inst. “The total receipts for the year (including a balance brought forward from last year' of LlO6 2s lid) were L 1279 Is 4d. Of this sum L 524 10s 6d was yielded by subscriptions, an increase over the previous 12 months of LBS 11s. The expenditure was L 1197 11s Bd, leaving a credit cash balance of LBl 9s Bd. The Committee .regret that an analysis of the working account still shows a loss, though very much less than that of the previous year. The details are fully set forth in the accompanying statement, and show a total net loss on the working of the past 12 months of LB4 3s Bd, as against L 333 19s lid the year before. During the past year, through the liberality of Messrs Lyon and Blair, with whom special arrangements were made, the Committee were enabled to replace almost the whole of the standard works of fiction upon the library shelves, in addition to making other purchases of new books to the amount of LlO3 5s 6d. The total liability incurred under this head during the year was L3OB Is 4d, of which sum there still remains a balance unpaid of L 204 15s lOd, payment of which extends over a period of two years. An increase of LBS in the subscriptions received this year as compared with the amount received in the 12 months previous is, the Committee hope, indicative of a growing interest in the institution ; but at the same time it is clear that the number of subscribers is still far below what it ought to be, considering the growing population of the city and the advantages offered by the Athenaeum. It will be impossible to carry on operations with the efficiency which the Committee desire unless the roll of members is very considerably enlarged, andtlieCommittee appeal earnestly to subscribers to aid their efforts in this direction by inducing the accession of as many new subscribers as possible. From their experience of the past the Committee think that considerable economy can be effected in the future. Many of the items which appear in the present balance-sheet will not come into future accounts. One item, that of salaries, must be materially reduced. As it is the intention of the present librarian, Mr S. W. Falkner, to retire in June next, the Committee take this opportunity of expressing their regret at losing his services, and their sense of the courtesy and ability he has shown during the term of four years, during which he has held the position of librarian. During the year under review the Committee found it necessary to put in force the rule relating to the imposition of fines for delay in returning volumes to the library. Their action, which was taken in the interest of members, has resulted in an increased circulation of the contents of the library, and consequent benefit to subscribers. The number of members on the roll is 420, and 49 life members. The subscriptions unpaid at date amount to L3O. The number of visitors to the library and reading rooms during the year was over 300. The issue of volumes during the same period was 17,650, as against 16,654 last year. Acknowledgments are due to Mr C. F. Richmond for a donation of books, to Mr Wilcox for a regular supply of the Birmingham Weekly Post, and to the various newspaper proprietors throughout the Colony for a liberal supply of their papers.”