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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1229, 13 May 1857, Page 3

REPORT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WELLINGTON ATHENjEUM AND MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE, HELD MAY 5, 1857. At a general meeting of the members, Robert Hart, Esq., one of the Vice-Presidents, in the chair, Messrs. Robert Porter Welch, Robert Kirton, and J. W. Callcott were proposed and seconded to take charge of the Ballot for the election of the new Committee and Officebearers for the ensuing year. The following Reports were read by Mr. Edward Lewis, the Secretary, and Mr. Jonas Woodward, the Treasurer :— In coming before yon on this the fifteenth anniversary of the Wellington Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute, your Committee feel much pleasure in recording the general prosperity of the Institute. With a continually incieasing population from the neighbouring Colonies and the Mother Country, the necessity of such Institutions must be felt by all who desire the spread of knowledge and the advancement of science. Al the same time it must be borne in mind that compara'ively few of those who reach our shores remain in town, the country affording as it does the chief attraction.

The report of the doings of your Committee during the year'of their operations will shew active efforts in. the way of completing the Building which their predecessors had commenced; not that they look upon tiie present as perfect or embracing all that is to be accomplished in connection with the Institute ; they feel that much remains to be done to meet the wants of the present age. In the early part of the year your Committee opened a subscription list with a view to improve the external appearance of the building. Some three years since an iron railing was ordered from England through Messrs. Johnston & Co., of this place. It was.supposed that the same would have cost about £25, but on arrival it was found Io amount to a much larger sum. After considerable delay and frequent discussions, it was at last de ctded by your Committee to take it; Messrs. Johnston Co. having very generously offered to forego the interest and their commission due on the amount of the invoice. Tenders were issued for the erection of the same; the accepted one being for the sum of £55, which, with extras, came to £7l 4s., —making the cost of the fence in all £l5l 12s. 7d.

. 1 our Committee have much pleasure in recording that Mr. Foley most liberally placed at the disposal of the Committee tire proceeds of an entertainment at his Circus, amounting to £ll 195.; that Mr. Pickett with his wonted readiness conducted a concert for the benefit of the Institute which yielded the sum of £9 18s. fid., and that the Hullab Class (tinder the care of Mr. W. Holmes, in the Institute) also with great credit to themselves and their leader, gave an evening’s entertainment, the proceeds of which amounted to £G 3s. Bd. making mall the sum of £2B Is. 2d. For these and other voluntary efforts of gentlemen of this comrnunity during the winter season of the past year the Institute is much indebted.

During the winter season the following lectures and readings were delivered in the Hall; and although the sum of £l2 12s. was voted for the expenses of lectures, this amount was not required to be drawn upon, all the lectures having been given gratuitously Lectures. By Rev. John Moir—On Books aad the way to use them,. Robert Hart, Esq.—Reading from De Quiacey. * do. On Central America « A" Baker—On Church u do. On Poetry. “ Dr. Ralph— 4 Lectures on Chemistry. 41 Rev. J. Buller—On Woman, her influence, do. On Woman, her education. 4( do. On New Zealand Heroes. 44 Knowles—Reading from Macaulay. 4< a r ' Marriott ' —On Lyrics of Moore. virTM J* Woodward—On Geography of the War, 44 Yr? ' am F° x ’ Esq-—On the Rugeley Poisoning Case. | Villiam Lyon, Esq.—On the Geology of Words. | our Committee are making arrangements for a | course of Lectures for the ensuing season, which ney trust will prove attractive to the members. 1 he books of the Library were called in by pubhe notice in the month of November last, and Mr. Carpenter was entrusted with the preparation of a new Catalogue. It, is to be regretted that the 3 ?i me 13 out ,be hands of the printers. he number cf books at present in the Library is 1 k ‘ volumes. About 120 volumes have 1 ten added in the past year. The new arrangeplo”l ofthe Library will, the Committee hope, yj o * 6 a convenience to members, and be the means & keppmg the books in a more systematic form »nan the Librarian was able to formerly. hiringthe year two Classes have been working 4 successfully under the charge of Mr. W. H. 3 Pl o,mes » namely, the Hjillah Class and Drawing 9 l.i< 88, - Both have been self-supporting, and the $ ter nae continued to the present time. The U FnU? reBS °‘mese hare been gratifying to the Cornrm a 5 albcir I,e,n 8 ab l e t 0 report the for5 lon ,°* ? discussion Class by some of the menu 3 i ° ” ave been allowed the use of the Hall S hnr? n ?° U £i On " ednesday evenings since Decern- » he following information has been obl cem, from J tbe Secretary of this Class. It was rr^ rnC i n < Ce( . kJ B,x members, which number inbeen S twe t l°ve lXteCn ’ averagc atlcn dance having are^:— W °^^ ,c sub J ec^s which have been discussed H Wp C . tber ,Governments ought to interfere with Education ? Countr G^Vanla^ea ,e Colonies to the Mother W n n 'J’ e I ben ? ,it of Theatres. Ji 11 , m ’R rat ’on to be assisted ? J: » »oiild the gale of intoxicating drinks and beJ ra P es oe prohibited by the representatives g of a free people? S bee? 0 otber discussions, the Committee have d? t Pn 10 understand, were entered into with irifitr 6 .!’ Um ° U j r ’ ar, d l ,avfi proved a source both of ' A Class a musement to the members of the pal tinJa Committee have had under their consideraA tlio nj rc ” lo Y®l of the Museum and Library of J |. ea l n ud Society to the Institute, since the ’. rov, ! ,c >*l Council by an Act passed in until*'J BesBl,,n » have taken it under thpn charge Arr<» 1116 P ro l ,er use can be made of it. Lvcin V^ cinenlfi have been made with Mr. W. .‘■;i Works ii? r i , ;S o » cur ’ some of the most popular ’ ’I Inmboupd library ediljon, from England,

the nurrVn CCCn r ly i''° "T- ? f £l ° was ,ai <’ «''» >" lie purchase of cheap light reading, which the Ute’Z. 1 C trU ?‘ Wi !’ Salisfy the literary’ervi, ng of the nieinbejs for the piescnt. They have also to report having transmitted through Mr. Edward Lewis the sum of £lO for the purchase of the following for the use of the reading room:The Illustrated London News; Punch; Chambers’ Journal; Dickens’s Household Words; Th" LeiTAo rV!°, Ur i British Workman (two copies) ; ThePtclonal Times, Cassells’ Family Paper; The Journal i Cassell’s Popular Educator; The News; Hogg s Instructor (supposed to be defunct), or the Monthly Magazine issued in its stead; The Edinburgh Witness, The Critic, or Literary Gazette.

Your Committee indulge the hope that the regular supply of the above periodicals will have the eltect of making the reading room of the Institute more attractive to its old members, and induce many others to join them. ~ u l Committee have also had under their consideration the opening of the Hall of the building °.", 5 ?’ uraay eveninßs, free of charge, for the espeoeneht of the numerous workmen employed on the public works in the town and its neiglibournoqrt, to enable them toperuse the newspapers and periodicals belonging to the Institute. On this question no decision has been arrived at, yourComnnttee having preferred to leave it for your disposal on the present occasion. The number of members at present in connection with the Institute is not so large as at the termination o f the previous year, a circumstance which will claim at the hands of the new Committee their most serious consideration. The present number of members is about 150. The Treasurer’s Account is as follows :— Da. To balance from last year's account £9 8 3 ~ Subscriptions received duriug year, as under—

The Treasurer offered some remarks'on the finances of the Institute, shewing the liabilities to amount to about £7O, and explaining that although this appeared at first sight an unhealthy state of thing-', it must be borne in mind that a very large amount had been expended in the last six months on the external improvements of the building, and about £5O tn excess of the amount raised bv voluntary subscription towards the Building Fund. Mr. Seed moved, in a rather lengthened speech, the adoption of the report, referring to the pleasure he felt, on returning to Wellington, to find that the Institute continued in such a flourishing condition, and alluding to the satisfactory nature of the report, wb'ch, he considered, spoke more of active progress than any he had heard before. Captain Rhodes seconded it.—Carried.

Mr. Lewis proposed an alteration of rule No. 22, in so far as it limited the number of names which members are allowed to nominate for election as officers. Mr. Carpenter seconded it. Some discussion ensued as to whether members should be allowed to nominate eight or the whole twelve of the Committee. The latter number was decided upon.

Mr. Holdsworth moved that the Hall of the building be opened on Saturday evenings free of charge, for the purpose of affording opportunity to the numerous workmen employed in the town and its neighbourhood, to peruse the newspapers and periodicals belonging to the Institute, and that it be referred to the Committee to frame bye-laws, and make arrangements for the management of such use of the Hall. Mr. Knowles seconded it.

Mr. Carpenter opposed the motion, on the ground that the Institute was not in a position to incur any extra expense, such as lighting, &c„ and because he considered that the amount of subscription required from parties desiring to become members was sufficiently low to be within the means of all classes of the community. Mr. Spinks was of the same opinion, but expressed his desire to see the proposition carried out if practicable.—Some considerable discussion of an animated nature ensued, in which Messrs. M'Kenzie, Spinks, Pilcher, Cook, Seed, and Stafford took part, when Mr. Woodward moved, and Mr. Spinks seconded, the following amendment, which was ultimately adopted :— That it be an instruction to the Committee to take such measures as may be necessary for the purpose of opening the Hall to the public free of charge on Saturday evenings for the ensuing six months, and for such further period as the Committeemay find desirable. The Scrutineers having returned, the Chairman then declared the following members had been elected to the several offices. President—His Honor I. E. Featherston, Superintendent of the Province. Vice Presidents—Robert Hart, Esq,, William Lyon, Esq., William Spinks, Esq. Treasurer—Mt. Jonas Woodward. Secretary—Mr. T. W. Pilcher. Committee—Messrs. B. Gordon, E. Lewis, C. R. Carter, J. G. Holdsworth, W. H. Holmes, J. Knowles, W. Seed, J. Burne, T. M’Kenzie, G. Allen, W. Buller, and J. Smith. Mr. William Seed then tendered his resignation, stating that nothing but urgent reasons of a private nature would have caused him to feel bound to decline taking his part in the management of the Institute. The Chairman stated that Mr. R. J. Curtis had the next highest number of votes, and therefore declared him to be duly elected in place of Mr. Seed. A vote of thanks to the Chairman was then moved and carried unanimously, and the meeting separated.

Arrears of Subscriptions to June 30, 1850 10 half-yearly @Gs. 6d £5 4 0 2 do. (ladies, &c.) @4s.. .0 8 0 2 2nd quarter only @ 3s. fid. 0 7 0 1 do. do 0 2 0 2 entrance fees 0 5 0 Subscriptions to December 31, 185G— 97 half-yearly @ 6s. 6d. . .£31 10 0 14 do. (ladies, &c.) @ 4s. 2 16 0 l <10 0 6 0 2 2nd quarter only 0 0 0 13 entrance fees 1 17 6 . — 38 18 0 Subscriptions to June 30, 1857— 46 annual @ 12s. 6d £28 15 0 2 do. (ladies) @ 7s 0 14 0 64 half-yearlv @ 6s. 6d. .. 20 10 0 5 do. (ladies, &c.) @ 4s. 1 0 0 3 2nd quarter only @ 3s. 6d. 0 10 0 5 entrance fees 0 12 6 52 8 0 To special contributions for Fencing, &c. Collected by Mr. C. R. Carter 1840 11 0 Do. Mr. Spinks .... 23 7 0 ■ ■ ■ 03 18 6 Proceeds of benefit at Circus, contributed by Mr. W. H. Foley £11 19 0 Proceeds of Concert conducted by Mr. G. Pickett 0 18 6 Proceeds of Hullah Class Concert, conducted by Mr. W. II. Holmes 6 18 G 28 10 0 Interest added in Savings Bank . .. 0 4 2 To Fees from members of Classes— Instrumental Music Class 1 15 0 Drawing and Music Classes— 12 pupils, drawing and music at 15s £9 0 0 14 pupils, music only at 10s. 7 0 0 2 do. drawing only at 10s. 1 0 0 ■ ■ -- 17 0 0 Drawing and Music Classes on account 1 5 0 To cash received for Library Fines 0 1 10 To Tickets for Conversazione, May 15, 1856 —- Sold by Mr. Pickett £2 10 0 Do. Mr. Lyon............ 2 15 0 Do. Librarian 8 17 0 14 2 0 To Receipts at Lectures— Bev. J. Moir’s lecture.. £0 3 0 Rev. A. Baker’s do 0 3 0 Mr. R. Harfs do- 0 4 0 Rev. J- Buller's do. . 1 0 o J. Woodward’s do 0 1 0 Mr. J. Knowles'* reading ...... 0 1 0 Rev. J. Buller’s lecture ...... 0 10 0 Dr. Ralph’s do. ........ 0 4 0 Do. do 0 2 o Rev. J. Buller’s do. ........ O 7 o Dr. Ralph’s do. ........ 0 2 0 Mr. Fox’s do 0 10 0 Rev.A. Baker’s do. ........ 0 4 0

To amounts received for ase of HaU— Savings Bank, for committee room £3 0 0 Building Society, for meetings J year . 5 0 G Do- do. half-year 2 10 0 Do. do. annual meeting 110 Fire fund, for public meeting.. 0 10 <1 Bible Society, for two do. .. 1 I 0 Sunday School Union, for lecture 0 10 6 Church Choir for concert .... 0 10 0 Mrs. Bryan for concert 2 2 0 io 0 To donation from member of Committee of Building Society, No. 2 1 1 0 To net proceeds of books and papers sold 7 0 11 To balance due to Treasurer 8 0 6 £267 19 _8 Cn. By cost of repairs and improvements, as under— Paid Johnston & Co. Iron Railing £55 8 7 Paid T. Richardson erection of Fencing, &c. 71 4 0 Paid Parsons & Co. Lining, &c., in Library 11 6 0 Paid S. Furness, partition in do. 4 5 0 Paid J. Minifie, coloring, glazing, &c 6 6 0 Paid C. R. Carter, additions to Platform, &c 1 12 0 PaidG. Pickett,drugget fordo. 2 8 0 Paid Luxford & Mace, Table Covers 1 4 6 ■— £153 14 1 By Books, Repairs of do., and preparation of Catalogue— Paid R. H. Carpenter, repairs of books , £l 10 0 Paid W, Lyon, Books, &c. .. 3 18 0 Remitted to England for purchase of newspapers and periodicals, j£10; Bank prem., 6s.... 10 6 0 Paid for copying catalogue, &c. 0 10 6 ,, R. H. Carpenter, assorting and classifying books, &c., in library 4 4 0 Paid R. H. Carpenter for preparing Catalogue 1 10 0 £21 18 6 Paid Librarian’s salary, 1 year 32 10 0 ,, fees for tuition for classes 13 0 0 ,, Insurance at 42s. per cent, on jfc'GOO 12 12 0 ,, Interest on loan, j£ J 5 per cent, on £57 15s. 5d 2 17 9 Paid commission on collection of subscription, £5 per cent 4 16 1 By expenses of conversazione, May 15, 1856— Paid P. Laing refreshments £9 3 9 ,, D. N. Wilkinson, decorations, &c . 2 2 0 Paid Band 3 3 0 tt Labor, extra attendance, &c 0 19 6 £15 8 3 ,, Cost ofcleaning, firewood & labour 9 5 0 ,, Dp, pil, wicks and sundries.. ,. 1 18 0 £267 19 8