"WELLINGTON ATHENÆUM.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7490, 30 May 1885, Page 2

"WELLINGTON ATHENÆUM.

The annual meeting of the Wellington Athenaeum an! Mechanics’ Institute was bald last night. There were about 50 members

present, chair being occupied by the president, Mr George Allan,

REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. The bon. secretary, Mr T. King, read the annual report and balance-sheet, aa abstract of which has been already published in the Times.

The Chairman said the report might be considered fairly satisfactory. The institution had been struggling for a number of years under a heavy load of debt, which they fcadjiot been able to reduce. The Urge amount which they had to pay annually for Interest kept them in a hand •to - mouth condition, and the only way to get over it was by an increasd number of subscribers. There were very great advantages to be derived for the annual payment of a guinea subscription. The institution was worked in the most economical manner, but It was absolutely necessary that the building should have periodical coats of paint both inside and outside, in order to preserve it. He was ashamed to have to admit that only £75 to £IOO had been expended during the past year In the purchase of new books. They ought to be able to expend, at least, £2OO to £250 per annum. If they could do so, be believed they would have a large increase in the number of subscribers. They were likely to have an increase in their revenue during the ensuing year through letting the hall; but, at the same time, it must be remembered there were other competitors. The hall was rather circumscribed, but it was not the fault of the architect; the ground was not deep enough to admit of a larger hall. The President then referred to the loss sustained by the Athenaeum through the departure of their late librarian, Mr Hamilton, whose feelings must have been gratified by the testi* mooial which bad been presented to blmprevtoas to his leaving for England. With reference to subscribers, they were very fluctuating, and it must be remembered that there were fortyseven life members, who contributed nothing to the annual revenue. Taking it altogether, be thought the present year's income would come up to that of previous years. MrT. K. Macdonald (treasures) said he had much pleasure ia moving the adoption of tha - report and balance-sheet. The report showed that the Athenaeum had progressed with the even tenor of its way daring the past year. Thera was not much cause for rejoicing or for sorrowing. So long as tbs Athenaeum labored under its present heavy load of debt, so long would it fail to exercise the career of usefulness which such aa Institution ought to fulfil. It was true they bad advantages through having their rooms let to the Young Men’s Christian Association, which carried out teaching aud other functions which more properly belonged to the Athenmum. A large amount of the revenue went to defray the interest ou the mortgage, and in consequence they were only able to devote a very small anm towards tha purchase of books, magazines, and newspapers. It was contemptible that an institu* tion, with an income of £I6OO a year, could only devote £l5O per annum, or less than onetenth of its income, towards the real purposes for which such institutions were established. That could never be rectified till the debt was paid off. Year after yearhe bad urged, as a mem* her of the governing body, the adyisableneefl of converting the Athens jm into a free public library. They had a building and land which represented a large amount of capital, something like £17,000. which really and truly belonged to the citizms of Wellington. In the early days' the land bad been granted

to the cltfzms. Now it belonged, by an Act of incorporation, to the subscribers. Even if the number of subscribers dwindled down to ten, the land and buildings would still belong to them under that Act. They had over and over again asked the City Council to take It over and convert it into a free public library, but without avail. The -amount of the mortgage was only £B2so—the value of tbs land and building was £17,000. Thongh they bad to pay 8 per cent., the shops and hall brought In a revenue which recouped the total amount of interest. If the Corporation took ‘over the Athenaam, it could borrow money at 6 per cent. He did not see why the citizens of Wellington could not pay a penny in the pound for a free public library. It was a disgrace that a city like Wellington had not a public library. Until they had a public library and 'art gal* lery they eliminated all chance of getting bequests of money or works of art. There was no institution here to which a patriotic citizen could contribute. Auckland had its Art Gallery : why should not Wellington have one t And here he might venture to throw out a suggestion. Thera were men in this city who* had lived here for forty or forty-five years, and ' made 'most of their riches' here. They might very 1 well take the' institution uoder' their consideration, and offer to defray half the cost of converting it into a free library. If they did that, he had little doubt the public would contribute the other half. There wore four or five men in this city who could draw cheques for the whole amount without injuring either themselves or their families in the slightest degree. They all knew the gentlemen to whom be referred. Personally, be would never rest satisfied till the institution and the land upon which it stood belonged to the whole of the citizens of Wellington, instead of to an aggregation of individuals who subscribed a guinea per annnm. He concluded by referring to the loss sustained by the departure of their late librarian, Mr Hamilton, but be bad no doubt | his successor (Mr Falkner) would prove quite as capable, and that the institution would continue to prosper under his management Mr Bodley seconded the motion,- stating that he did not look upon the debt as anything very serious ; but he failed to see that the value of the land was £l5O per foot, seeing that some land adjacent, with buildings thereon, had recently been sold for £BO per foot. He thought the assets fiaff heea -plaf*4 at the highest possible' ■ He strongly objected to the large amount spent ia light and trashy literature, as compared with that spent on the better class of books. The separation of the sexes he regarded as a mistake, and a needless cause of expense. Mr D. T. Stuart congratulated the Committee upon the large attendance, as compared with previous years. It showed that a greater amount of interest was being taken in the Atheccam. He often thought there was a lack of useful books iu the library, but how were they to provide them so long as they bad such a load of debt hanging over them. Ten years ago Mr Frank Allan and Mr Baker went ronnd the city to collect subscriptions for the Athenaeum, which was then in a very embarrassed condition. They bad been very successful, and late Mr W, B. Rhodes, had given them a subscription pf £loo. which had. been expended iu.pqrcbaainjj useful works. - long , works rox . hetinfi were opt of a tsVdry class, a service Was? dons to fte community in supplying thsm tS they came out fr<sm day to s day. iTew persons lojjld find tiffie to rs%4 boojca sift ‘as ptqdßßts l|ke J|c Bodley veqalred, lZ answer to a question, the President stated that the books bad been carefully selected by the Library Committee. He urged upon subscribers that greater care should be taken of the books. Many of them were defaced, and bad the cuts taken away. Of the books provided last year, there were only 143 volumes of fiction out of a total of 269. If they did not cater for the tastes of sabesrihers, be was afraid there would be a considerable falling off in the membership. - Lots of valuable books were scarcely ever taken from the shelves, - ■ !

Mr Macdonald said it was quite refreshing to have a little opposition, Bodies found fault with the value of the assets, and (objected to £l5O per foot for the land on Lamhtonqaay. He (the speaker) was supposed to be an authority in such- matters, and he could assure Mr Bodley that £l5O per foot could easily be got for the land, if a fire occurred and deprived them of the buildings It bad a frontage to wbat would In a few -years he one cf the principal etr^eta-^FeathetetW'

street. The land lower down the quay was narrower, and would fetch more now than it did a few months ago. The assets vtreeet down at £II,OOO, and if they took a few thousands off their assets would still be very handsome. The ladies had a perfect right to eoterthe general reading-room, hut were provided with a privateroom,into which gentlemen could not enter. There were 5744 volumes of useful works in the library, and there were 1288 volnmea of books of reference, op more than one-tenth of the whole library ; whilst there were only 5000 volumes of fiction. The proportion in Mudie’s and W. H. Smith s Hats was about one-half of fiction, and one* half of useful works, and that was about the proportion they had in the Athttieum, The report and balance-sheet were then put, nnd earned unanimously. ELZOrrON OF OFFICE-BEARERS. For the office of President, the Hon Ran* dall Johnson, M.L.0., and Mr George Allen, the retiring President, were proposed. Mr Johnson received 35 votes ; Mr Allen, 22. Messrs G. Alien, J. R. George, and H, F. Logan were elected Vice-Presidentsunoppbaed. Messrs T, Kennedy Macdonald and T. King were re-elected Treasurer and Secretary, there being no other candidates for either otHce. Ten members were proposed for the Committee. The following is the result of the voting :—G. Didsbury, 44 ; O. F. Richmond, 44 ; J. M. Richardson, 43 ; L. H. B. Wilson, 43 ; H. C. Wilson, 41 ; G. B. Davy, 39 ; H. Wilcox. 39 ; F. O. Gibbs. 37; C. T. Richardson, 28 ; J. Telford, 12. The seven highest were declared duly elected.