THE ATHENAEUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2802, 30 January 1871, Page 3

THE ATHENAEUM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir—Your correspondent, whose letter signed " A Member," appeared in your issue of Saturday, chooses to assume that one of the apprehensions entertained by myself and other gentlemen has proved groundless. In that view 1. cannot concur. The opinion, expressed two years ago by so many members of the Institution aa well as \ myself, was : —Firßt,: that the proposed scheme of building could not be carried out without.involving the Institution in debt. Secondly, that increased expenses would necessarily diminish the fund available for ! purchasing books and newspapers. Thirdly, that these two facts wonld tend to reduce the number of subscribers. ,'; I In regard to the first two points there is no dispute. It is impossible to deny that the scheme has resulted ih saddling the Atherir. aeum with a heavy debt, and that the sum disposable for buying books and newspapers is much less now than it has been for several years past. lam still of opinion that these facts have a distinct tendency to reduce the number of subscribers. It seems to me absurd to suppose that a diminution in the funds of the institution can have had any effect in increasing its members. "■ Such increase I can only attribute to other and entirely different cauees. The accession to our numbers, according to my idea, has taken, place in spite of our wasteful management— certainly not by reason of it. Your correspondent is also quite mistaken in supposing that it is "a very bit er pDA" for me to recognise the increase of membership. If he had taken the trouble to read my letter before attempting to answer it, he would have found that that point was alluded to as a subject for congratulation. So far also from viewing the financial state of the Athenaeum with " satisfaction," "mournful" or otherwise, I am sorry to think that it presents singularly little cause for satisfaction ; and if your correspondent, instead of making a ridiculous attempt to exhibit me as deriving oomfort from finding one's apprehension verified, had only been »b!e to disprove any of the statements con- . Itained in my former letter —if he could have J throws any doubt ea ihe facts of «or being j

deeply jn debt, of exceeding our income, and wanting funds for the moat vital objects of the Institution, —he would have done more to promote alike my satisfaction and that of the members generally.—l am, &c,

Charles Fellows.