DUNEDIN ATHENÆUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 61

DUNEDIN ATHENÆUM.

ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the committee of the Dunedin Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute, to be presented to members at the meeting on January 31, says: —“The income for the year from all sources, added to the bank balance for 1908, amounted to £1839 10s 7d, and the expenditure to £1590 10s 7d, the year thus closing with a credit balance of £249, out of which £IOO has been placed on fixed deposit with the Bank of New Zealand, as noted later on. The number of members now on the roll is 1918, as against 1920 at the close of the previous year. The library now contains 19,282 works, represented by 22,806 volumes; 1053 volumes were disposed of and struck off the catalogue during the year. The accessions for the year number 1159 works (in 1212 volumes) distributed over the following departments of literature :—Sciences, 38; useful arts, 10; fine and recreative arts, 7; social and political science, 29; philosophy and religion, 36; history and geography,. 79; biography and correspondence, 58; languages and literature, 3; poetry and. drama, 12; miscellaneous works, 43 ; fiction, 821; works of reference, 33. . The usual supplementary catalogue of books added to the library during the year has been printed, and may bo obtained from the librarian. The total number of books issued from the library during the year, was, 82,857, as compared with 81,824 issued during 1908. The details of the issue for the year just closed are as follow Sciences, 525; useful arts, 393; fine and recreative arts, 293; social and political science, 403; philosophy and re--ligion, 651; history and geography, 2287; biography and correspondence, 2165; language and literature, 159; poetry and drama, 344; miscellaneous works (including magazines in book form), 1058; fiction, 74,579. The committee., in conformity with former practice, offered prizes, in the form of tickets of membership, for competition in the Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools, and also , in the primary schools of the city, and suburbs. Twenty-five prizes were awarded. With the view of creating a sinking fund, which may be applied to the reduction of the mortgage on the building, the committee has placed the sum of £IOO on fixed deposit with the Bank of New Zealand. The committee is of opinion that it would be of advantage to introduce electric lighting into the. building - , but the cost of installation is beyond its present means, except by a saer ifico of; ether ip.tereste. ihe matter, however, Js comiuendcd to the incoming committee, . . ~ 11 - The appended statement shows that the assets are £10,746, of which the principal constituent items arc: Land and buildings, £7000; books, £5000: and furniture and fittings, £4OO. The liabilities consist of a mortgage of £3OOO, and sundry accounts due of about £44 1. 3d, leaving a balance te credit of £7702 14s lOd.