THE INSTITUTE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1057, 9 July 1883, Page 2

THE INSTITUTE.

TO THE EDITOR, Sib, —In response to your note attached to “ Subscriber’s ” letter, I append a few remarks on the questions he wants answered. If “Subscriber” was at all interested in the welfare of the Institute he would have attended the annual meeting held in January last and thus have known who were on the committee and he would have had the privilege of voting fpr a change if be Considered it necessary. The present committee consists of Messrs H. F. Christie, H. E. P. Adams, R. A. Adams, G. D. Hamerton, A. J. Redgrave, S. Taplin and the writer. As the remainder of his questions are not exactly in logical order, I will answer them in what I consider the proper rotation. No. 5 asks what has become of the programme issued by the present committee ? In reply I can only say that the present committee have issued no programme; “ Subscriber ” has evidently confused the committee of last year with that of this year. The reason why last year’s programme was not carried out in its entirety is that the public did not offer sufficient encouragement to the committee. Now for No. 3—the outstanding subscriptions are comprised in most cases of arrears for one or two quarters, and, in a few, of even 12 month’s subscriptions. But let “ Subscriber ” take the list and ask those in arrear to “dub up,” and if he only pushes them he may get the money but he will most assuredly lose the subscribers, "Tt is a notable fact that directly Patea people are asked to put their bands in their pockets for the few shillings gecessary to entitle them to membership they say that their names can be taken off the roll, as they do not read much, and think they can do with even less. Ido not of course deny that there might be fewer outstanding subscriptions if application were made to every person entering the room ; but 1 do not know that were this done the list of subscribers now under 50 would soon be even less.

No. 4, as to what is done with the subscriptions, seems to imply rather more than even a “Subscriber” has the. right to infer with regard to monies received and expended in trust/ by a body of men elected by subscribers ; but, as every subscriber has the right to attend the annual meeting when the balance sheet is read,'it ought to be his duty if interested, to attend and hear what is done with the money. For the benefit of “ Subscriber,” who has evidently only recently developed this interest, I extract a few figures as to last year’s work from the Patea Mail. Gross income, £132 2s Id, of which £B7 Os 2d were not receipts and £45 Is lid overdraft. The expenditure was £l3O, and amongst the items were —Re-payment to Mr Harris, £3l Is ; management, £l7 16s lOd; lighting, £5 11s ; purchase of books, ’Bl-82, £44 18s. As “Subscriber” must know when the last committee took office, the total indebtedness was about £65, and at the end of the year they had pulled up £2O. This, out of a real income of £B7, cannot bnt be regarded as satisfactory. As to question No. 2:1 can only say that when the public show their appreciation of the Committee’s endeavours to provide good and substantial reading matter by coming forward with good and substantial cash, the “ freezing ” on both sides will soon disappear. Till then the Committee do not feel warranted in expending money on fires when they cannot find sufficient to provide new books. Now, I think that does for all the questions except the last; and as to whether the subscribers are satisfied with my explanations, ! offer no other remark than this : if they are not, let them attend the Annual Meeting, and have a change. As your correspondent has been good enough to give a suggestion tor our benefit, I give him one in return, and that is this : to make careful enquiry as to how many papers on the table are paid for. As perhaps others besides he would like to know, I give the names, Australasian, Lyttelton Times, Graphic, Punch, News, and London Times, besides which are Century, Harper's and Contemporary Reviews. If any of these can be done without, let “ Subscriber ” inform us which, and we will consider his suggestions. m Since the beginning - of 1883, numerous papers have been secured for the Reading Room free ; and, at the present time, I can lay my hand on at least ten colonial papers which have been secured free solely through the exertions of individual members of the Committee. In conclusion, 'allow me to state that I have in my pocket at this moment, a long list of books ready to be sent away as soon as the list of mem-

hers warrants it; but unless that happens,'there is very, little chance oi the order being sent, especially as there is ho Government subsidy to fall back on this year. I am very glad “Subscriber” has called attention through your columns to the state of the Institute, because it has given me' a chance of showing how things really are, and I hope that one result of this correspondence will be the payment of arrears, and the influx of now members.—l am, &c., J. A. Wilkinson, Hon. Sec. Patca Institute.: July 7. ; " ' -■ •