THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 12, 19 December 1862, Page 2

THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

To the Editor of the Invercabgill Times. ' a '01 Sir,— l wish to make a few remarks withm regard to an institution which, of all others,s. in all progressive communities, deserves the^ e fostering care of the powers that be — I mean w the Mechanics' Institute. It appears by a ll -' paragraph in your last issue that a sum of 1 ? L3OO has been put on the Estimates for this a £ object. So far, so good ; but I must certainly^ say, though thankful for the mite, that a^fi greater stretch of generosity would have , been equally gracious, considering the status : of our commercial and political existence, asy' the capital of the Southern Provinces of this'* 1 southern island of New Zealand. It would ( be ungrateful on my part to grumble just j., yet, but I must certainly say more might have,- J been done; for instance, with all the avail.*.; able Government land in reserve, 1 think the ? Council might well have granted a suitable- >. site for a Mechanics' Institute, and thus- l confer a real benefit on this community, '• where, in its advancement, so many young, - men are now beginning to settle ; and who,* 1 * for lack of such an institution, where they slo might resort and store their minds -with} 1 ? that useful knowledge in science and the' ln arts, select literature, and all those elegant Q y accomplishments which nerve the man ta^ cope •with and overcome many difficulties l ' : that might otherwise remain unexplained in* , his category of useful knowledge, resort t<£ rt those baneful enjoyments so temptingly . offered by the conventionalities of thrivingTes cities. Such a view of the matter must forciblyag 1 impress itself on the minds of j r our thinking readers, many of whom must long ago haviwn seen ' the great want, judging from their* experience of the nature of the working of-* such institutions in the colonies of Victoria, 8 ,? Sydney, Queensland, and other Australian^ settlements. Such institutions are beneficial,;^ healthful, and recreative, and form the basis lße of a bond of union and emulation among meiinc worthy of their species ; -while those amuse-siv uients. readily obtained at a price — drawnhe on the fund of health and honour — gnarl and^i© debase the mind, and unbent them to become *| serviceable members of society, or hope tir* aspire to honors legislatorial — which many tr c man, through the former means, has risen to—?* for the simple reason that the rudiments ofj^' debate are gone through in his standing asj. - t an associJ o ' the Mechanics' Institute. TheseJEj sir, are important questions in the mora; a philosophy of the affair, and ought to havd t been fairly met and liberally dealt witlike Mais, nous riest.tperons pas. More will follow C and no doubt we must walk before we an cit < able to run, and as a toddling we are conteni s sea. ea to lisp out our complaints. L3O0 — wh?.i m will that do in these golden times ? Why.'®" in my opinion, it may only buy the land ; i^ re not enough, the originators will have to duLj up if they wish the tiling to succeed, beside^" having to build a suitable Hall, which wil. cost a trine over LSOO. Had they beci granted a site, the thing would have beer r feasible enough; but if the committee succeed^ through their energy and perseverance, thej r J deserve the warmest thanks of the communitr t8 p But let us have something like a Hall, whenmi lectures may be delivered and meetings hekr without a crush. k» Hoping, Sir, that these few remarks willH find a corner in your valuable columns, !< * I beg to remain, Sir, * * Yours faithfully, ?£ A Mechanic. c - Invercargill, December 18, 1862.

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