ATHENÆUM COMMITTEE

Southland Times, Issue 17267, 11 February 1913, Page 2

ATHENÆUM COMMITTEE

ANNUA I. REPORT, Fallowing Is ilie itport to be submitted 1 o incur.hers tu the annual meeting in the Victoria Hull on Monday, 24tli Inst.: The Cominiutc has again (he pleasure of submitting its annual report to members. Tl'i; ordinary revenue of the year, from all sources, amounted to £1514 IVs i 1.1, or a dflease of £223 10s Did as ci.nijaio) wiili iliat of the previous ear. The receipts from rents of offices and riii'iil lands ainounlfd to £1045 9s 9d, being £i SO less than last year's total. The decrease Is accounted for by the fiu i that there wan a considerable loss of icvcnne from the Colonial Chambers whilst alterations were being effected. Thu suhsei iptions trom members totalled £l3l Vs (id, u decrease of £27 9s upon Iho aniouni shown in last years bal.int e-siieel. The ordinary expenditure for the year was 1174 2 Is Bd, less an amount of £l4O 3s 2d received as interest on teinpoi'ii;'.*' deposit, or say £1595 18s 6d. The expenditure on literary matter wns £261 9s Sd, classified as follows: — Books 1 120 7s 6d, book-binding £2O 7s W, and newspapers and magazines £l2O 15s 2d, The telephone was installed in the librarian’s office during the year for the use by members of the staff and committee on Athenaeum business only, and has pravod of great service. Library.—7s7 volumes were added to the shelves during the year, under the following heads; —References 35, biography 29, essays 35. travels 71, history 15, science, economics and sociology 40, fine arts 2, theology 12, poetry 16, miscellaneous 42, fiction 460; 213 volumes were re-bound. The usual donations of magazines and illustrated papers were made at Christmas time to the Invercargill Hospital, gaol, Lome Farm, and Sailors’ Rest, Bluff. The names of 433 people are entered in tlie visitors’ book, and probably as many more visited the reading room without having their names recorded. Classification of Books. —During the year the Committee, taking advantage of the additional room gained by the removal of the museum to the Technical School Museum, re-classified the whole of the books In the library. The number of classes had' not been altered since the establishment of the library, and with the great number of books now on the shelves, some further subdivision was desirable. The most approved style of classification was adopted by the committee in dealing with the books. A great amount of work was involved, as practically every book in the library had to be handled separately, and considered by one or more members of. the committee as to the class into which it should be put. The committee are satisfied that the re-classification is a great convenience to those using the library in enabling them easily to refer to a book healing with any particular subject. While re-classlfying the books, the committee found on the shelves a number of books which it was decided to withdraw. These were principally obsolete novels and other books of ephemeral Interest that were never asked for, and that possessed no intrinsic merit. Some of the withdrawn books were sold and the rest were donated to the various country libraries which the committee considered to be most in need of them, and parcels were also sent to the gaol, lighthouses, and the Hospital, Reference Library.—Now that the museum exhibits have been housed in the Technical College, the necessary shelfroom is available for a reference library. Up to the present time the financial position has not been such as would warrant expenditure in this direction, but the Committee hope to devote a portion of any surplus revenue In future towards the establishment of a Reference Library worthy of the name. For the year 1913 it is anticipated that all surplus revenue will be required for payment of the additions to the Colonial Chambers, but after that there should be funds available for this object. Accountants Society’s Books. —The local branch of the New Zealand Accountants’ Society approached the Committee and asked that their library consisting principally of books on Accountancy and Commercial Law should be housed in the library for reference by members of that Society. It was decided to accept custody of the books without any responsibility, and the books have now been placed in the library in a book-case supplied by the Accountants’ Society. Free Admission to Scholars. —In accordance with the custom established a few years ago, a number of tickets of membership were presented as prizes to promising scholars in the various schools in Invercargill and suburbs, and this year the Technical College was added to the list of schools receiving these prizes. Several membership tickets were also presented to the Competitions Socity to be delated by it as prizes at the annua ♦^►petitions. Debentures and Loa . —The loan on debentures totalling £BSOO. negotiated 14 years ago, matured in September, 1912, and to meet the balance of the amount remaining owing (£7900) and a further amount of over £3OOO required for the new building on the Colonial Chambers site, and the renovation and alteration of tile building on that site, the Committee raised a loan o£ £II,OOO on mortgage as authorised at the last annual meeting at the satisfactory’ rate of 4% per cent. Of this loan there still remains £796 3b 2d on deposit at the Postoffice Savings Bank, but this amount will be more than absorbed by the balance due to the contractor for the additions to the Colonial Chambers. Colonial Chambers. —The new building and the renovation and alteration of the old building have now been completed, with the result that the Athenaeum owns a commodious modern building that is an ornament to the town. Messrs Walker Brothers, the contractors, are to be congratulated on the excellence of the work. The whole building is let to four tenants on leases vary’lng from three to seven years at satisfactory rates. Other Endowments. —The Athenaeum Building is in a good state of repair, and the rural endowments are also in satisfactory’ condition, the various tenants carrying out the conditions of their leases. The outfall drain through the swamp in the Rosly’n Plains Endow’raent mentioned in last annual report was, during the year, carried by Mr H. S. Irving through bis farm, and the Committee is satisfied that it will prove a good investment to the tenants interested. Free Library.—ln October last the Committee was approached by the Town Council to ascertain on what terms the Athenaeum could supply a Free Reading ißoom, or in the alternative could hand the whole institution over to the town as a Free' Public Library. At the request of the Council the Committee met a deputation from the Council and discussed the question. The Council promised to supply your Committee with information regarding the manner and conditions under whieh free libraries were conducted in other parts of the Dominion. Tills was done, and the Committee went fully Into the matter, and finally dealt with it at the January monthly meeting. While impressing on the. Council that this matter is one for the subscribers to settle, the Committee indicated the terms on which it is prepared to submit it to the subscribers. A reply having now been received, the Committee will afford an opportunity of submitting the various propositions to tlie annual meeting. Donations of books were received from several well-wishers of the institution during the year’, which were suitably acknowledged by the Committee. Committee Meetings.—During the y r ear 18 ordinary and special meetings of the Committee were held, at wijlch the attendances of Committeemen was as follows: —Messrs Pearce (Vice-President), 16; Carswell (Hon, Treasurer), 16;Bicknell, 16; Stout (President), 15; Hlskens, 14; Dunlop and Cochrane, 13; Robertson (Hon. Secretary; elected in May), 10; Webb, 9; Robinson (resigned), 6. In addition, numerous meetings of the Library and House and Finance Committees were held, at which the attendance was satisfactory. In May, Mr George Robinson, Honorary Secretary’, resigned owing to his removal to Christchurch, and Mr James Robertson was appointed to bis place. Mr Robinson bad been ten years on the Committee, four of which lie acted as honorary secretary. His services on the Committee were very much appreciated by bis fellow members, and they recorded a suitable resolution on the minutes.