NELSON INSTITUTE.

Colonist, Volume XL, Issue 8806, 4 March 1897, Page 2

NELSON INSTITUTE.

THE ANNUAL- MEETING.

The annual meeting in connection with the Meson Institute was held last evening, when the President (Mr J. T. Oatley) was in the ohair. Mr Redgrave, the Seoretiry, read the report aa follows : — " The Committa have much pleasare in presenting to members ol the Institute the annual report and balance sheet for the year 1806. " The reoeipts for the year . (including balance of £1 15 a3d brought forward) amounted to £ .33 7a 5d and the expenditure to £135 9s 7d, showing a deficiency of £2 2s 2d. " The subscriptions amounted to £102 83 Bd, the number of subscribers on our books remaining at about 130. 11 It will be notioed that the sum of £7 6a 6d was receive i as proceeda of a very Buoaessfal entertainment given by Miss EL Beeves and Mr B. B. Saodgrosa and the performers under their diteation, to assist the fands of the Institute, and the thanks of the members of the Institute are due to all who kindly g&H their assistance on this occasion? •' It will be seen by the Treasurer's statement that the f acds available for the purchase of new books were very limited and the turn of £9 could only be devotsd to that purpose, this was spent in purchasing new works of fiotion by popular authors, and the choice of boohs appears to have given general satisfaction. " Several new magazines and periodicals have been added during the year inoluding The .Skatcb, Windsor Magazine, Pearson B M ntbly and otherß, and a very complete collection of the best illustrated papers, reviews, scientific papers, and. general periodical literature is now available to members. " Eeferring to the matter of tha Institute Endowment, the Committee regret to say that the 2000 acres of land selected in the Tadmor district is stiil looked op pending the settlement of the Midland Bailway question, and therefore no funds have as yet been received from this source. " The C)mmtt cc have to inform the mem* bers of the Institute that the Trustees of the Nelson Savings B*nk have caled for pay* meat of interest at the rats of 5 per cent on the loan of £700 advanced to build the Mußeum, and this Committee has informed, the Savings Bank that until aid from the Endowment is received, it is quite impossible to meet tbe demand. The loan was originally advanced free of interes 1 . ' The Committee desire to record their thanks to members who have plaoed news* pipers and periodicals on the tables for tbe use of subscribers, and to those members who have generously presented books to the Institute during the past year. " The Committee expressly desire to re] cord th.eir appreciation of the efficient manner in which ihe dutLs cf Librarian have b?en carried oar, and the , zeal and energy displayed by Miss Beeves on behalf of the Institute." Mr Redgrave read the statement of receipts and expenditure for the past year. On the motion o' Judge Bobinson, seconded by Mr S. B White, the report and statement were adopted. Ihe Chairman said the report had fully deal; with the affairs of tbe Institute, and left little for h m to Bay. If they had tbe Stewart Reserve and the Tadmor Beßerve they oould get a.ong comfortably, for be reckoned the firßt named would give them about £50 a year, and the latter £100 a year. Ha had hoped that they would have got the Stewart Reserve this year, but the Tadmor Beserve wbs still looked up with the Midland Bailway C mpany'g affairs. If the Institute was closed he was sure it would prove a great loss to many. The Institute was well kept, the raading room w.s very comfortable, and a good lot of periodicals supplied would compare favorably with any to be found in any other library in the Colony. Eaoh member, he urged, ehoul i endeavor to get another person to jo : n, for if they had fifty new membars they would ba comparatively at ease as regards finance. In reply to Dr Hudson, the Chairman Baid that the? bad borrowed two Bums from the bavioga Bank, one of £100, and another of £700. They were pa isg interest oa the £100 loin, but they could not pay interest on ihe £700 loan until they got the reserve. Ha hoped something would ba done to get tbe Stewart reserve this >car, for the Ministry were fuliy in sympathy with them. As regards the Tadmor r a rye they would hive to wait until the Midland Railway Compaoy difficulty was settled and the lands unlooked. Judge Robinson was certain that if the peop'e of Nelson kne withe advantages of being numbers of the Institute, they wruld bava miny more joining as members. Direct y be taoame a resident of Nelson ha joined the Institute 1 , and the £1 & year he paid as subscription he considered tbe best laid out money cf bis expenditure, and that he got mere for that £l thin for any other money. He had tbe advantage of a large lending library, and could take out three volumes at a time ; then there was an Excellent readiog room, which was supplied with all the be»t cf the periodicals. Every subEoriber oould supply hi^ hmily all the year round with an immense q r anti.y of literature. If persona cmce became subscribers he was sure they would tot ce*se to Eubtcribe, because they would feel that they ooold col do without the advantages of tbe Institute* It was like becoming the possessors of a large library of their own. Ihe number of subscribers fceepkg ht about the same bore ont what be had eaid that if onoe persons became subscribers, and ured tbe library and reading room, tbey felt that they could cot do without th«m. The Chairman said the gentlemen who had been nominated for the Commi tee for the ensuing year were : — Messrs J. T. Cat ley, F. G. Gribbe, A. J. Bedgrave, P. Grant, John Graham, S. B. Whi c, T. Eaine, W.Bobinßon, J. P. Harriß, Kdward Moore, and Dr Hudson. Mr Moore had been nominated in the plaoe of the late Mr Beaoham, whose death they all deeeply regretted. He deolared tin eleven gentlemen nominated duly elected. The Committee would elect someone to make the number up to twelve. Mr Graham, M.H.B, explained the position bb to the reserves. He would do all he could in the matter. They bad a good olaim, as they were promised an equivalent in the pace of tbe Tarndale reserve, and the Stewart and Tadmor ns rvee would not give the incoTre of tbe Tarndale one. He would do all he could to get the Stewart reserve, but they would I aye to wait until tbe embargo was removed from the land at Tadmor. Tbe Chairman was certain that they oould not leave their interests in the matter of the i eserveß in better hands than Mr Graham, .Yoteß of tbanka were given to Mr T. Baine for his teivicee as Auditor, and he was reelect d ; to Mr Redgrave, as Secretary and Treasurer ; and to tbe President, The meeting then closed.